Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2022, $1,800,561)
Program Narrative
Section A: Background and Identification of Needs
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS), the parent agency of the Mississippi Criminal Information Center (MCIC), is the administrator for criminal history improvement programs for the State of Mississippi. The MCIC is Mississippi’s primary conduit for information exchange with the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ (FBI) National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) system, as well as for other national data exchanges and statewide law enforcement information exchange within Mississippi.
Accomplishments:
Over the past several years, under the auspices of the MDPS-MCIC, the State of Mississippi has built a state-of-the-art criminal records system. This system, the Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) was created using funding from federal grants including National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) funds, Edward Byrne Memorial grant funds, and funds appropriated by the State. These funds have provided the core capabilities of a sophisticated criminal records management system that includes an Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), the state message switch for routing of messages including NCIC/NLETS messages, the state NCIC Terminal Server, the Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) repository, automatic processing of Interstate Identification Index (III) support, a transaction archive and a robust sex offender registry. These systems and components were constructed using best practices in the areas of computing hardware, software, and open interface standards.
The MCIC continues to employ proven strategies in design, implementation, and deployment improvements. Today, as a result of previous NCHIP funding, Mississippi’s criminal records system is centered around the MCHS repository based on open standards hardware and software. The MCIC has also been able to make broad improvements to its systems and quality of data because of previous NCHIP funding, state funding, and other federal grant resources. These improvements include:
A developed process for entry and verification of Interstate Identification Index (III) entries with participating local law enforcement agencies within the State of Mississippi. This is a continuous effort by the Mississippi Justice Information Center (MJIC) to improve the timeliness and quality of submissions and verify active records on the III file;
Mississippi participates in NICS instant background checks with criminal data. The State of Mississippi passed legislation in March 2013 requiring MDPS to report the mental health dispositions that would disqualify a candidate from receiving a firearm permit to NICS/FBI. Funding solicitation was submitted and received under the Improving the Completeness of Firearm Background Checks through Enhanced State Data Sharing FY 2013 Competitive Grant Announcement.
MCIC continues to work with district attorneys and courts to implement submission of final case dispositions with all of Mississippi’s courts.
Mississippi upgraded and enhanced its Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and is finalizing efforts to complete a major upgrade of the IAFIS solution that will increase the database capacity for fingerprint and transaction volume along with accuracy and workflow enhancements that meet the latest technology features available for these type systems;
MCIC personnel, in conjunction with contractors, actively review systems and data by probing and mining for errors and omissions in the type and quality of data.
The MCIC continues to collaborate with the State’s courts to improve final disposition submissions to the repository.
The MCIC and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) jointly operate a statewide registry of uniform domestic violence reporting. This joint effort also includes a statewide repository for protection order tracking that interfaces to the FBI’s national protection order file.
Progress on Record Improvement Goals:
The MDPS/MCIC continues to work with the State Attorney General’s Office of Domestic Violence on the statewide protection order tracking system and the ability to forward protection orders to the national system.
Current Status in Specific Subject Areas:
Disposition available to III: Mississippi participates in sending case dispositions to the FBI via the III ‘DSP’ message key. The Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) vendor has modified the System’s process that will allow MS to take temporary ownership of the record and update the disposition in IAFIS. With the modified process in place, a preexisting backlog of rejected DSP messages that accumulated since going live has been updated and resent to the FBI.
Upon receiving notification from the FBI that the State of Mississippi’s disposition reporting rate was low, the MS Criminal Information Center’s (MCIC) management team communicated with the court systems within the State requesting disposition information that has not been sent to MCIC for processing. MCIC has started receiving much of the missing disposition information. The majority of the correspondence is being performed through paper exchange, mainly mailing and faxing with posting by MCIC records technicians.
The MCIC management team will continue to work with court personnel to find ways to improve means of disposition submission processing.
