NCIC 2000 and IAFIS Operational.

The FBI unveiled two new systems designed to make catching criminals easier for local law enforcement. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) 2000, which came online July 11, 1999, replaced the FBI's NCIC system. Like its predecessor, NCIC 2000 can process more than 2.4 million transactions per day while storing and accessing over 39 million records. The system also provides information on stolen vehicles, items, and securities, as well as wanted and missing persons, gang members, and suspected terrorists. New features include searches of right index fingerprints, access to mugshots, automatic links to all information related to a particular case, and a 5-day record of all inquiries to alert agencies looking for the same information. Law enforcement agencies with the necessary equipment (personal computer, laser printer, document scanner, single fingerprint scanner, and digital camera) can take advantage of these enhanced capabilities.

The FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) became operational July 28, 1999. IAFIS, which replaced the FBI's Identification Automated System, provides the following major services: 10-print and latent-print identification; criminal history file searches; maintenance and upgrades of records, criminal histories, fingerprints, and photographs; and remote 10-print and latent-print searches. Although IAFIS currently supports both paper and electronic environments, ultimately, agencies must use certified live-scan or card-scan devices to capture and submit electronic fingerprints.

For additional information on either of these programs, law enforcement agencies can contact Roy Weise of the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division at 304-625-2730.