National Conference on Criminal History Records: Brady and Beyond; Proceedings of a BJS/SEARCH Group Conference

• NCJ Number: 151263
• Date Published: January 1995
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

To be effective, the Brady Act and the National Child Protection Act of 1993 require the cooperation and involvement of the States in their implementation and continued operation; the conference proceedings reported in this document were the first step toward sharing information, providing guidance and obtaining input that is vital to those processes.

Abstract

The first day of the conference, which focused on the current status of criminal history records, provided information on specific aspects of the Brady Act and the National Child Protection Act, such as requirements the acts impose on States and successful implementation and operation of similar statewide programs. The "Welcome" address emphasized that an important side benefit of both acts is their focusing of attention on the adequacy of criminal records systems, mainly their accuracy, completeness, and shareability. The next three speakers set the stage for a discussion of the Brady Law from the Federal agency perspective. Four panel members discussed the requirements, regulations, and procedures of the Brady Act. Two panels discussed existing systems, with attention to current presage firearms checks and the role of the courts. The second day of the conference, which focused on current decisionmaking and future policies, highlighted Federal policymaking and decisionmaking related to the implementation of the National Child Protection Act. Appended supplementary information