NICS Index and mental health record availability: Previous Mississippi laws prohibited the implementation of mental health record checks in NICS; therefore, the State had no statewide database of adjudicated mental health records. The State of Mississippi passed legislation in March 2013 allowing the MDPS to make available the mental health dispositions that would disqualify a candidate from receiving a firearms or firearm permits to NICS/FBI. Funding solicitation was submitted and received under the Improving the Completeness of Firearm Background Checks through Enhanced State Data Sharing FY 2013 Competitive Grant Announcement. MDPS has implemented a web-based application that allows court personnel to enter the disqualifying mental health adjudication at the time judgment is rendered.
Protection Order Files: The MCIC has worked with the State Attorney General’s Office of Domestic Violence and has implemented a comprehensive protection order tracking system provided by 2008 SDVRIP grant funding, for development of an in-state protection order registry system that forwards protection orders to the national system.
Warrants/wanted person records: The MCIC does submit information for inclusion in the FBI’s NCIC Wanted Persons File.
While the MDPS/MCIC has been able to improve its ability to employ proven strategies in the design, implementation, and deployment of improvements in its criminal information system since inception; the agency finds the need for the following areas of interest to:
Contracted with Meris LLC to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements, and other important documents related to CIC criminal records
Purchased scanner interface library to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements, and important document related to CIC criminal records
Did not need to Purchase Window Client Virtual Machines (VMs) for testing to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements and other important documents related to CIC. – This was eliminated
Contract with Computer Projects of Illinois (CPI) to implement an Internet Records Access Portal (iRAP)
Purchased equipment for Criminal Information Center (CIC) staff
Surface Pro 7
Keyboard/cover case
Docking station
Arc mouse
Keyboard
Soundbar
Mini display port
Full HD LED LCD Monitor
Purchased Aware NISTPack package for printing FBI cards
Purchase live scan units for each local agency in Mississippi
Contract with SEARCH (The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics) Data Dashboard for arrest and disposition records reported
Purchase Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Purchase Desktop package for the CIC training classroom
The vast majority of improvements made to the State’s criminal history system have been due, in part, to a combination of previous NCHIP grants, as well as other federal and state funding. Without such funding, the agency finds it difficult undertake projects of this magnitude. At present time, no legislative appropriations are available to the agency to continue these types of projects. Previous NCHIP funding obtained by MDPS has all been obligated, therefore, external resources such as the FY2022 NCHIP funding is sought to assist the MDPS in fulfilling its commitment to ongoing improvement of Mississippi’s criminal history system. The goal of the MDPS is to enhance the State’s criminal history system to improve data quality, data exchange processes and data availability to national, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Section B: Project Design and Implementation: Description of tasks to be funded under NCHIP
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) requests BJS FY 2021 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) funding for the purpose of obtaining needed supplemental personnel and equipment that will enable the agency to:
Contracted with Meris LLC to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements, and other important documents related to CIC criminal records
Purchased scanner interface library to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements, and important document related to CIC criminal records
Did not need to Purchase Window Client Virtual Machines (VMs) for testing to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements and other important documents related to CIC. – This was eliminated
Contract with Computer Projects of Illinois (CPI) to implement an Internet Records Access Portal (iRAP)
Purchased equipment for Criminal Information Center (CIC) staff
Surface Pro 7
Keyboard/cover case
Docking station
Arc mouse
Keyboard
Soundbar
Mini display port
Full HD LED LCD Monitor
Purchased Aware NISTPack package for printing FBI cards
Purchase live scan units for each local agency in Mississippi
Contract with SEARCH (The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics) Data Dashboard for arrest and disposition records reported
Purchase Network Attached Storage (NAS)
Purchase Desktop package for the CIC training classroom
Contract with Meris LLC to implement document scanning capability for disposition, background checks and expungements ($63,200) - Completed
MDPS requested funding to contract with Meris LLC to implement document scanning capability for dispositions and expungements that are received. The project added the capability for Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) web application to provide MCHS users with a document scanning capability for the purpose of eliminating redundant data entry. The cost covered the discovery and designing, coding, documenting, testing, deploying and monitoring. Programming was developed integrating the application using the third-party software utility to scan documents. The goal did reduce time required by operator with elimination of redundant entry and to improve operator workflow with seamless integration of the scanning process. It improved linkage between scanned document and user data entry with both to be stored and correlated on the same system.
