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pdfOMB No. 1121-0312
Expiration Date: 07/31/2026
Survey of State Criminal History
Information Systems, 2024
Since 1989, the Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems has been used to collect the nation’s most complete,
comprehensive and relevant data on the number and status of state-maintained criminal history records and on the increasing
number of operations and services involving noncriminal justice background checks provided by the state repositories. This
data collection is supported by Cooperative Agreement No. 15PBJS-23-GK-00052-NCHI awarded by the Bureau of Justice
Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Please note: Completion of the survey is voluntary;
however, doing so is a special condition placed on all National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) and
NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) awards.
If you use the online survey tool, accessible at http://www.searchgroup.org/surveys/repository/, to enter 2024 data, you can
view previously submitted 2022 data for comparison purposes. Where applicable, your state’s 2022 responses are displayed
in color within each section of the online survey. It is hoped that this information will help you complete the survey more
accurately and efficiently. The cover letter provides the password to gain access to your state’s online survey. Direct
your questions or comments to SEARCH staff Becki Goggins at becki@search.org.
If it is more convenient, you may request a PDF copy of the survey, complete it manually, and fax (916-392-8440) or e-mail
it to the attention of Becki Goggins at becki@search.org. The deadline for survey submission is [Date].
The survey is divided into five sections. You may submit each section independently and not necessarily in the order
presented. This is done so that different people on your repository’s staff may submit the data for which they are responsible.
Repository directors are responsible for seeing that the survey is submitted in its entirety. Please note the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
All reported data should be for calendar year 2024, or as of December 31, 2024.
The term “felony” includes any crime classified as a felony under your state’s laws. These offenses are generally
punishable by a term of incarceration in excess of one year. If your state’s laws do not use the term “felony,” please
substitute functional equivalents, such as class 1, 2, 3 and 4 offenses in New Jersey and class A, B and C offenses in
Maine.
Questions that seek responses based on a “legal requirement” refer only to a state statute or a state administrative
regulation having the force of law.
If additional space is needed, please use the “Additional Comments” area at the end of each section.
Please use the “Additional Comments” area at the end of each section to provide explanatory notes for responses
that require explanation or when “no data is available,” and to describe significant changes between the current
response and data reported in the 2022 survey.
If a question is not applicable to your repository, please note the question number and indicate “NA” in the
“Additional Comments” area at the end of each section.
Burden Statement
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, we cannot ask you to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The survey will be sent to criminal history repositories in 56 jurisdictions, including
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands. The average time required for each agency to complete the survey is estimated at 4 hours. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this survey, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington DC 20531. Do not send your completed form to this
address.
SECTION I: REPOSITORY
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Definitions
1. The term “automated records” refers to electronic records that exist within a database.
2. The term “manual records” refers to records that are only maintained via paper, microfilm or
Portable Document Format (PDF).
3. The term “retained records” refers to those that are kept by the state identification bureau
permanently (or as otherwise defined by a state’s record retention policy).
4. Records that are “not retained” include those records that are deleted and destroyed once they
are no longer needed for the purpose for which they were collected. In the context of the
survey, records that are “not retained” generally refer to civil fingerprints that are collected
for the purpose of a state or national fingerprint-based background check and destroyed once
the background check has been completed. In certain cases, criminal records are not retained
such as when charges are dismissed or when a court orders all records relating to an arrest to
be expunged (i.e., deleted or destroyed).
Questions:
The following questions relate to descriptions of your state’s criminal history record information
and master name index databases:
1. How many subjects (individual criminal offenders) were in your criminal history file as
of December 31, 2024?
(a) Automated records
__________________
(b) Manual records
__________________
(c) Total records
__________________
2. Fingerprints processed in 2024:
Purpose
Number
(include subjects whose records
are partially automated)
(a+b)
Percentage of
2024 volume
Totals
2
(a) Criminal (retained)
___________ _________%
(b) Criminal (not retained)
___________ _________%
(c) Noncriminal (retained)
___________ _________%
(d) Noncriminal (not retained)
___________ _________%
(e) What was the total number of fingerprint-based
background checks conducted during 2024?
