NCJ Number
187669
Date Published
August 2001
Length
123 pages
Agencies
BJS
Publication Series
Annotation
This report focuses on the law and policy of criminal history record information (CHRI).
Abstract
In the mid-1970's and again in the mid-1980's, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics (SEARCH) reviewed the law and policy addressing the collection, use, and dissemination of criminal justice record information and, particularly CHRI. The efforts and recommendations that resulted made a direct contribution to the development of law and policy for the handling of CHRI in all 50 States. By the late 1990s, it became apparent that changes in technology, as well as the public’s attitude about access to information and privacy made it necessary to take a new look at CHRI law and policy. This new effort consists of this report, a public opinion survey about public access, a national conference, and targeted standards applying the recommendations set forth in this report. The National Task Force on Privacy, Technology and Criminal Justice Information (Task Force) identified the following technological, cultural, economic, and other “change drivers:” public concern about privacy; the “Information Culture;” technological change; system integration; a “Business Model” for the criminal justice system; noncriminal justice demand; commercial compilation and sale; government statutes and initiatives; juvenile justice reform; and intelligence systems. There are five interests critical to a democracy and that are served by information privacy: due process and fairness, individual dignity, individual autonomy, oversight and trust in governmental institutions, and the promotion of privacy-dependent relationships. Task Force recommendations include the creation of a body to make recommendations to the Federal and State legislation, executive, and judicial branches of government; the development of a new generation of criminal justice information and privacy law and policy; and the treatment of records of juveniles convicted of felonies as similar to adult records. 3 appendices
Date Created: December 17, 2009