Alaska's Program to Improve the Completeness and Accuracy of Criminal History 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 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 2016 NCHIP award, the Alaska Department of Public Safety will use funds to support the APSIN System Strategy, Missing Disposition Backlog, Consolidation of Duplicate Criminal Records, Livescan/AFIS capability: Fingerprint Accuracy and Quality and Alaska Court System (ACS) projects.

Under the missing disposition backlog project, the AK DPS proposes to continue to update records with additional felony/misdemeanor disposition information and reduce the backlog. Due to several challenges retaining staff to enter Alaska Court sentencing information, the state will continues to encounter backlog issues. Given a recent policy change from the ACS, it is unlikely that an automated means of reporting criminal case disposition information will be developed in the near future.

Under the consolidation of duplicate criminal records project, AK DPS designed the criminal history repository to ensure identity integrity of records forwarded to state and federal databases and inquiries. Currently, DPS assigns a “State Identification Number” (SID) to persons who have contact with criminal justice agencies. If a person is associated with more than one SID, it creates identity ambiguity and records are blocked from transmission. Duplicate records may be created due to spelling inconsistencies or lack of sufficient identifying information for an automated interface to verify duplicate records are being submitted.

Under the Alaska Court Project, AK DPS will contract with the Alaska Court System to continue its efforts to close the gaps in criminal history records that impede the ability of NICS to accurately confirm a prohibited prospective buyer of a firearm.

AK DPS and AK ACS will be responsible for contributing a 10% match under the 2016 NCHIP grant.

(CA/NCF)