Survey of Criminal Justice Information Agencies - Executive Summary

Following a brief historical review of LEAA's role in information systems development, this report discusses a change in the study's focus partially dictated by a reorganization of LEAA and the creation of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The original plan called for a thorough evaluation of the SAC's which States were to establish under the 1972 Comprehensive Data Systems (CDS) program, but because the degree of SAC compliance varied considerably, a decision was made to change the evaluation into a more general study. A response rate of over 96 percent was achieved from 352 questionnaire packages mailed to State agencies responsible for collecting information. Each agency was asked to describe its participation in its State's criminal justice information network with reference to its use of four classifications of data (corrections, courts, juvenile justice, and law enforcement). Methodological and data limitations on the study are detailed. The survey first reviews the variance in State reporting capabilities according to data availability, capability of using and processing data, interagency interaction, and formal authorization for reporting. A table presents a comparative ranking of States on all variables. The final section describes the 36 SAC's operating at the time of the survey in terms of the variables used to assess overall State capabilities. Recommendations regarding the future Federal role in information development address technical assistance, work with SAC's, and standardization. See NCJ 79742-43 for volumes 1 and 2 of the full report.