INTRODUCTION

For more than a decade, the U.S. Department 

of Justice’s (DOJ) Global Justice Information 

Sharing Initiative (Global) Advisory Committee 

(GAC) has helped the United States meet current 

and emerging information sharing challenges 

and opportunities. Chartered in 1998 as a 

Federal Advisory Committee by former U.S. 

Attorney General Janet Reno, the GAC was 

carefully structured to function as a unique 

partnership of justice-interested leaders, providing 

recommendations to the Attorney General on 

standards-based electronic information exchange 

throughout the justice and public safety 

communities. 

Today, the GAC is the preeminent voice of state, 

local, and tribal governments on information 

sharing matters. Crime is routinely organized 

across jurisdictional boundaries and must be 

addressed on a global level and in coordination 

with federal, state, local, and tribal partners. 

Through guidance from DOJ’s Bureau of Justice 

Assistance (BJA), the GAC facilitates Global’s 

efforts with expert representation from the 

following constituencies:

♦ Law enforcement

♦ Prosecution

♦ Public defenders

♦ Courts

♦ Corrections

♦ Probation and parole

♦ First responders

♦ Industry

♦ Other agencies directly involved in the justice 

system

Ultimately, the ability to share justice and public 

safety data results in safer communities because 

crucial information is quickly and accurately 

available to all those protecting our nation’s public.

THE CHALLENGE

Over the successive years, significant incidents 

have underscored the need for effective, efficient, 

and appropriate information sharing to address 

crimes such as identity theft and domestic and 

international terrorism, as well as new challenges 

such as pandemics. With different agencies 

building disparate information systems to address 

business-specific problems, the prospect of 

broadscale information sharing may seem, on 

its face, impossible. However, the collaborative 

process, which is a unique Global hallmark, 

has resulted in the development of numerous 

groundbreaking resources that have proven 

invaluable in overcoming information sharing 

obstacles. As a result, the GAC is uniquely poised 

to support many federal, state, local, and tribal 

information sharing priorities with work already 

accomplished or currently under way.

White Paper on

The U.S. Department of Justice 

Global Advisory Committee

Global Justice

Information

Sharing

Initiative

United States

Department of Justice

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

July 2010
2

IMPROVING INTELLIGENCE CAPACITY AT ALL 

LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

Global is working to improve intelligence capacity 

by supporting local- and state-level intelligence 

analysts, increasing capacity to share intelligence 

across all levels of government, and moving from 

a traditional “need-to-know and right-to-know” 

philosophy to a comprehensive and appropriate 

“responsibility-to-share” framework. Another part 

of the intelligence sharing equation is the fact that 

coordinating intelligence efforts requires national 

guidance and structure to achieve maximum 

effectiveness. For example, in the wake of 9/11, 

the GAC (through the Global Intelligence Working 

Group and the Criminal Intelligence Coordinating 

Council) was swift to respond with resources and 

recommendations to guide and support fusion 

centers, leveraging existing Global intelligence 

products (the National Criminal Intelligence 

Sharing Plan), supporting development of new 

resources (Fusion Center Guidelines and Baseline 

Capabilities for State and Major Urban Area Fusion 

Centers), and providing a consistent national 

framework for fusion centers (including analyst 

training resources). A key advantage of Global’s 

involvement in fusion center activities is the 

Initiative’s existing, inherent structure: a longstanding partnership of state, local, tribal, and 

federal justice partners dedicated to collaboratively 

achieving information sharing success.

PROTECTING 

CIVIL LIBERTIES BY 

STRENGTHENING 

PRIVACY PROTECTIONS

Without safeguarding 

the privacy and civil 

liberties of the nation’s 

individuals with equal zeal 

as the pursuit of improving 

information exchanges, 

endeavors in this arena 

will ultimately fail. Responsively, the 

Global Privacy and Information Quality Working 

Group (GPIQWG) developed practical guidance 

on privacy policy development, resulting in a 

comprehensive series of resources that serve as 

essential elements in helping jurisdictions develop 

and implement privacy and civil liberties program 

efforts. GPIQWG’s Privacy and Civil Liberties 

Policy Development Guide and Implementation 

Templates—the series’ foundation document—

has become the standard-bearer for the justice 

community and is being leveraged by state 

and major urban area fusion centers and other 

intelligence entities, as well as state and local 

governments, in their privacy policy development, 

training, and technical assistance. 

