OBTS/CCH (OFFENDER-BASED TRANSACTION STATISTICS/ COMPUTERIZED CRIMINAL HISTORY) PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION STUDY - AN ANALYSIS OF THE STATUS OF OBTS/CCH DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATES OF MICHIGAN, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AND OHIO

• NCJ Number: 43985
• Author(s): C M FRIEL; E B FREEMAN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 107 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Criminal Justice Information & Statistics Service
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF EACH STATE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IS PRESENTED, IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE OFFENDER-BASED TRANSACTION STATISTICS/COMPUTERIZED CRIMINAL HISTORY (OBTS/CCH) SYSTEM IS EXAMINED WITH REGARD TO THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY EACH STATE. OBJECTIVES OF THE ANALYSIS ARE TO GAIN APPRECIATION OF THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AN OBTS/CCH SYSTEM, TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF EACH STATE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN OBTS/CCH SYSTEM, AND T0 IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE VARIOUS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM. ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGERIAL PROBLEMS, INTERGOVERNMENT PROBLEMS, LEGAL PROBLEMS, AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS ARE THE BROAD AREAS USED AS GUIDES TO EVALUATE AND COMPARE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT. DEVELOPMENT OF THE OBTS/CCH SYSTEM INVOLVES ACQUISITION OF THE DATA BASE AND DESIGN OF A TWO-FUNCTION SYSTEM TO DISSEMINATE CCH INFORMATION AND ANALYZE OBTS DATA. THE CORE OF THE NEW JERSEY OBTS/CCH IS THE COURT DISPOSITION REPORTING SYSTEM FOR THE COLLECTION OF TRANSACTIONAL INFORMATION ON DEFENDANTS AND OFFENDERS PROCESSED THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE OHIO OBTS/CCH COLLECTS AND STORES DISPOSITION INFORMATION BASED ON AN EXISTING MANUAL REPORTING SYSTEM THAT IS ADEQUATE FOR CCH BUT DOES NOT RECORD THE TRANSACTIONAL NEEDS OF A TRUE OBTS. THE NEW YORK SYSTEM OPERATES A CRIMINAL HISTORY SYSTEM BASED ON SUBMISSIONS FROM OVER 600 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES; ITS PRIMARY OUTPUT IS A CRIMINAL RECORD FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL ARRESTED FOR A FINGERPRINTABLE OFFENSE WITHIN THE STATE. THE MICHIGAN SYSTEM HOUSES ALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE APPLICATIONS ON A COMPUTER CENTER KNOWN AS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA CENTER, LOCATED AT THE STATE POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND CONTROLLED BY POLICE EMPLOYEES. THE MOST SERIOUS COMMON PROBLEMS WERE DIFFICULTIES IN ACQUIRING AN ADEQUATE STAFF, BUDGETARY AND POLITICAL PROBLEMS WHEN THE SYSTEM IS COMBINED WITH A LARGER INFORMATION SYSTEM, AND THE ABSENCE OF GOOD DOCUMENTATION ON CCH AND OBTS APPLICATIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS WERE: STATES SHOULD ADOPT PREPLANNING GRANTS FOR FUNDS; STATES MUST SUPPORT AN ADEQUATE STAFF FOR OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM; AND STATES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR MONITORING THE MOVEMENT OF OBTS/CCH PAPERWORK. CHARTS, GRAPHS, AND TABLES SUPPLEMENT THE ANALYSIS.