(a+b)_____________
(c+d)_____________
(a+b+c+d)___________
The following questions refer to repository administration, procedures and practices.
3. (a) Does your state maintain a protection order file? If no, skip to question 4.
Yes
No
(b) How many active records were in the state protection order record database as of
December 31, 2024?
_________________ records
4. (a) Does your state maintain a warrant file? If no, skip to Section II.
Yes
No
(b) How many records were in the state warrant database as of December 31, 2024?
_________________ records
(c) Of this total, indicate the number of:
Felony warrants ______________________
Misdemeanor warrants ________________
Other (explain) ______________________________________________
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
3
SECTION II: ARREST/FINGERPRINT
REPORTING, RECORD ENTRY AND
REMOVAL
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Definitions
1. The term “cardscan” refers to both the technique and technology used to electronically
capture and digitize fingerprints that have been recorded using traditional ink-and-paper
methods. Scanning these images and digitizing these fingerprint impressions enables them to
be searched and maintained electronically using an Automated Biometric Identification
System (ABIS).
2. The term “livescan” refers to both the technique and technology used to electronically
capture fingerprint and palm print images from individuals without the need for the more
traditional ink-and-paper methods. Livescan devices also allow the electronic transfer of
digitized images and accompanying textual information to a criminal history repository.
Questions
1. How many felony arrests were reported to your repository during calendar year 2024?
____________ arrests
2. How many arrest fingerprints were submitted to your repository during 2024? (a+b+c = d)
(a) _________________ via livescan
(b) _________________ via cardscan
(c) _________________ hard copy fingerprints
(d) _________________ = total arrest fingerprints
3. How many arrestees (i.e., unique individuals) had arrest fingerprints submitted to the
repository in 2024? _____________
4
4. How many first-time arrestees (e.g., unique individuals who received a State Identification
Number (SID) for the first time) had arrest fingerprints submitted to the repository in 2024?
_________________
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
5
SECTION III: DISPOSITIONS
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Definition
“Final case disposition” is defined as the formal or informal conclusion of an arrest or charge at
whatever stage it occurs in the criminal justice process. E.g., release by police after arrest
without charging; decline to proceed by prosecutor; or final trial court disposition.
Questions
The following questions seek to determine to what extent the records in your criminal history
record database contain final case disposition information.
1. Does your state collect charge tracking information (sometimes referred to as “interim
disposition information”) on the criminal history record showing the status of a case as it
moves through the justice system? (E.g., reporting of an indictment, charges filed that
are different than arrest charges, etc.)
Yes
No
2. (a) How many final case dispositions
did your repository receive during 2024?
(b) Of those, how many were sent to the FBI?
____________ dispositions
____________ dispositions
Note: When calculating the percentage of arrests with final dispositions recorded, some states
consider an arrest to have a disposition if any final disposition can be associated with an arrest
cycle. This is commonly referred to as “cycle matching.” Other states do not consider an arrest to
have a final disposition until all arrest charges are linked to a final disposition. This is commonly
referred to as “charge matching.”
3. Does your state perform cycle or charge matching to calculate the percentage of arrests in the
criminal history database with final dispositions?
Cycle matching
6
Charge matching
4. What percentage of all arrests in the criminal history database have final case dispositions
recorded?
(a) Arrests entered within past 5 years (01/01/2020-12/31/2024)
(b) Arrests in the entire database
____________ %
(c) Felony charges
____________ %
____________ %
5. The following questions are new to the 2024 Survey and are intended to gauge progress
over time relative to the completeness of criminal history records in the repository.
What percentage of arrests in the criminal history database have final dispositions
recorded?
(a) 2010’s (arrests from 1/1/2010 through 12/31/2019) ____________ %
(b) 2000’s (arrests from 1/1/2000 through 12/31/2009) ____________ %
6. (a) Of the dispositions received at the repository during 2024, what percentage could not
be linked to a specific arrest record, either because of failed matching criteria or the
arrest had not been reported to the repository?
