Wyoming Criminal History Record Improvement Program

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 the 2019 NCHIP priority 1 area of updating and automating case outcomes in state records and the FBI Criminal History File, the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General (WYOAG), through the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) will manage two projects: 1) Criminal History System Enhancements and Support; and 2) Livescan replacement project.

1) Criminal History System Enhancements: DCI will use NCHIP funds to define and implement business rules into the Wyoming Criminal History Records Information System (WyCHRIS) application that will provide automated, real-time, rules-driven notification to a Concealed Firearm Permit (CFP) analyst whenever criminal history is received that would disqualify a concealed firearm permit holder. An automated interface would be created to the state’s central message switch so the CFP analyst could initiate a NICS update automatically from the WyCHRIS/CFP application, precluding the need to re-enter the NICS updates on a message switch terminal. Additionally, an automated interface would be created to the State Message switch for automatically check against NICS for Protection orders. Other upgrades to the criminal history system include: audit data archival and search improvements; quality and reporting improvements; functional and visual improvements to RAP Sheet output; elimination and prevention of duplicate entries; streamlining the scanning process and FBI response processing; and automation of disposition reporting.

2) Livescan Replacement: DCI will use NCHIP funds to purchase portable livescan equipment. The project will entail the purchase of livescan devices for various criminal justice agencies across the state, specifically Sheriff Offices, Police Departments and Courts. The portable livescan systems will allow agencies to capture fingerprints on cite-and-release situations. Wyoming does not receive fingerprints from most agencies in this situation but instead through ink and roll mailings. The portable livescan solution will drastically increase the capturing of fingerprints and will, in turn, increase the accuracy of records, especially those that may be a NICS firearms disqualification.

(CA/NCF)