NCJ Number
90419
Date Published
1979
Length
83 pages
Annotation
Following the presentation of a general outline of the functions of the New South Wales (Australia) Criminal Records Office (CRO), this report by the New South Wales Privacy Committee considers particular CRO practices relating to the collection, storage, retention, access, and security of criminal record information, and recommendations are offered for improvements in these areas.
Abstract
The CRO consists of the Conviction Records Section, Modus Operandi Section, Central Warrant Index, and Missing Persons Bureau. These records are maintained to assist in the detection of crime and the apprehension of offenders, to establish the identity of arrested persons, to locate or identify missing persons and persons who are the subjects of warrants, to establish the previous criminal history of an offender to assist in court determinations, to assist interstate and overseas police authorities, and for internal intelligence purposes. Major sections of the discussion of these records are devoted to data collection (fingerprints and photographs), data security (physical security and access to data), retention of records, computerization, and juvenile shoplifters' index. Recommendations deal with fingerprinting with force, new offenses subject to fingerprinting, random-ring back system, verification of random checks, penalties for illegal access, police voluntary disclosures, penalties for unauthorized disclosure, and a person's access to photocopies of his/her own court appearances. The appendixes contain the various forms used in the records system.