_______________
(b) When a disposition cannot be matched to an arrest, the following action(s) is taken:
(Check all that apply.)
Placed in a suspense file (no further action)
Placed in a suspense file for further investigation
Disposition information is rejected
Follow-up actions are taken by repository staff
Court is contacted
Court-provided charge(s) and corresponding disposition is posted to the
beginning or end of record
Other ______________________________________________
(d) How many records are in your state’s suspense file (if applicable)? _______
7. (a) As of December 31, 2024, was any court disposition data reported directly to the
repository by automated means? (Note: “automated” refers to a method by which
data is transmitted by the court to the repository where it is matched against criminal
history records and entered on the criminal history record, usually without manual
intervention. This does not include dispositions received via fax or email, which
require manual activity for criminal history record matching and data entry.)
Yes
No (skip to question 7)
7
(c) What percentage of dispositions was reported in 2024 by automated means?
____________%
8. In 2024, what was the average time elapsed between the occurrence of final felony court case
dispositions and receipt of information concerning such dispositions by the repository?
1 day or less
2–7 days
8–90 days
91–180 days
181–365 days
More than 1 year
9. In 2024, what was the average time elapsed between receipt of final felony court
disposition information by the repository and entry of that information into the criminal
history record database?
1 day or less
2–7 days
8–30 days
31–90 days
91–180 days
181–365 days
More than 1 year
9. (a) As of December 31, 2024, was there a backlog of court disposition data to be entered into
the criminal history record database (i.e., not entered within 48 hours of receipt at the repository,
including dispositions that could not be matched to a criminal history record within 48 hours of
receipt at the repository)? If no, skip to question 11.
Yes
No
(b) How many unprocessed or partially processed court case dispositions did you have?
________________
10. Does the repository receive any final case disposition information (e.g., decline to
proceed) from local prosecutors? If no, skip to question 12.
Yes
No
11. Does your state post indictment information to the criminal history record?
Yes
No
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
8
SECTION IV:
RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENTS
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Record sealing and record expungement definitions and practices vary widely across the states.
For the purpose of answering questions in this section, the following definitions apply.
Sealed Record: Record is restricted from public access (if such access is available in your state)
and is generally unavailable for employment and licensing purposes. Sealed records may be
accessed on a limited basis – e.g., criminal justice employment, law enforcement investigations,
research purposes etc.
Expunged Record: All hard copy and electronic information about the arrest is destroyed/
obliterated. No information about the arrest or disposition is retained, and it is therefore
unavailable for any purpose once expunged.
Since all states have some degree of automatic sealing or expungement of juvenile records, the
following questions only apply to adult criminal history records.
1. Do you have statutes and/or policies that define procedures for criminal history record
sealing and/or expungement?
Yes, sealing only
Yes, expungement only
Yes, both sealing and expungement
No
2. If a record is sealed, is it still accessible for research purposes?
Yes, but access is limited to repository staff
Yes, outside researchers (e.g., Statistical Analysis Centers, universities, etc.)
may use sealed records for purposes authorized by the repository pursuant to
state law or policy
No
9
4. (a) Does your repository track the number of records that are sealed by the repository?
Yes
No
(b) If yes, how many records were sealed by the repository in 2024? _______
5. (a) Does your repository track the number of records that are expunged by the
repository?
Yes
No
(c) If yes, how many records were expunged by the repository in 2024? _______
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
10
Attachment 2 – Additions to the 2022 Survey for 2024
New definitions were added to Sections I-III. The addition of definitions is not expected to
increase or decrease the amount of time (i.e., burden) for survey respondents. Rather they are
merely intended to provide clarity.
SECTION III: DISPOSITIONS
5. The following questions are new to the 2024 Survey and are intended to gauge progress
over time relative to the completeness of criminal history records in the repository. What
percentage of arrests in the criminal history database have final dispositions recorded?
