FY 2017 NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP)

The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, Pub. L. 110-180 ("NICS Improvement Act"), was signed into law by the President on January 8, 2008. The NICS Improvement Act amends the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 ("the Brady Act") (Pub. L. 103-159), under which the Attorney General established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Brady Act requires Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to contact the NICS before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person for information on whether the proposed transferee is prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm under state or federal law. The NICS Improvement Act authorizes grants to be made in a manner consistent with the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP).

Under the 2017 NARIP priority areas, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) will administer and monitor the following 4 projects in collaboration with their partner agencies:

1) Missouri Office of Prosecution Services (MOPS) Case Management Installation: MOPS will continue contracting a Technology Automation Resource Prosecutor (TARP) who will work with the Office of State Court Administrator (OSCA) and MSHP to coordinate the accuracy and completeness of the data transfer relating to criminal history reporting from prosecuting attorneys’ offices throughout OSCA and the central repository. The TARP will coordinate efforts statewide to improve reporting by prosecutors, oversee the installation and maintenance of the automated Case Management System in prosecutors’ offices, and serve as a resource and trainer for prosecutors and their staff. In addition, the TARP will work with OSCA and MSHP in statewide automation interface efforts, development and improvement of charge code creations, project and contract management, and other related issues to improve data entry, data transfer and accuracy in NICS reporting. MOPS will also contract out a PTE that will ensure that Sex Offender, Protection Order, Warrant, Mental Health, and other qualifying records to the NICS.

2) MSHP Overtime for Researching Missing Dispositions: The MSHP will use NARIP funding to support an overtime project for court and prosecutor employees to research missing disposition information. MSHP has identified two types of incomplete records that need to be researched: 1) records that have charges but lack a court case disposition; and 2) records that have an arrest, but no indication if charges were filed or denied. The overtime project would focus on those records that were 10 years old which would increase MO’s disposition completion percentage and assist NICS personnel in making firearm purchase determinations.

3) Complete Development of the Show-Me Courts System: The OSCA will continue to develop the new Show-Me Courts case management system. NARIP funds will be used to fund two Senior IT Programmers who will work with the Show-Me Courts project team to complete the programming for the system that is necessary for associate and circuit level criminal case processing. The development includes: date of death information entered and reported; and fingerprint look-up.

4) MOPS Case Management Development: MOPS is currently working on the design and development of a new statewide case management system. The development of this system is being funded by FY15/16 NARIP funds. During the system design, MOPS identified a need for further funding for new user installs, new server migration costs, and integration of an e-discovery module to facilitate case filings. These enhancement will contribute to the accuracy and timeliness of prosecutor charge reporting by supporting electronic system responsible for the submission of this data to the MO Central Repository, and subsequently to the NICS. CA/NCF