Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2016, $2,535,169)
The goal of the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) is to improve the Nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information and by insuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems. BJS provides direct financial and technical assistance to the states to improve criminal history and other related records and to build their infrastructure to connect to national record check systems both to supply information and to conduct the requisite checks.
Under this award, the Michigan State Police (MSP) will work with Michigan courts and prosecutors to improve the timeliness and accuracy of criminal history information. MSP is requesting funds for several positions within the Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC). The CHR Quality Control Auditor will establish standards and evaluations for agencies that contribute to the CHR system. This position is accountable for the overall accuracy of the CHR database. Two open case technicians will be responsible for closing out open cases associated with concealed pistol license (CPL) applicants. Continued funding of two CHR liaisons will provide on-site, long term training to local agencies in some of MichiganÂ’s largest cities on the reporting of criminal history data. Quarterly training opportunities for MSP CHR staff will provide a detailed overview of the criminal history process with explanations and resolutions for the many errors and omissions that result in open cases and pending records in the database. To assist with open case and pending record reduction, funds will be used for overtime within the MSP CJIC. Staff will work on essential projects including open case data submitted by local agencies, manual dispositions received from courts, and researching missing arrest data.
Significant technological improvements will be made possible through grant funding. System enhancements to the statewide AFIS will include upgrades to the ten-print search algorithms. An upgrade for the Automated Law Enforcement Information Access System (ALIAS) web application will immediately identify relevant data and ensure that records are accessible for criminal history inquiries at the state and national levels. An add-on function to the MSP livescan systems will also be purchased. This enhancement relays an email notification to prosecutors and courts, providing data at the time fingerprints are captured. Also included are improvements to the Michigan prosecutor interface to CHR that will establish a centralized prosecutor case management system. Enhancements will transition prosecutorsÂ’ offices to a paperless environment and ensure consistency of captured data. (CA/NCF)