Improving Criminal Arrest Records

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 non-criminal 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.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services will use award funds to complete the following activities: (1) continue efforts to improve the quality, timeliness, and completeness of criminal history records in the state repository by researching missing dispositions for arrest events and implementing a "front-door" quality control edit on incoming records from the courts to ensure completeness before entry into the repository; and (2) conduct criminal history records information checks, through the State Archives, in response to FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) inquiries for arrests prior to 1981. CA/NCF