(a) 2010’s (arrests from 1/1/2010 through 12/31/2019) ____________ %
(b) 2000’s (arrests from 1/1/2000 through 12/31/2009) ____________ %
6. (d) How many records are in your state’s suspense file (if applicable)? _______
Survey of State Criminal History
Information Systems, 2024
Since 1989, the Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems has been used to collect the nation’s most complete,
comprehensive and relevant data on the number and status of state-maintained criminal history records and on the increasing
number of operations and services involving noncriminal justice background checks provided by the state repositories. This
data collection is supported by Cooperative Agreement No. 15PBJS-23-GK-00052-NCHI awarded by the Bureau of Justice
Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Please note: Completion of the survey is voluntary;
however, doing so is a special condition placed on all National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) and
NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) awards.
If you use the online survey tool, accessible at http://www.searchgroup.org/surveys/repository/, to enter 2024 data, you can
view previously submitted 2022 data for comparison purposes. Where applicable, your state’s 2022 responses are displayed
in color within each section of the online survey. It is hoped that this information will help you complete the survey more
accurately and efficiently. The cover letter provides the password to gain access to your state’s online survey. Direct
your questions or comments to SEARCH staff Karen Lissy at karen@search.org.
If it is more convenient, you may request a PDF copy of the survey, complete it manually, and fax (916-392-8440) or e-mail
it to the attention of Karen Lissy at karen@search.org. The deadline for survey submission is [Date].
The survey is divided into five sections. You may submit each section independently and not necessarily in the order
presented. This is done so that different people on your repository’s staff may submit the data for which they are responsible.
Repository directors are responsible for seeing that the survey is submitted in its entirety. Please note the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
All reported data should be for calendar year 2024, or as of December 31, 2024.
The term “felony” includes any crime classified as a felony under your state’s laws. These offenses are generally
punishable by a term of incarceration in excess of one year. If your state’s laws do not use the term “felony,” please
substitute functional equivalents, such as class 1, 2, 3 and 4 offenses in New Jersey and class A, B and C offenses in
Maine.
Questions that seek responses based on a “legal requirement” refer only to a state statute or a state administrative
regulation having the force of law.
If additional space is needed, please use the “Additional Comments” area at the end of each section.
Please use the “Additional Comments” area at the end of each section to provide explanatory notes for responses
that require explanation or when “no data is available,” and to describe significant changes between the current
response and data reported in the 2022 survey.
If a question is not applicable to your repository, please note the question number and indicate “NA” in the
“Additional Comments” area at the end of each section.
Burden Statement
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, we cannot ask you to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The survey will be sent to criminal history repositories in 56 jurisdictions, including
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands. The average time required for each agency to complete the survey is estimated at 4 hours. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this survey, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington DC 20531. Do not send your completed form to this
address.
SECTION I: REPOSITORY
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Definitions
1. The term “automated records” refers to electronic records that exist within a database.
2. The term “manual records” refers to records that are only maintained via paper, microfilm or
Portable Document Format (PDF).
3. The term “retained records” refers to those that are kept by the state identification bureau
permanently (or as otherwise defined by a state’s record retention policy).
4. Records that are “not retained” include those records that are deleted and destroyed once they
are no longer needed for the purpose for which they were collected. In the context of the
survey, records that are “not retained” generally refer to civil fingerprints that are collected
for the purpose of a state or national fingerprint-based background check and destroyed once
the background check has been completed. In certain cases, criminal records are not retained
such as when charges are dismissed or when a court orders all records relating to an arrest to
be expunged (i.e., deleted or destroyed).
Questions:
The following questions relate to descriptions of your state’s criminal history record information
and master name index databases:
1. How many subjects (individual criminal offenders) were in your criminal history file as
of December 31, 2024?
(a) Automated records
__________________
(b) Manual records
__________________
(c) Total records
__________________
2. Fingerprints processed in 2024:
Purpose
Number
(include subjects whose records
are partially automated)
(a+b)
Percentage of
2024 volume
Totals
2
(a) Criminal (retained)
___________ _________%
(b) Criminal (not retained)
___________ _________%
(c) Noncriminal (retained)
___________ _________%
(d) Noncriminal (not retained)
___________ _________%
(e) What was the total number of fingerprint-based
background checks conducted during 2024?