BUILDING CAPACITY TO MITIGATE NEW 

CHALLENGES

In making countless decisions every day, 

justice and public safety officials must have 

immediate access to timely, accurate, and 

complete information. Regardless of whether the 

situation involves a police officer conducting a 

routine traffic stop, a security officer conducting 

passenger screening at an airport, or a customs 

official screening cargo arriving at an international 

port, effective decision making requires 

information that often must be shared across 

a broad landscape of systems, agencies, and 

jurisdictions. 

The GAC works to build capacity to mitigate 

both current and future challenges by linking 

critical partners that traditionally have not shared 

information to ensure that decision makers 

and law enforcement have the information and 

communication tools needed. For example, the 

National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) data 

exchange standard, based on the fundamental 

work supported by Global through the Global 

Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM), is helping 

link law enforcement agencies, fire departments, 

and other critical first responders (e.g., medical, 

environmental, and transportation personnel) 

to improve the speed and effectiveness of our 

nation’s response to crime and other challenges, 

such as biological threats, pandemics, and natural 

disasters. 

SUPPORTING INFORMATION QUALITY

With the rapid proliferation and evolution of new 

technologies, increased data sharing requires 

increased responsibility for information quality 

to ensure sound justice decision making. To 

that end, Global supported the development of 

documents and guidelines to provide practitioners 

with knowledge and assistance in evaluating 

the quality of information collected, maintained, 

managed, disposed of, and disseminated. 

Information quality also plays an extremely 

important role in the protection of privacy rights 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Providing justice practitioners with practical guidance www.it.ojp.gov for the privacy policy development process

rev. 01/08

Privacy and Civil Liberties 

Policy Development Guide

and Implementation Templates

Providing justice practitioners with practical 

guidance for the privacy and civil liberties 

policy development process.

Includes:

 Privacy and Civil Liberties Policy Development Guide 

and Implementation Templates Download Version

 Privacy, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Policy Templates 

for Justice Information Systems Download Version

 Privacy Executive Overview

 Sample Case Study

 Linked Reference Materials

 Glossary of Privacy Terms

This CD provides an overview of the information and tools contained within the 

Privacy Policy Development Guide and Implementation Templates—a practical, 

hands-on resource geared toward justice practitioners charged with developing or 

revising an agency’s privacy policy. The Guide will assist practitioners in articulating 

privacy obligations in a manner that both supports information sharing and protects 

privacy interests. Included is an essential tool for drafting comprehensive privacy 

policies, entitled Privacy, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Policy Templates for Justice 

Information Systems. The templates were designed to cover a range of computerbased justice information systems that seek or receive, store, and make available 

information in support of activities associated with the justice system, public safety, 

and health.

Additional resources include:

 Preface to Information Quality

 Policy Templates

 Privacy Executive Overview

 Sample Case Study

 Fair Information Principles

 Applicable Sections of the Code of 

Federal Regulations Title 28 (28 CFR)

 Glossary of Privacy Terms

 Links to Reference Materials

For consistent navigation and access to Web links, Internet access is required.

About Global

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) 

serves as a Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Attorney General on critical 

justice information sharing initiatives. Global promotes standards-based electronic 

information exchange to provide justice and public safety communities with timely, 

accurate, complete, and accessible information in a secure and trusted environment. 

Global is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 

Bureau of Justice Assistance.

For the latest information, visit www.it.ojp.gov/global. rev. 01/08

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Global Justice

Information

Sharing

Initiative

United States

Department of Justice

Privacy and Civil Liberties 

Policy Development Guide and 

Implementation Templates Overview
3

of individuals. Issues of privacy and information 

quality are inherently linked. Both concepts share 

multiple information attributes that influence 

appropriate treatment of personally identifiable 

information. Practitioners must ensure that 

sufficient integrity and context exist for mere 

data snapshots to prevent distortion of the 

whole picture. Ensuring quality of information 

furthers the integrity of the entire justice process 

and supports decisions that affect employment, 

housing, licensing, and myriad other day-to-day 

needs and activities of the citizens and residents 

of the United States.

