Corrections_Today_March_April_2019

n Information Technology

(INTERPOL), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service (USMS), Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Transportation Security Admin- istration (TSA), Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), Joint Automated Booking System (JABS) and the Depart- ment of Defense (DoD). N-DEx System users can search for a variety of data types, including names, aliases, social security numbers, state and federal identification numbers, telephone num- bers, addresses, vehicles, crime characteristics and more. The N-DEx system supports simple keyword searches, or a user can conduct targeted searches for specific data elements within the system. A user can conduct a search of all N-DEx System data, or the user can filter results in a variety of ways to ensure the user finds the data he or she needs. A sophisticated record correlation engine provides a snapshot of a subject’s name, along with all known aliases, biographic information, identifiers, locations and booking photographs in the system. From the entity view, users can drill down into individual records to review informa- tion the agency provided, such as residence and place of birth; incident and arrest details; telephone numbers; ethnicity; identifying information, including scars, marks and tattoos; occupation; enforcement official information; offenses; known associates; and other justice system data. The N-DEx System provides access to over 780 million searchable records, containing billions of searchable entities, from more than

in 44 states. Thirteen departments of corrections (DOCs) supply data directly to the N-DEx System, with several other states actively working with the N-DEx Program Office (PO) to develop connectivity. With an average search response time of under two seconds, the N-DEx System facilitates more than a million searches per month from thousands of users across the criminal justice com- munity. Web-based access is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The FBI bears the full cost of the development and maintenance of the N-DEx System, and the N-DEx PO employs a team of data integration specialists to provide assistance to agencies wishing to contribute their data. Assistance can include everything from simply answering technical questions to creating the custom software that runs on an agency’s record management system (RMS) and submits its data to the N-DEx System. Institutional corrections Conducting searches on the N-DEx System can assist the institutional corrections community as it strives for inmate safety in jails, detention centers and prisons. Cor- rections personnel can obtain valuable information as they supervise and manage inmates in local and county correc- tional facilities. The N-DEx System can play an important role, as corrections staff are responsible for reading and reviewing a variety of relevant information and properly applying the information to the circumstances within their facility. Specifically, the N-DEx System data may im- prove inmate and case management, help validate intake information, determine inmate classification and housing assignments, assist in visitor screening and contribute to pre-release reports. Some corrections officials have even suggested the N-DEx System be used nationally by all state DOCs to share information with each other. If the N-DEx is fully implemented nationally, any state DOC could view comprehensive data on an inmate who served time in another state DOC. For example, in October 2017, a parole and probation specialist with the Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS) was conducting research on a subject whose parole eligibility hearing was approaching. As the subject was known to be a violent individual, the specialist wanted to obtain as much information on his prior arrests and convictions as possible. The specialist logged on to the

7,200 criminal justice agencies in 44 states.

The N-DEx System provides access to over 780 mil- lion searchable records, containing billions of searchable entities, from more than 7,200 criminal justice agencies

28 — March/April 2019 Corrections Today