Purchase scanner interface Library to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, background checks and expungements ($1200.00)
MDPS purchased a scanner interface library to implement a document scanning capability for dispositions and expungements that are received. The project added the capability for Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) web application to provide MCHS users with a document scanning capability for the purpose of eliminating redundant data entry. The cost covered the discovery and designing, coding, documenting, testing, deploying and monitoring. The goal reduced time required by operator due to elimination of redundancy and to improve operator workflow due to seamless integration of scanning process. It improves linkage between scanned document and user data entry with both to be stored and correlated on the same system. It would allow quick and incremental deliveries. The purchasing of the scanner interface library is used for up to thirty workstations.
Purchase the Windows Client Virtual Machines (VMs) to Implement document scanning capability for dispositions, background checks and expungements ($428) – did not purchase was not needed.
MDPS is requesting funding to purchase two Windows Client Virtual Machines to be used while implementing a document scanning capability for dispositions and expungements that are received; however, there was no need for purchase of the virtual machines.
Contract with Computer Projects of Illinois (CPI) to implement an Internet Records Access Portal (iRAP) ($310,500.00)
MDPS is requesting funding to contract with CPI to implement an Internet Records Access Portal (iRAP). The iRAP will help disseminate criminal history and background check information to authorized individuals. iRAP features applicant fingerprint registration to allow individuals to register their fingerprint to conduct comprehensive background checks. With iRAP, agencies can create an agency profile to conduct several background checks and receive immediate access to applicant information. The MDPS and CPI are currently working through the discovery phase.
Purchase equipment for Criminal Information Center (CIC) staff ($10,256)
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) purchased surface pros, cover cases, docking station, mouse, Keyboards, soundbars, mini display ports, HD LED LCD monitors, for MCIC personnel. Surface Pros, monitors, soundbars, case coverings, keyboards, and mouse are needed for the Mississippi Criminal Information Center (MCIC) personnel. Purchasing the equipment will continue to improve the Mississippi Criminal Information Center (MCIC) employees’ job performance. The Mississippi Justice Information System (MJIC) personnel (within MCIC) perform queries and verify information for wanted persons, missing people, stolen vehicles, criminal histories, driver’s license, VIN numbers, and vehicle registration information when one of the State’s law enforcement officers enters information in the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) for a person listed as a Mississippi resident. The MJIC team is responsible for verifying the information on NCIC is correct for the MS resident. The MJIC verifications are 24 hour/7 days a week/365 day a year operation.
All roles of MCIC are essential to the agency. These roles have access to the Criminal Information Center’s network at any given time to perform queries for instate, out-of-state, and Federal law enforcement agencies 24/7/365. The CJIS Security Officer is the main point-of-contact for any correspondence and interaction with the federal government. The CJIS Security Officer must respond and provide feedback to various law enforcement agencies on the local, state, and federal level at various times; some of which are after normal business hours. The Systems Manager and Lead System Administrator are responsible for the maintenance and management of the State’s criminal information system which is required to be operational 24x7/365 days a year. The Systems Manager and Lead System Administrator frequently access the MCIC’s network to perform upgrades, apply fixes, and monitor the network. Network access is often performed after normal business hours, weekends, and holidays. Access to the MCIC network is needed by the Systems Manager & Lead System Administrator on a 24/7/365 basis in the event of a security breach, to perform troubleshooting for network issues, and monitoring of the network with the intended goal to eliminate or reduce possible network downtown or interruption. When the network is down or traffic isn’t flowing as it should, it hinders criminal history information searches on a local, state, and national levels.
