NCJ Number
48308
Date Published
1972
Length
7 pages
Annotation
CONSIDERATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FLORIDA'S COMPUTERIZED CRIMINAL HISTORY/OFFENDER-BASED TRANSACTION SYSTEM (CCH-OBTS) AND ITS INTERFACING WITH THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER NCIC-CCH SYSTEM ARE NOTED.
Abstract
THE CCH-OBTS REPRESENTS AN INTERFACING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUDICIAL, AND CORRECTIONAL INFORMATION MODULES AS PART OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE FLORIDA CRIME INFORMATION CENTER (FCIC) INTO A COMPREHENSIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM. THE OBTS WILL PROVIDE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY WITH A CRIMINAL HISTORY THAT INCLUDES ALL SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS FROM THE TIME OF AN OFFENDER'S ENTRY INTO THE SYSTEM AT ARREST TO HIS OR HER EXIT. IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE STATUS INFORMATION ON THE INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND DERIVATIVE STATISTICAL INFORMATION FOR MANAGEMENT DECISIONMAKING. INFORMATION IN THIS SYSTEM WILL BE MORE COMPLETE THAN THAT CONTAINED IN THE NCIC-CCH WHICH IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH FINAL OUTCOMES IN THE SEGMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WHILE CCH DATA SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR AN OBTS, INTERFACING PRESENTS A NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATIVE, POLICY AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. A MAJOR POLICY ISSUE CONCERNS STATE VERSUS FEDERAL CONTROL OF THE SYSTEM. IF STATES ARE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR RECORDS ENTERED IN THE NCIC-CCH BY THEM, THEN THEY MUST REMAIN IN CONTROL OF THE SYSTEM AND THE NCIC-CCH MUST BE VIEWED AS AN EXTENSION OF STATES' CCH SYSTEMS. NCIC-CCH SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS COUPLED WITH INCREASED DATA INPUT NECESSITATE INCREASED STAFFING AND REVISION IN STAFFING PATTERNS BY THE PARTICIPATING STATE. CONCURRENT WITH INCREASED MANPOWER NEEDS WILL BE THE NEED FOR TRAINING AT THE MANAGERIAL, SUPERVISORY, AND WORKER LEVEL FOR BOTH IN-HOUSE STAFF AND EXTERNAL CONRIBUTORS. FURTHER, TRAINING MUST BE AN ONGOING PROCESS. DESIGN OF PROCESSING FORMS MUST MEET BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CAPTURING DATA REQUIRED FOR BOTH CCH AND OBTS, REPRESENTING MINIMUM DIFFICULTY FOR COMPLETION BY PERSONNEL, AND BEING CAPABLE OF INTEGRATION INTO THE NORMAL WORKFLOW WITHOUT THE CREATION OF AN ADDITIONAL PROCESSING STEP. A MAJOR PROBLEM, WHICH WILL REQUIRE CORRECTION, IS THE LACK OF A PRETRIAL DATA SEGMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. CREATION OF A NATIONAL PRETRIAL SEGMENT REPRESENTS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION TO THIS INTERFACING PROBLEM. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS A STATE MUST FACE IN IMPLEMENTING A STATE CCH-OBTS/NCIC-CCH INTERFACE ARE THE NEEDS FOR STANDARDIZATION OF DATA ELEMENT STRUCTURE, THE INCREASED NEED FOR PROCESSING SERVICES AND MODIFICATION, AND THE EXPANSION OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE AND THE CONCOMITANT INCREASE IN BUDGET EXPENDITURES. IMPLEMENTATION OF A CCH-OBTS WILL REQUIRE MAJOR EXPENDITURES OF TIME, RESOURCES, AND FUNDS. HOWEVER, THE BENEFITS OF SUCH A SYSTEM SHOULD MAKE THESE COSTS WELL WORTHWHILE. (JAP)