NCJ Number
46987
Date Published
1976
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THE REPORT DESCRIBES PLANS DEVELOPED BY TENNESSEE TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS UNDER THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT CONCERNING THE SECURITY AND PRIVACY OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS.
Abstract
THE TENNESSEE LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNING AGENCY TLEPA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES ON COMPLETENESS AND ACCURACY, DISSEMINATION, POLICIES CONCERNING THE USE OF INFORMATION FOR NONCRIMINAL PURPOSES, JUVENILE RECORDS, AUDITS, AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS MAY OBTAIN THEIR OWN RECORDS. THE TENNESSEE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM (TCJIS) IS THE CENTRAL REPOSITORY FOR ALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA FROM ARRESTS THROUGH CORRECTIONS AND IS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY. ALTHOUGH ALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES MUST CRIMINAL STATISTICS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY, REPORTS ON DISPOSITIONS ARE NOT MANDATORY. DRAFT LEGISLATION, REQUIRING COURTS TO SUBMIT DISPOSITIONS WITHIN 90 DAYS AFTER OCCURRENCE FOR INCLUSION IN THE TCJIS, IS TO BE COMPLETED BY LATE 1976. CURRENT POLICE AND COURT PROCEDURES FOR COLLECTING AND REPORTING DISPOSITION DATA ARE DESCRIBED, AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE SUGGESTED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS. COMPUTERIZATION OF ALL CRIMINAL RECORD DATA IS SCHEDULED FOR 1977, AND THE STATE HAS BEEN DEVELOPING A PROGRAM WHICH WILL TRACK AN OFFENDER THROUGH ALL POLICE, JUDICIAL, AND CORRECTIONAL PROCESSES. AN AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT SYSTEM WILL BE A MAJOR ELEMENT IN THE PROGRAM AND WILL SERVE TO VERIFY INFORMATION AT ALL PROCESSING POINTS. ONLY CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES HAVE ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS AND MUST SIGN A USER'S AGREEMENT. JUVENILE RECORDS MAY BE INSPECTED ONLY BY PERSONS OR AGENCIES HAVING A DIRECT INTEREST IN THE CASE. THE TENNESSEE BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS WILL CONDUCT A SEMIANNUAL AUDIT OF RANDOMLY SELECTED RECORDS MAINTAINED BY STATE AND LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. INDIVIDUALS MAY OBTAIN COPIES OF THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS BY SUBMITTING A WRITTEN REQUEST ACCOMPANIED BY PROOF OF IDENTITY AND BY PAYING A FEE. A REVIEW BOARD HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO ARBITRATE ANY DISPUTES OVER THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION IN A CRIMINAL RECORD. SAMPLE FORMS FOR NAME CHECK REQUESTS AND THE USER'S AGREEMENT ARE PROVIDED. (MJM)