Purchase Aware NISTPack package for printing FBI cards $21,808
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety purchased Aware NISTPack. Aware NISTPack is an SDK that enables an application with reading, writing, viewing, editing, and validating of biometric data transactions in compliance with ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2000, -2007, -2011 and 2-2008 standards. Using Aware NISTPack ensures that biometric images are properly compressed, demographic data is included in the correct format, and the resulting object is constructed properly for data interchange between standards-based biometric systems.
Aware NISTPack provides a common C# or Java API to create and validate biometric transactions that comply with either the traditional binary encoding of the standard or the XML encoding of the standard. Raw biometric image and biographic data can be input and the API design facilitates the output of either format. The same API functions are used to create either format.
Additionally, Aware NISTPack supports the two-way conversion between binary encoded data and XML encoded data in compliance with the standard.
Purchase live scan units for each agency in Mississippi ($1,483,153.00)
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) is requesting funds to purchase 40 livescan systems for Mississippi local agencies to capture high quality palm, fingerprints and photographs for law enforcements. The livescan quality checks ensures data is captured correctly the first time, scanners are FBI certified, and matching algorithms provide unrivaled accuracy. The livescans’s intuitive user interface clearly displays roll-to-slap fingerprints and upper and lower palm comparison results, in real-time. Agencies can record both biometric and demographic data and submit these to applicable agencies’ databases. Law enforcement can use these livescans to speed up the registration and enrollment of biometric data, while maintaining rigorous quality control at each step of the capture process. The livescans units are described as a desktop system with tenprint, palmprint and mugshot capabilities. These units are designed with a digital photo capture to include digital camera, digital photo capture software. MSDPS has the capability to capture and search mugshots. MDPS would benefit purchasing these livescans and being the overseer of each device to prevent many of errors received. These livescans will be used daily to process inmates.
Contract with SEARCH (The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics to Data Dashboard to review arrest and disposition records reported: ($75,000)
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) is requesting funds to purchase a data dashboard to review arrest and disposition records reported to CIC. The project will improve strategies that enables the State to assess and monitor the data quality of the criminal history records (i.e., complete, timely, and accurate) by creating a prototype CCH Data Quality (DQ) Dashboard. This project would be to support the development, testing, and deployment of a CCH DQ Dashboard that will enable CIC to generate detailed data quality metrics and monitor mission-critical criminal history operations, data reporting, and workflow processing. The dashboard will monitor the timeliness of disposition reporting by courts or other agencies by calculating the time from arrest to disposition to identify jurisdictions that vary significantly from established reporting thresholds. It would identify specific jurisdictions that fail to report dispositions in a timely manner. The cost would include requirements gathering and validating, data extraction, data validation/mapping, data loading/hosting, data access identification, prototype deployment and acceptance testing, and training.
Purchase the Network Attached Storage (NAS) $18,579.02
The MDPS is requesting these funds to purchase Network Attached Storage device (NAS). The NAS will be used for the benefit and use for CIC. The device will be used as a file server, used for the Datamaxx failover cluster and to store arrest cards. The NAS devices consolidate storage into one location accessible by multiple devices on the same network. NAS will also enable easy sharing of files among users and devices, typically supporting various file protocols like SMB/CIFS (Windows file sharing), NFS (Unix file sharing), FTP, etc. NAS devices often include built-in backup solutions, allowing scheduled backups of data from connected devices.
Desktop package for CIC training Classroom $16,926
The MDPS is requesting these funds to purchase desktop packages to be used in the CIC training classroom. The current equipment is outdated and causes delayed classroom training during NCIC training sessions. The purchase of these equipment will allow for better training sessions to allow the trainee to practice and follow along with the trainer to comprehend what is being taught.
Priority Areas for Grant Funding
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) requests that the full amount of funding indicated in the budget section of this grant application be considered and identifies the following priority areas for grant funding:
Project Activity:
Priority Area for Grant Funding:
Contract with Meris LLC to Implement document scanning capability for CIC documents - completed
The project added the capability for Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) web application to provide MCHS users with a document scanning capability for the purpose of eliminating redundant data entry.
