FY 2019 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)

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.

The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) will use FY 2019 NCHIP funding to address criminal history records information in addition to providing administrative oversight for the following projects:

1) Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO): MCAO will use 6 FTE to resolve new dispositions that occur during the project period. MCAO will also offer overtime to eligible staff members to resolve backlogged dispositions per month. In addition, staff will digitize paper-based criminal case records to an electronic based system.

2) AZ DPS Livescan: AZ DPS will use NCHIP funds to purchase 10 Livescans for the AZ Department of Correction facilities in addition to purchasing 5 other Livescans for the AZ DPS Metro Booking, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office.

3) Sahuarita PD Mobile Fingerprinting project: Sahuarita PD will purchase 10 mobile fingerprinting scanners to be used in connection with the current Livescan devices. The mobile fingerprinting devices will determine a person’s identity in the field more quickly by capturing an individual’s fingerprint and submitting a data packet to a workstation at the Sahuarita PD.

4) Tempe PD disposition backlog: Tempe PD will reduce the backlog of missing dispositions which in turn will increase the criminal dispositions available to state and federal agencies. Tempe PD will hire specialists and offer overtime to review and correct the backlog of dispositions.

5) St. John’s PD Interface Software: St. John’s PD will purchase new software interfaces which will streamline the data collection in addition to gather, retain, produce and update reports used for individual and fingerprint based criminal histories and the NIBRS repository. The software will improve the submittal process of the criminal history records system to the state and national levels.

(CA/NCF)