PARTNERING ACROSS AGENCIES

GAC members represent 32 key organizations 

from across the justice landscape. Working 

together for more than a decade, this group 

has developed an invaluable commodity: 

trust. Representatives contribute ideas and 

recommendations on the front end of the 

process; state, local, and tribal members add 

their voices to justice information sharing policy 

discussions, as opposed to receiving mandates 

and requirements “from above.” As a result, 

the GAC has engendered an esprit de corps 

among disparate constituencies and levels of 

government, resulting in a willingness to reconcile 

proprietary issues in pursuit of a common goal. 

Industry also plays a vital role in the collaboration 

process through a strong partnership among BJA, 

Global, and the IJIS Institute. This public/private 

partnership is extremely important since industry 

has some of the foremost thinking regarding 

emerging technology. When industry is involved 

in an appropriate and balanced way with Global 

activities, the private sector feels ownership in 

national policy and has pledged support to build 

products to meet national standards. These 

partnerships are critical in responding to largescale emergencies requiring communication across 

the entire spectrum of justice-interested agencies.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY 

Global gathers hundreds of the best and 

brightest minds—high-level executives, subjectmatter experts, academicians, and industry 

representatives—in a volunteer capacity. These 

leaders dedicate their time and intellectual capital 

because they believe in the value of Global. To 

hire the collection of talent that supports Globalrelated activities at market price would simply be 

cost-prohibitive. 

In addition, Global’s support of open standards, 

new technology, and proven policies and practices 

knocks down barriers of siloed systems and 

the disparity of information for the “haves” 

and “have nots.” The work of the GAC helps 

prevent incompatibilities, which can be costly; 

guides practitioner and industry partners in the 

development and reuse of technology components 

and solutions; and facilitates communication and 

interoperability between communities. 

Global also decreases exposure to untested 

methods by incorporating knowledge and lessons 

learned from practitioners and technologists in the 

public sector, national associations, and industry 

who have gained experience. Global standards 

reflect concepts and mechanisms that are proved 

viable and beneficial in the real world. 

VALUE AND RESULTS

The Global Justice XML 

Data Model (GJXDM) 

has greatly improved 

the ability of justice and 

public safety agencies 

to share information. 

Today, many justice 

information sharing 

projects are utilizing 

the GJXDM to revolutionize the justice system. 

The GJXDM has already proved its value in 

expediting crime solving. For example, police 

in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, were able 

to capture a bank robbery suspect in less than 

two hours by matching his bank surveillance 

photo with an image on the Pennsylvania Justice 

Network, or JNET, Pennsylvania’s XML-enabled 

justice information sharing network. On another 

occasion, an officer assigned to the case of two 

slain New York City detectives contacted the 

Philadelphia/Camden High Intensity Drug Traffic 

Area authorities to request information on two 

The vision of the Global JXDM is to significantly advance justice 

information sharing by providing a common language and 

vocabulary that reduce cost and technical barriers.

Issued 08/06

Global Justice XML Data Model 

(Global JXDM) Overview CD This issue of the Global JXDM Overview CD includes a multimedia presentation, 

enhanced content, and links to the latest version of the Global JXDM and resources. 

Featured categories include a tools section, implementation guidelines, and examples 

and sample implementations. This CD serves as a functional extension of the Global 

JXDM Web site www.it.ojp.gov/gjxdm. For access to Web links, Internet access is 

required.

Developed by a group of professionals from the entire justice community, the Global 

JXDM uses an inclusive requirements- and model-based development process with a 

capacity for “longevity” in the dynamic information technology field.

Implementation saves time and money, increases job efficiency and work 

performance, and increases public safety and the safety of justice practitioners.

About Global

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) 

serves as a Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Attorney General on critical 

justice information sharing initiatives. Global promotes standards-based electronic 

information exchange to provide justice and public safety communities with timely, 

accurate, complete, and accessible information in a secure and trusted environment. 

