CJIS Series

New technologies are enabling criminal justice agencies of all sizes to implement information systems that facilitate the seamless exchange of data between agencies and across jurisdictions. These information sharing initiatives have the potential to greatly increase public safety on the local level by empowering justice professionals with complete, accurate, and timely data. This white paper is the first in a series that will discuss local integrated information sharing initiatives. This paper will discuss the history and shortcomings of federal information sharing efforts, address the need to share information on the local level, as well as name and briefly discuss the topics of the remaining white papers in this series. 

Support for criminal justice information systems (CJIS) is building across the country, with justice agencies and jurisdictions dedicating significant resources to local integration efforts. Every year more and more systems exist that can transport information across jurisdictional and institutional lines, helping agencies across the nation provide efficient, fair, and timely justice. At the heart of these efforts are governance structures, groups of people drawn from different agencies, disciplines, and jurisdictional levels that provide leadership and policies for their respective CJIS initiatives. The purpose of this white paper is to educate criminal justice professionals on how to develop and maintain these crucial organizations. 

The Global JXDM and NIEM information exchange standards are revolutionizing the way data is shared between justice agencies around the country. By providing a common ground for data exchanges, these standards have the potential to greatly increase law enforcement and criminal justice efficacy by arming professionals across the justice domain with the most accurate and up-to-date information. This white paper will introduce the Global JXDM and NIEM data exchange standards and explain their potential for helping disparate agencies within the criminal justice community to communicate more effectively with each other. 

While CJIS directly affects the business processes of involved agencies, many groups outside the justice community are impacted by its implementation as well. These groups have varying levels of understanding of the criminal justice process, and may support or oppose integrated justice for a number of reasons. In order for CJIS initiatives to be successful, the needs and concerns of integrated justice stakeholders must be understood and addressed in an effective manner. The purpose of this white paper is to provide an overview of common barriers to integration projects, suggest methods for garnering support for CJIS, and provide a guide for building an effective business case for your initiative. 

The process of applying for and winning federal grants for information technology has become time-consuming, complicated and highly competitive. While the federal government offers many excellent funding opportunities to agencies around the country, it cannot be counted on to maintain projects that span a number of years. Previously overlooked non-traditional funding methods are becoming increasingly vital to the viability of CJIS efforts. This white paper discusses the pitfalls of over-dependency on federal grants, as well as various funding methods that can be used to help ensure the implementation and continued existence of an integrated justice system. 

With increasingly heavy workloads and complex business processes, justice agencies across the country have attempted to streamline their workflows and reduce data entry by implementing integrated data systems. Many of these organizations, however, are disappointed by their return on investment (ROI), as their solutions often prove to be far more costly than they originally anticipated. This white paper discusses many of the hidden costs of data integration, as well as methods for reducing costs incurred by the development and implementation of CJIS. 

Selecting the right company to partner with on your integration project is one of the most important steps of implementing CJIS. The success of your initiative hinges on your ability to find a vendor that can meet your needs, deliver on promises, and provide a robust integration solution. The purpose of this white paper is to discuss the costs and risks of switching vendors and to provide useful tips for selecting the vendor that will best help you to meet your data exchange goals.