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AUTOMATED WORTHLESS DOCUMENT INDEX - A NEW TOOL FOR FORGERY INVESTIGATORS IN LOS ANGELES

NCJ Number
26133
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 42 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1975) Pages: 41-42
Author(s)
C W ROGERS; C E ABE
Date Published
1975
Length
2 pages
Annotation
A DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT, APPLICATIONS, PERFORMANCE, FEATURES, AND EXPANSION OF THIS LOS ANGELES POLICE INFORMATION SYSTEM WHICH IS CAPABLE OF INDEXING FORGERY AND RELATED CRIME INFORMATION.
Abstract
PREVIOUS TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AUTOMATED WORTHLESS DOCUMENT INDEX (AWDI), ALL FORGERY INFORMATION WAS GATHERED IN A HAND-CARD INDEX SYSTEM. THESE FILES REQUIRED MANUAL SEARCH, AND RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN INVESTIGATIVE TIME THROUGH INADVERTENT OVERLAPPING OF CASE ASSIGNMENTS, LACK OF SUFFICIENT INFORMATION, AND LACK OF PROPER NOTIFICATION TO AN INVESTIGATOR WHEN A WANTED SUBJECT WAS IN CUSTODY. THE AWDI SYSTEM, ON THE OTHER HAND, PROVIDES INSTANT RESPONSE TO QUERIES OF ITS FILES THROUGH OUTLINE OPERATION USING CATHERODE-RAY TUBE DEVICES. AUTOMATED COMPARISON OF ARRESTEE BOOKING INFORMATION WITH AWDI MASTERFILES HAS BEEN PRODUCING A ONE TO TWO PERCENT CORRELATION FACTOR WITH FORGERY RELATED CRIMES UNDER INVESTIGATION. ARRESTS MADE BY FORGERY SECTION INVESTIGATORS INCREASED 31 PERCENT AFTER INTRODUCTION OF THE SYSTEM. EFFORTS IN EXPANDING THIS SYSTEM TO OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY ARE DESCRIBED.