Global is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 

Bureau of Justice Assistance. 

ww

The vision of the Global JXDM is to significantly advance justice 

information sharing by providing a common language and 

vocabulary that reduce cost and technical barriers.

Issued 08/06

Global Justice XML Data Model 

(Global JXDM) Overview CD This issue of the Global JXDM Overview CD includes a multimedia presentation, 

enhanced content, and links to the latest version of the Global JXDM and resources. 

Featured categories include a tools section, implementation guidelines, and examples 

and sample implementations. This CD serves as a functional extension of the Global 

JXDM Web site www.it.ojp.gov/gjxdm. For access to Web links, Internet access is 

required.

Developed by a group of professionals from the entire justice community, the Global 

JXDM uses an inclusive requirements- and model-based development process with a 

capacity for “longevity” in the dynamic information technology field.

Implementation saves time and money, increases job efficiency and work 

performance, and increases public safety and the safety of justice practitioners.

About Global

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) 

serves as a Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Attorney General on critical 

justice information sharing initiatives. Global promotes standards-based electronic 

information exchange to provide justice and public safety communities with timely, 

accurate, complete, and accessible information in a secure and trusted environment. 

Global is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 

Bureau of Justice Assistance. 

Overview CD for 

www.it.ojp.gov/gjxdm

Now Includes:

Global JXDM User Guide

Enhanced CD Content

New Web Links

•

•

•

United States 

Department of Justice
4

suspects. Again, by using JNET, it took officials 

just a few hours, rather than days or weeks, to 

gather and forward information on the suspects, 

including date of birth, social security number, 

fingerprints, photo, and vehicle information. As a 

result, the two suspects were located and brought 

into custody.

The GJXDM also aided police in Allegheny 

County, Pennsylvania, in quickly apprehending 

a homicide suspect. Within hours of learning of 

four homicides in one neighborhood, officers used 

a JNET photo image to confirm the suspect’s 

identity. Through a stakeout, police apprehended 

the homicide suspect and recovered an assault 

weapon. These are only a few examples of the 

successful use of the GJXDM to solve crimes. 

In addition to solving cases, state and local 

jurisdictions that have implemented the Global 

Justice XML Data Model are reporting substantial 

cost savings.

Agencies at all levels of government are 

challenged with responding to increasing demands 

for their services. Yet many of these government 

entities spend valuable time rekeying data into 

their systems. For example, Orange County, 

Florida, has reported that eliminating redundant 

entry of arrest information saves an estimated 

$5 million to $7 million per year. NIEM provides a 

means to eliminate data entry redundancy—freeing 

resources to perform more valuable services for 

the public. Pennsylvania has implemented a 

standardized, repeatable process for all integrated 

technology solutions, reducing the message 

exchange development process from nine months 

to six weeks. This action is estimated to have 

resulted in millions of dollars in taxpayer savings.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2008-DD-BX-K520 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, 

in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative. The opinions, findings, and 

conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of

the U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Assistance

U.S. Department of Justice

About Global—The U.S. Department of Justice’s Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) serves as a Federal 

Advisory Committee to the U.S. Attorney General on critical justice information sharing initiatives. Global promotes standardsbased electronic information exchange to provide justice and public safety communities with timely, accurate, complete, and 

accessible information in a secure and trusted environment. Global is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of 

Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

For more information on DOJ’s Global and its products, including those referenced in this document, visit www.it.ojp.gov or 

call (850) 385-0600.

In Missouri, the State Court Administrator also 

reports that since the adoption of NIEM-related 

standards, development time has been cut by 

50 percent.

The private sector has been a big advocate in 

encouraging adoption of NIEM and other Globalrelated deliverables. Through support from the 

IJIS Institute, the collective voice of the private 

sector has reported that they will build products 

that meet NIEM requirements and claimed that 

NIEM will save the country billions of dollars.

CONCLUSION

DOJ’s Global Initiative is working to help achieve 

the most important, overarching goal—protection 

of the American people—by providing the 

leadership and strategies to strengthen our 

security at home. The concept of Global is 

rooted in the Justice Department’s priority of 

supporting, developing, and enhancing evidencebased practices; building upon current models; and 

encouraging innovative approaches and strategies 

nationwide.