NCIC

The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a centralized database maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. It provides authorized law enforcement agencies with rapid access to crime-related information to support investigations, arrests, and court proceedings.

NCIC manages a network of files that include records on wanted persons, missing persons, stolen property and vehicles, firearms, protection orders, and other criminal justice data. Authorized users can search identifiers such as names, dates of birth, and physical descriptors to locate matching records, and the system can include information on aliases and known affiliations.

Access to NCIC is restricted to criminal justice personnel who operate through secure terminals and agency-issued credentials. Data sharing is governed by policy, privacy, and accuracy controls, with audit trails to monitor use and prevent misuse. The system is designed to provide timely information across federal, state, and local agencies.

History and scope: NCIC began operation in 1967 to centralize nationwide crime information and has evolved through ongoing updates to accommodate expanded data sharing and interagency cooperation among law enforcement partners.

Limitations and notes: NCIC data are only as reliable as the records supplied by participating agencies and may be incomplete or contain errors. It is not a public records database and is not a substitute for official criminal history checks; such checks are handled through separate identity history processes.