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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBJA
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1999202/307-0703

50 STATES RECEIVE $8.9 MILLION TO

IMPROVE THEIR COMPUTERIZED IDENTIFICATION AND DNA SYSTEMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) today awarded more than $163,000 to each of the 50 states to help them develop or improve their computerized identification systems and integrate those systems with the FBI's national identification databases. The funds can also be used to improve forensic laboratories' ability to analyze DNA in ways that are compatible with the FBI's Combined DNA Index System.

The State Identification Systems (SIS) program, authorized by the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, is administered by BJA with funding provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

"One of the most critical collaborative efforts BJA and the FBI have undertaken to make local and state law enforcement, prosecutorial, court, and corrections agencies more effective is the improvement and integration of information systems," said BJA Director Nancy Gist. "With improved information systems and enhanced DNA analysis, we will be able to more accurately identify offenders and bring them to justice faster and more effectively."

States may use SIS grants for equipment, supplies, training or educational expenses, modifications to space to accommodate equipment, contractor-provided services to address backlog or program implementation issues, and state and local expenses.

To be eligible, a state must have a law in place requiring all persons convicted of a felony sex offense to provide appropriate state law enforcement officials with a DNA sample for analysis. Presently, all 50 states have such laws in effect. The five territories or the District of Columbia are not eligible for this program.

The SIS program will enhance a state's ability to become fully integrated with the databases of the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).

BJA provides leadership and support on crime and violence prevention and works in partnership with state and local governments to make communities safe and to improve criminal justice systems. In addition, BJA develops and tests new approaches in criminal justice and crime control, and encourages replication of effective programs and practices by state and local criminal justice agencies.

To obtain additional information on BJA and its programs, you can access the agency's homepage at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. For additional information about the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) or its bureaus and programs, visit the OJP Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov. Media should contact OJP's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307-0703.

Attached is a list of the 1999 State Identification Systems grant recipients.

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BJA 99-162

FY 1999 STATE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS FORMULA GRANT ALLOCATIONS
STATE AMOUNT STATE AMOUNT
ALABAMA 163,156 NEVADA 163,155
ALASKA 163,155 NEW HAMPSHIRE 163,155
ARIZONA 163,156 NEW JERSEY 163,156
ARKANSAS 163,155 NEW MEXICO 163,155
CALIFORNIA 163,156 NEW YORK 163,156
COLORADO 163,156 NORTH CAROLINA 163,156
CONNECTICUT 163,155 NORTH DAKOTA 163,155
DELAWARE 163,155 OHIO 163,156
DIST OF COLUMBIA 163,155 OKLAHOMA 163,155
FLORIDA 163,156 OREGON 163,155
GEORGIA 163,156 PENNSYLVANIA 163,156
HAWAII 163,155 RHODE ISLAND 163,155
IDAHO 163,155 SOUTH CAROLINA 163,155
ILLINOIS 163,156 SOUTH DAKOTA 163,155
INDIANA 163,156 TENNESSEE 163,156
IOWA 163,155 TEXAS 163,156
KANSAS 163,155 UTAH 163,155
KENTUCKY 163,156 VERMONT 163,155
LOUISIANA 163,156 VIRGINIA 163,156
MAINE 163,155 WASHINGTON 163,156
MARYLAND 163,156 WEST VIRGINIA 163,155
MASSACHUSETTS 163,156 WISCONSIN 163,156
MICHIGAN 163,156 WYOMING 163,155
MINNESOTA 163,156 AM. SAMOA/

N. MARIANA*

163,155
MISSISSIPPI 163,155 GUAM 163,155
MISSOURI 163,156 PUERTO RICO 163,156
MONTANA 163,155 VIRGIN ISLANDS 163,155
NEBRASKA 163,155
TOTAL ALLOCATIONS $8,973,551

*American Samoa (67%): $109,314; Northern Mariana Islands (33%): $53,841.