NCJ Number
58428
Date Published
1979
Length
185 pages
Annotation
THIS HISTORY OF PROJECT SEARCH, A COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR STORING AND EXCHANGING CRIMINAL HISTORIES, DESCRIBES ITS DEVELOPMENT INTO A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE STRUGGLE FOR ITS CONTROL BY LEAA, THE FBI, AND THE STATES.
Abstract
IN 1969, LEAA AWARDED A GRANT TO 6 STATES TO AID IN DEVELOPING PROJECT SEARCH; TODAY THAT PROJECT HAS GROWN INTO SEARCH GROUP INCORPORATED AND INVOLVES 50 STATES. AT THE TIME PROJECT SEARCH BEGAN, THE FBI HAD BEEN THE UNDISPUTED REPOSITORY FOR CRIMINAL INFORMATION AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. WHEN THE FBI SUGGESTED THAT A FEW STATES TEST A PROTOTYPE OF A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM FOR EXCHANGING CRIMINAL HISTORY DATA, THE BUREAU ASSUMED THAT THE PROJECT WOULD FOLLOW THE FBI'S PLAN. WHEN THE PROJECT TOOK A DIFFERENT PATH, THE FBI WITHDREW ITS SUPPORT, BUT WITH LEAA ASSISTANCE THE PROJECT CONTINUED TO GROW IN STRENGTH AND SCOPE UNTIL THE FBI WAS FORCED TO TAKE NOTICE OF THE CHALLENGE TO ITS TRADITIONAL DOMINATION OF THE FIELD OF CRIMINAL INFORMATION. THE CONFLICT INVOLVED NOT ONLY THE VARIOUS BUREAUCRATIC POWER INTERESTS, BUT ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS SUCH AS (1) THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE CRIMINAL RECORDS BY POLICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES AND (2) THE ISSUE OF FEDERALISM AS THE STATES FOUGHT TO GAIN CONTROL OVER A NATIONAL SYSTEM. PROJECT SEARCH HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE BUREAUCRATIC POLICY SPACE PREVIOUSLY DOMINATED BY THE FBI, HAS GREATLY FACILITATED RESEARCH, AND HAS PRODUCED A LARGE VOLUME OF PUBLICATIONS. PROJECT SEARCH'S FUTURE DEPENDS UPON THE WILLINGNESS OF ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICE, THE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL COOPERATION OF GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE THAT CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS ARE COMPLETE, ACCURATE, AND TIMELY, AND THE SUPPORT OF CONGRESS IN LIMITING THE FBI ROLE IN NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION SYSTEMS. NOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, STATISTICS, A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT, AND AN INDEX ARE APPENDED.