(a+b)_____________
(c+d)_____________
(a+b+c+d)___________
The following questions refer to repository administration, procedures and practices.
3. (a) Does your state maintain a protection order file? If no, skip to question 4.
Yes
No
(b) How many active records were in the state protection order record database as of
December 31, 2024?
_________________ records
4. (a) Does your state maintain a warrant file? If no, skip to Section II.
Yes
No
(b) How many records were in the state warrant database as of December 31, 2024?
_________________ records
(c) Of this total, indicate the number of:
Felony warrants ______________________
Misdemeanor warrants ________________
Other (explain) ______________________________________________
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
3
SECTION II: ARREST/FINGERPRINT
REPORTING, RECORD ENTRY AND
REMOVAL
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Definitions
1. The term “cardscan” refers to both the technique and technology used to electronically
capture and digitize fingerprints that have been recorded using traditional ink-and-paper
methods. Scanning these images and digitizing these fingerprint impressions enables them to
be searched and maintained electronically using an Automated Biometric Identification
System (ABIS).
2. The term “livescan” refers to both the technique and technology used to electronically
capture fingerprint and palm print images from individuals without the need for the more
traditional ink-and-paper methods. Livescan devices also allow the electronic transfer of
digitized images and accompanying textual information to a criminal history repository.
Questions
1. How many felony arrests were reported to your repository during calendar year 2024?
____________ arrests
2. How many arrest fingerprints were submitted to your repository during 2024? (a+b+c = d)
(a) _________________ via livescan
(b) _________________ via cardscan
(c) _________________ hard copy fingerprints
(d) _________________ = total arrest fingerprints
3. How many arrestees (i.e., unique individuals) had arrest fingerprints submitted to the
repository in 2024? _____________
4
4. How many first-time arrestees (e.g., unique individuals who received a State Identification
Number (SID) for the first time) had arrest fingerprints submitted to the repository in 2024?
_________________
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
5
SECTION III: DISPOSITIONS
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Definition
“Final case disposition” is defined as the formal or informal conclusion of an arrest or charge at
whatever stage it occurs in the criminal justice process. E.g., release by police after arrest
without charging; decline to proceed by prosecutor; or final trial court disposition.
Questions
The following questions seek to determine to what extent the records in your criminal history
record database contain final case disposition information.
1. Does your state collect charge tracking information (sometimes referred to as “interim
disposition information”) on the criminal history record showing the status of a case as it
moves through the justice system? (E.g., reporting of an indictment, charges filed that
are different than arrest charges, etc.)
Yes
No
2. (a) How many final case dispositions
did your repository receive during 2024?
(b) Of those, how many were sent to the FBI?
____________ dispositions
____________ dispositions
Note: When calculating the percentage of arrests with final dispositions recorded, some states
consider an arrest to have a disposition if any final disposition can be associated with an arrest
cycle. This is commonly referred to as “cycle matching.” Other states do not consider an arrest to
have a final disposition until all arrest charges are linked to a final disposition. This is commonly
referred to as “charge matching.”
3. Does your state perform cycle or charge matching to calculate the percentage of arrests in the
criminal history database with final dispositions?
Cycle matching
6
Charge matching
4. What percentage of all arrests in the criminal history database have final case dispositions
recorded?
(a) Arrests entered within past 5 years (01/01/2020-12/31/2024)
(b) Arrests in the entire database
____________ %
(c) Felony charges
____________ %
____________ %
5. The following questions are new to the 2024 Survey and are intended to gauge progress
over time relative to the completeness of criminal history records in the repository.
What percentage of arrests in the criminal history database have final dispositions
recorded?
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
2010’s (arrests from 1/1/2010 through 12/31/2019) ____________ %
2000’s (arrests from 1/1/2000 through 12/31/2009) ____________ %
1990’s (arrests from 1/1/1990 through 12/31/1999) ____________ %
1980’s (arrests from 1/1/1980 through 12/31/1989) ____________ %
6. (a) Of the dispositions received at the repository during 2024, what percentage could not
be linked to a specific arrest record, either because of failed matching criteria or the
arrest had not been reported to the repository?