Purchased scanner interface library to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements, and important document related to CIC
The project added the capability for Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS) web application to provide MCHS users with a document scanning capability for the purpose of eliminating redundant data entry.
Did not need to purchase window client VM for testing to implement document scanning capability for dispositions, expungements and other important documents related to CIC.
Did not need
Contract with Computer Projects of Illinois (CPI) to implement an Internet Records Access Portal (iRAP)
The iRAP will help disseminate criminal history and background check information to authorized individuals. iRAP features applicant fingerprint registration to allow individuals to register their fingerprint to conduct comprehensive background checks.
Purchased equipment for Criminal Information Center (CIC) staff
Purchasing the equipment continued to improve the Mississippi Criminal Information Center (MCIC) employees’ job performance. Surface Pro 7, Keyboard/cover case, Docking station, Arc mouse, Keyboard, Soundbar, Mini display port, Full HD LED LCD Monitor
Purchased Aware NISTPack package for printing FBI cards
NISTPack ensures that biometric images are properly compressed, demographic data is included in the correct format, and the resulting object is constructed properly for data interchange between standards-based biometric systems. NISTPack will be used for FBI card print
Purchase live scan units for each agency in Mississippi
The livescan quality checks ensures data is captured correctly the first time, scanners are FBI certified, and matching algorithms provide unrivaled accuracy. Law enforcement can use these livescans to speed up the registration and enrollment of biometric data, while maintaining rigorous quality control at each step of the capture process.
Contract with SEARCH - Data Dashboard or arrest and disposition records reported
The data dashboard will improve strategies that enables the State to assess and monitor the data quality of the criminal history records (i.e., complete, timely, and accurate)
Purchase the Network Attached Storage
The NAS will be used as a file server, used for the Datamaxx failover cluster and to store arrest cards.
Desktop package for CIC training Classroom
The equipment will be set up and used for trainees being trained for NCIC/Omnixx use at the CIC training facility
If funds are awarded, the aforementioned projects would assist in the priority areas of grant funding by assisting MDPS in better meeting disposition accuracy, timeliness and reporting requirements to criminal justice and law enforcement agencies on local, state and federal levels.
Contractual: The MCIC Director, MCIC Assistant Director, Management Information Systems (MIS) Director, and MCIC Business Systems Analyst will be responsible for monitoring the application system upgrade to carry out the project process. This group will oversee, concurrently and at different intervals, the enhancement of the project being undertaken with Computer Projects of Illinois, Inc. (CPI).
Courts: MDPS is not requesting funding for collaborative efforts with the Administrative Office of Courts to enhance the Mississippi Criminal Information System at this time. The Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) is aware of MDPS/MCIC’s efforts. For this purpose, the AOC’s letter officially declining participation is provided as an attachment to this grant application.
Section C: Capabilities and Competencies - Coordination
The Mississippi Office of Homeland Security (MOHS) is subdivision of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The MOHS has responsibility for providing intelligence information to the state's law enforcement and emergency management agencies as well as to other state and federal agencies. The MCIC’s resources, as well as arrest and disposition information will be available to MOHS and in turn to local, state, and federal agencies.
Though the aforementioned project submitted for funding do not directly affect the court systems, MDPS will continue to work cooperatively with the Mississippi Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) to identify any areas of improvement as well as new, innovative ways of information sharing. In addition, as the State's lead law enforcement agency, the MDPS will be working with other state law enforcement agencies, county sheriff offices, and municipal police departments. These stakeholders' needs will be taken into consideration in the design of the project.
Activities detailed for the 2022 NCHIP program will be coordinated with current and previous records improvement initiatives. A goal of the MCIC is to provide a single source of information for all levels of law enforcement and justice systems both within the state and through NCIC/NLETS to other state and national criminal justice agencies. An attachment to this application includes a memo submitted to the State's Technology Point-of-Contact (POC) detailing our plans for the 2022 NCHIP project.
