Learning Hub

CJIS Environment

What is CJIS and what systems need access?

Network of Crime Computer Systems: Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) is a generic term that collectively refers to crime computer systems that hold actionable and investigative information related to:

  • Law Enforcement
  • Jails and Corrections
  • Criminal Justice (Prosecution/Courts)
  • Parole and Probation

Check-List Requirement: Public Safety professionals, at all levels, require immediate access to criminal information to address a variety of potentially life-threatening situations. RFPs are now requiring CJIS access for the following types of systems:

  • Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
  • Police Records Management System (RMS)
  • Police Mobile Data Systems
  • Jails, Prisons and Courts
  • Red Light/License Plate Recognition
  • Alarm to CAD Integration Solutions
90 percent of all Field Law Enforcement Needs Immediate and Seamless Access to CJIS Data90 percent of all Field Law Enforcement Needs Immediate and Seamless Access to CJIS Data

What systems make up the CJIS environment?

There is no single CJIS system. The CJIS criminal database environments include systems at the local/county, state/regional and national levels, all of which contain unique information to be shared within the Law Enforcement sector of the Public Safety industry. They are not true databases but more application systems that require messaging to interface.

The national and state systems include:

  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the United States’ central database for tracking personal and property crime-related “hot” information and is maintained by the FBI CJIS Division
  • State CJIS databases that are independently maintained by each state creating technical and legal variances between states
  • Nlets, a network of state and federal message switches that facilitates information exchange between state, local and federal agencies
  • DMV, state-level government agencies that administer vehicle registrations and driver licensing
A Complex Network of NetworksA Complex Network of Networks

Communication between these systems is accomplished using state message switches, a state owned\managed infrastructure that dates back to 1934 and teletype technology.

100M+ Messages are sent through Nlets each month100M+ Messages are sent through Nlets each month

What is a CJIS Transaction?

Query System: Consists of 6 different transaction types:

  1. Inquiry
  2. Enter
  3. Modify
  4. Locate
  5. Clear
  6. Cancel
A magnifying glass examining icons representing CJIS Transition

80% of all CJIS Queries Focus on:

  • People – Wanted (State & National), Operators License, Driver History
  • Vehicles – Stolen (State & National), Registration
  • Gun – Stolen (State & National)
  • Article – Stolen (State & National)
  • Boat – Stolen (State & National), Registration
  • Criminal History

Immediate Access:CJIS Interface Solutions Must Instantly Deliver this Information to Ensure Law Enforcement Safety

What is actionable versus investigative CJIS information?

Actionable Data is Verifiable for Immediate Action: Used by Law enforcement officers at the point of official contact with an individual.

  • Identify the individual and property of importance from the appropriate state or federal database, i.e. DMV, Warrants, Wants, Criminal History
  • Determine if the individual or property is wanted by the Criminal Justice system at the local, regional, state or federal level

Investigative Data Requires Analysis: Profile data used by agency investigators to determine appropriate action.

Actionable data accounts for 80% of all CJIS queries

A police badge

LEO Relies on Actionable CJIS Data at Every Official Point of Contact

  • Identify the individual and property of importance, i.e. vehicles, guns
  • Determine if they, or it, are wanted by the Criminal Justice system
  • Official Contact requires the office to log or create a written report

How do CJIS interfaces differ between states?

50 Disparate Missions & Requirements: Each state CJIS system has its own unique CJIS interface requirements and varies their technological approach and vision based on the following:

A map of the United StatesA map of the United States

Complexities & Costs Exist Through Product Life Cycle: There is no standardization or consistency between states for either implementation or ongoing maintenance.

How do CJIS differences impact development?

Hidden Time and Cost Barriers: 50 technologically-different interface designs add time and money

Icons representing how CJIS differences impact developmentIcons representing how CJIS differences impact development

More Complex Interface Requirements: Interfaces must now accommodate CJIS Security, Imaging and Criminal History

  1. XML, Images and Web services transports
  2. Extensible transaction sets
  3. Real time data mining and parsing
  4. Provisioning integration support
An application dashboard and code

Goes Beyond Technical Expertise: CJIS Environments are complex and require ongoing state relationships

  • Need to understand the different missions of each state and national agency whose systems will be integrated
  • Assign resource to create, manage and maintain relationships at the state and national levels both for initial implementation and ongoing updates
  • Failure to do the above WILL result in time delays, increased costs and possible project failure
50% Technical Expertise and 50% CJIS Knowledge and Relationships50% Technical Expertise and 50% CJIS Knowledge and Relationships

What is CJIS and what systems need access?