_______________
(b) When a disposition cannot be matched to an arrest, the following action(s) is taken:
(Check all that apply.)
Placed in a suspense file (no further action)
Placed in a suspense file for further investigation
Disposition information is rejected
Follow-up actions are taken by repository staff
Court is contacted
Court-provided charge(s) and corresponding disposition is posted to the
beginning or end of record
Other ______________________________________________
(d) How many records are in your state’s suspense file (if applicable)? _______
7. (a) As of December 31, 2024, was any court disposition data reported directly to the
repository by automated means? (Note: “automated” refers to a method by which
data is transmitted by the court to the repository where it is matched against criminal
history records and entered on the criminal history record, usually without manual
intervention. This does not include dispositions received via fax or email, which
require manual activity for criminal history record matching and data entry.)
Yes
No (skip to question 7)
7
(c) What percentage of dispositions was reported in 2024 by automated means?
____________%
8. In 2024, what was the average time elapsed between the occurrence of final felony court case
dispositions and receipt of information concerning such dispositions by the repository?
1 day or less
2–7 days
8–90 days
91–180 days
181–365 days
More than 1 year
9. In 2024, what was the average time elapsed between receipt of final felony court
disposition information by the repository and entry of that information into the criminal
history record database?
1 day or less
2–7 days
8–30 days
31–90 days
91–180 days
181–365 days
More than 1 year
9. (a) As of December 31, 2024, was there a backlog of court disposition data to be entered into
the criminal history record database (i.e., not entered within 48 hours of receipt at the repository,
including dispositions that could not be matched to a criminal history record within 48 hours of
receipt at the repository)? If no, skip to question 11.
Yes
No
(b) How many unprocessed or partially processed court case dispositions did you have?
________________
10. Does the repository receive any final case disposition information (e.g., decline to
proceed) from local prosecutors? If no, skip to question 12.
Yes
No
11. Does your state post indictment information to the criminal history record?
Yes
No
8
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
9
SECTION IV:
RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENTS
This section completed by
Name ________________________________
Title ________________________________
Agency _____________________________________________________________________
Phone ________________________________ Email _______________________________
Date completed ________________________
Record sealing and record expungement definitions and practices vary widely across the states.
For the purpose of answering questions in this section, the following definitions apply.
Sealed Record: Record is restricted from public access (if such access is available in your state)
and is generally unavailable for employment and licensing purposes. Sealed records may be
accessed on a limited basis – e.g., criminal justice employment, law enforcement investigations,
research purposes etc.
Expunged Record: All hard copy and electronic information about the arrest is destroyed/
obliterated. No information about the arrest or disposition is retained, and it is therefore
unavailable for any purpose once expunged.
Since all states have some degree of automatic sealing or expungement of juvenile records, the
following questions only apply to adult criminal history records.
1. Do you have statutes and/or policies that define procedures for criminal history record
sealing and/or expungement?
Yes, sealing only
Yes, expungement only
Yes, both sealing and expungement
No
2. If a record is sealed, is it still accessible for research purposes?
Yes, but access is limited to repository staff
Yes, outside researchers (e.g., Statistical Analysis Centers, universities, etc.)
may use sealed records for purposes authorized by the repository pursuant to
state law or policy
No
10
4. (a) Does your repository track the number of records that are sealed by the repository?
Yes
No
(b) If yes, how many records were sealed by the repository in 2024? _______
5. (a) Does your repository track the number of records that are expunged by the
repository?
Yes
No
(c) If yes, how many records were expunged by the repository in 2024? _______
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
11
Attachment 4 – Screenshots for 2022 web form (2024 not yet developed)
1
2
3
4
5
Attachment 5 – 2024 Survey Cover Letter to States
MEMORANDUM
Date:
TBD
To:
Directors, State Criminal Record Repositories
From:
Devon B. Adams
Subject:
Survey of Criminal History Information Systems
Deputy Director, Policy Division, Bureau of Justice Statistics
I am writing to seek your assistance in providing information to the Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS), U.S. Department of Justice, on the status of state-held criminal records. Approximately
every two years since 1989, the Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems has
captured a snapshot of the continuing growth, ongoing improvements, and practices associated
with initiating and updating state criminal records. As in previous years, your response to this
survey is voluntary; however, doing so is a special condition placed on all National Criminal
History Improvement Program (NCHIP) and NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP)
awards.