Unexpended funds: MDPS was Previously awarded a NCHIP 2021 grant ((Grant number 15PBJS-21-GK-00180-NCHIP) to fund a project that is in process. The State of Mississippi was awarded $279,000.00 in federal funds to complete the outlined projects with a match of $31,000. The NCHIP 2021 project is in the procurement phase. CPI provided a quote in the amount of $310,000.00 and MDPS requested for 90% of this payment. MDPS is working with Mississippi Information Technology Services with the procurement process of this project and has requested a Statement of Work from the vendor. CPI is currently in the process of submitting the Statement of Work, which is expected to be released by the end of the summer of 2022. No funds have been expended on this project. The MDPS has submitted to request an extension and modification to the grant.
Contract with Computer Projects of Illinois, Inc. (CPI) for MS message Switch configurator upgrade to meet FBI mandated NIEM compliant transaction standards
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) requested funding and was approved to contract with Computer Projects of Illinois, Inc. (CPI) to provide an application system upgrade to the MDPS' State Message Switch. The Message Switch system provides an interface to all law enforcement agencies across the State of Mississippi to provide access to driver’s information, the Criminal History system and various other state information resources. The system also provides access to Mississippi hosted data for law enforcement agencies nationwide through an interface to the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications Systems (NLETS) and for access to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). CPI will provide National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) configurations along with Message Key transformation of all the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) keys and apply them to all inbound and outbound NCIC messages. The Mississippi Message Switch provides the capability to send law enforcement messages including messages to the FBI NCIC or III systems, member sites on the Nlets network, the Mississippi Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or the Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS). The MS Message Switch is operated by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) Criminal Information Center. The Switch communicates with workstations/devices through a terminal server. A workstation/device sends a law enforcement message to the terminal server. The terminal server in turn passes it on to the Message Switch. The Message Switch acknowledges receipt of a message and the terminal server may pass this acknowledgement on to the workstation/device. The Message Switch then forwards the message to its destination - the FBI NCIC or III systems, member sites on the Nlets network, the Mississippi Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or the Mississippi Criminal History System (MCHS). Compatibility with other systems: The proposed project for the existing MCIC systems will not pose a compatibility issue with any existing systems that interact, feed, or receive information from NCIC, NICS or IAFIS. The Mississippi Criminal Information Center’s (MCIC) goal is to maintain 100% compatibility with these systems. The agency continues to make every effort to maintain compatibility when issues arise.
Though the previously mentioned projects would greatly benefit the State of Mississippi, they would also benefit the Federal system as well.
Section D: Plan for collecting the data required for this solicitation’s performance measures
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (MDPS) understands that specific information may be required by BJS during the submission of the agency’s progress reports. The MDPS/MCIC will provide information to indicate:
Improvement in number of arrests containing disposition information. This information will be gathered from the MS Criminal History System statistical page on the internal system from the “MCHS Criminal History Content Snapshot”. The performance measure will be improvement in the percentage of arrest that contain a disposition from period to period. A copy of the spreadsheet that will be used to report the measure is included in the submission package. This will be updated and included with each progress report. These totals will be used to compute the number of dispositions posted per man-hour of contractor time. MCIC has set a target of an average of four (4) dispositions processed per man-hour during each reporting period.
Budget Detail Worksheet - submitted in separate attachment
Budget Narrative - submitted in separate attachment
Match – submitted in budget narrative document
Indirect Cost Rate - not applicable
Tribal Authorizing Resolution - not applicable
Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire – submitted in separate attachment
Additional Attachments
Project Timeline - submitted in separate attachment
Letters of Support:
The Administrative Office of Courts (AOC) letter officially declining participation – submitted in separate attachment
Memo to the State’s Technology Point-of-Contact detailing our plans MDPS’ plans for 2022 NCHIP project– submitted in separate attachment
Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications – submitted in separate attachment
Applicant Disclosure of High-Risk Status – not applicable