**GAO-08-898R**                      Published: Jul 08, 2008. Publicly Released: Jul 08, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

Public safety concerns require that criminal history records and the systems that maintain them be accurate, complete, and accessible. Such records and systems enable local, state, and federal authorities, among other things, to identify individuals prohibited from purchasing firearms or ineligible to hold positions of responsibility involving children, the elderly, or disabled; enable criminal justice agencies to make decisions prosecuting and sentencing offenders; assist in completing background checks; and assist law enforcement officials in criminal investigations. The Department of Justice's (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) administers the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP). The goal of the NCHIP grant program is to improve the nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems. This report responds to a provision in the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which requires us to review certain grant funding related to criminal history records. Specifically, this report provides information on grant funds awarded by BJS, updates certain information from our 2004 report on progress made in improving national criminal history records, and how DOJ monitors states' use of those funds.

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## Topics

Justice and Law Enforcement

Appropriated fundsCrimesCriminalsData integrityDatabasesFederal aid for criminal justiceFederal procurementstate relationsFunds managementGrant monitoringGrants to statesInformation infrastructureInformation managementInformation systemsProgram evaluationRecordsRecords dispositionRecords managementRegistriesStatistical dataTechnologyProgram implementation