Network of Crime Computer Systems: Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) is a generic term that collectively refers to crime computer systems that hold actionable and investigative information related to:

  • Law Enforcement
  • Jails and Corrections
  • Criminal Justice (Prosecution/Courts)
  • Parole and Probation

Check-List Requirement: Public Safety professionals, at all levels, require immediate access to criminal information to address a variety of potentially life-threatening situations. RFPs are now requiring CJIS access for the following types of systems:

  • Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
  • Police Records Management System (RMS)
  • Police Mobile Data Systems
  • Jails, Prisons and Courts
  • Red Light/License Plate Recognition
  • Alarm to CAD Integration Solutions
90 percent of all Field Law Enforcement Needs Immediate and Seamless Access to CJIS Data90 percent of all Field Law Enforcement Needs Immediate and Seamless Access to CJIS Data

What systems make up the CJIS environment?

There is no single CJIS system. The CJIS criminal database environments include systems at the local/county, state/regional and national levels, all of which contain unique information to be shared within the Law Enforcement sector of the Public Safety industry. They are not true databases but more application systems that require messaging to interface.

The national and state systems include:

  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the United States’ central database for tracking personal and property crime-related “hot” information and is maintained by the FBI CJIS Division
  • State CJIS databases that are independently maintained by each state creating technical and legal variances between states
  • Nlets, a network of state and federal message switches that facilitates information exchange between state, local and federal agencies
  • DMV, state-level government agencies that administer vehicle registrations and driver licensing
A Complex Network of NetworksA Complex Network of Networks

Communication between these systems is accomplished using state message switches, a state owned\managed infrastructure that dates back to 1934 and teletype technology.

100M+ Messages are sent through Nlets each month100M+ Messages are sent through Nlets each month

What is a CJIS Transaction?

Query System: Consists of 6 different transaction types:

  1. Inquiry
  2. Enter
  3. Modify
  4. Locate
  5. Clear
  6. Cancel
A magnifying glass examining icons representing CJIS Transition

80% of all CJIS Queries Focus on:

  • People – Wanted (State & National), Operators License, Driver History
  • Vehicles – Stolen (State & National), Registration
  • Gun – Stolen (State & National)
  • Article – Stolen (State & National)
  • Boat – Stolen (State & National), Registration
  • Criminal History

Immediate Access:CJIS Interface Solutions Must Instantly Deliver this Information to Ensure Law Enforcement Safety

What is actionable versus investigative CJIS information?

Actionable Data is Verifiable for Immediate Action: Used by Law enforcement officers at the point of official contact with an individual.

  • Identify the individual and property of importance from the appropriate state or federal database, i.e. DMV, Warrants, Wants, Criminal History
  • Determine if the individual or property is wanted by the Criminal Justice system at the local, regional, state or federal level

Investigative Data Requires Analysis: Profile data used by agency investigators to determine appropriate action.

Actionable data accounts for 80% of all CJIS queries

A police badge

LEO Relies on Actionable CJIS Data at Every Official Point of Contact

  • Identify the individual and property of importance, i.e. vehicles, guns
  • Determine if they, or it, are wanted by the Criminal Justice system
  • Official Contact requires the office to log or create a written report

How do CJIS interfaces differ between states?

50 Disparate Missions & Requirements: Each state CJIS system has its own unique CJIS interface requirements and varies their technological approach and vision based on the following:

A map of the United StatesA map of the United States

Complexities & Costs Exist Through Product Life Cycle: There is no standardization or consistency between states for either implementation or ongoing maintenance.

How do CJIS differences impact development?

Hidden Time and Cost Barriers: 50 technologically-different interface designs add time and money

Icons representing how CJIS differences impact developmentIcons representing how CJIS differences impact development

More Complex Interface Requirements: Interfaces must now accommodate CJIS Security, Imaging and Criminal History

  1. XML, Images and Web services transports
  2. Extensible transaction sets
  3. Real time data mining and parsing
  4. Provisioning integration support
An application dashboard and code

Goes Beyond Technical Expertise: CJIS Environments are complex and require ongoing state relationships

  • Need to understand the different missions of each state and national agency whose systems will be integrated
  • Assign resource to create, manage and maintain relationships at the state and national levels both for initial implementation and ongoing updates
  • Failure to do the above WILL result in time delays, increased costs and possible project failure
50% Technical Expertise and 50% CJIS Knowledge and Relationships50% Technical Expertise and 50% CJIS Knowledge and Relationships