Survey responses will be compiled by SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice
Information and Statistics. A copy of the 2022 survey questionnaire is attached. A passwordprotected section of the SEARCH Web site is available for those states that wish to provide their
survey responses online. Responses should reflect conditions as of December 31, 2024. Those
wishing to use the online response option to fill out the survey are urged to visit
http://www.searchgroup.org/surveys/repository/ and use your state’s assigned password XXXX
to gain access. The online survey allows each section to be completed independently by the
appropriate staff person. Respondents using the online survey tool to enter 2024 data can view
previously submitted 2022 data for comparison purposes. Where applicable, your state’s 2022
responses are displayed in color within each section of the online survey.
Statistical data presented in past surveys has supported and provided insight to both State and
Federal legislative efforts that involve the use of criminal history records. Prominent among
these is the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which mandated the development of the
National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Further, the survey provides trend
data demonstrating the correlation between continuing federal funding incentives such as the
BJS-administered NCHIP and NARIP Program awards and documented results.
Your past cooperation and assistance with this effort has provided a wealth of useful data for law
and policymakers, researchers, justice practitioners, and others who depend on survey data to
craft responsible laws, policies, and procedures, and to prepare informative reports and
educational materials. The published 2024 survey is available at
https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/bjs/grants/305602.pdf.
Your contributions to the Web-enabled Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems
make it a useful resource to users both within and outside of the criminal justice community.
Please contact SEARCH staff Becki Goggins at 334-201-3001 (email: becki@search.org) if you
have any questions or comments about the survey, or if you would like details on how to submit
the survey via fax or mail. We ask that you submit your survey responses by [Date]. Thank
you in advance for your assistance and cooperation with this important effort.
Attachment 6 – 2024 Survey Telephone and Email scripts for follow-up
Telephone Script
Hello, this is Becki Goggins from SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information
and Statistics. I am calling today to advise that we did not receive your state’s completed
criminal history information systems survey for 2024. The questionnaire and cover letter
instructions were emailed to you on [Date] wherein online entry into a password-protected
section of the SEARCH Web site was requested by close of business [Date].
•
•
•
•
•
Did you receive this information, and will your state be responding to the request?
Was the material sent to the proper location or should it be redirected?
Do you have any questions about the survey, or do you need assistance to access the
SEARCH Web site?
Do you prefer to submit your response via fax?
Can you provide this information by [Date]?
Your assistance in responding to this request is greatly appreciated. Thank you and have a
pleasant day.
Email Script
From: Becki Goggins
Sent: [Date]
To: [SEARCH Members and Repository Directors who did not respond to our initial request for
information]
Cc:
Subject: Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2024
Attachments: Survey Cover Letter [version], Survey Questionnaire [version]
Greetings,
By email dated [Date], the attached cover letter and Survey of State Criminal History
Information Systems, 2024 was sent to you for completion and online entry into a passwordprotected section of the SEARCH Web site by close of business [Date]. If you are receiving this
email today, SEARCH is not in receipt of your state’s information. If you have difficulties
submitting your response via the website, you may fax your completed form to me at the number
provided below.
At your earliest convenience or by close of business [Date], please review the attachments to this
email and respond as indicated.
Your assistance in responding to this request is greatly appreciated. Should you or any member
of your staff have questions regarding the survey or if additional information is needed, please
contact me.
Thank you.
Becki Goggins
Director, Law and Policy
SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice
Information and Statistics
(334) 201-3001 (Cell)
(916) 392-8440 (Fax)
Email to: becki@search.org
| File Type | application/pdf |
| Author | Becki Goggins |
| File Modified | 2024-12-02 |
| File Created | 2024-12-02 |