Background check systems

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) will administer the 2023-2026 Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) program. The goal of fist is to provide national estimates on the total number of firearm purchase applications received and denied pursuant to the Brady Act and relevant state laws. FIST collects counts of firearm transfer applications and permit checks conducted by state and local checking agencies and combines them with...

This program aims to improve the nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information; and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and non-criminal justice background check systems.

This program will support activities under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP), and portions of the recently enacted Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Pub. L. 117-159) in fiscal year (FY) 2023. Direct technical assistance is provided to states, territories, and tribal jurisdictions to ensure that records systems are developed and managed to...

This program provides grants to assist states, state court systems and tribal governments in updating the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) with certain mental health, protection and restraining order, domestic violence conviction, and other criminal history record information which may disqualify individuals from purchasing or possessing firearms. BJS coordinates its work on the NICS program with the efforts of the National Criminal...

This program aims to improve the nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information; and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and non-criminal justice background check systems.