Iowa's Criminal History Improvement Program, 2014

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 Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) will use funds to replace and upgrade Livescan systems in the state. There are currently 60 active Livescan machines spread across Iowa. Some systems were independently purchased by the law enforcement jurisdiction, while others were purchased using previous NCHIP funding. DPS will replace 10 Livescan systems in the state to improve the accuracy, quality, completeness, and timeliness of criminal print submission to the state AFIS and the FBI systems. This upgrade to systems in 10 local agencies will allow for the 10 older/replaced machines to be distributed to 10 rural Iowa counties that do not currently have electronic fingerprint capture systems. Agencies receiving older machines will be located in areas that have an Interstate highway passing through or have geographic or population needs. (CA/NCF)