FY2020 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.

Under this award, The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) plans to transfer funds to the Louisiana Supreme Court (LSC) to improve the completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of criminal disposition and mental health data provided by trial courts to CMIS (case management information system) for reporting to NICS, the Louisiana Computerized Criminal History (LACCH), and for sharing with the Interstate Identification Index. NCHIP funds are being requested to focus on courts with dated technology that lack the ability to collect required case data elements in the life span of a criminal case for reporting defendant demographic data, state identification numbers, relationship to victim information for misdemeanor domestic violence cases, and dates of arrest. In mental health cases, capturing an interim disposition of incompetent to stand trial has been problematic. When the trial court lacks critical data fields, CMIS is not able to post the disposition to NICS or LACCH. Court leveraging technology can ensure that critical missing data elements are identified and captured at the time of adjudication. The lack of data can then be communicated to the clerk and district attorneys (DA) for resolution so that complete data can be transmitted to CMIS daily. Combining judicial case management, implementing new court case management systems and implementing electronic data exchanges between the clerk and DA will improve the reporting of information to NICS and the LACCH.

Additionally, funds will be used to pay for management and program support personnel, who will perform coordination and monitoring activities, including programmatic and fiscal oversight. The LCLE program manager will conduct periodic in-person site visits with sub-grantees throughout the lifetime of the grant.

(CA/NCF)