Frequently Asked Questions

A “Gang Task Force” is any coordinated effort involving more than one federal, state, local, or tribal law enforcement agency to collaboratively investigate and prosecute criminal and/or transnational organizations that are committing the crimes listed in the PSN Authorization Act (high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking). A task force does not need to be led by or include participation of a federal agency; a task force composed entirely of state, local, and/or tribal agencies can qualify. If a federal agency is involved, it may not receive grant funds.

No. The collaborative, coordinated effort does not need to be officially designated a “Gang Task Force,” so long as it is focused on the investigation and prosecution of criminal and/or transnational organizations engaging in the categories of offenses outlined in the Act.

No. Both pre-existing and newly created “Gang Task Forces” may qualify for the 30% set-aside funds under the Act.

Yes, provided that the PSN Team is focused, at least in part, on the investigation and prosecution of criminal and/or transnational organizations that are engaged in high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.

Yes, as long as this collaboration is focused, at least in part, on the investigation and prosecution of criminal and/or transnational organizations committing the categories of offenses identified in the PSN Authorization Act.

No, but the 30% set-aside funds must be used for collaborative, coordinated law enforcement efforts focused on criminal and/or transnational organizations, which includes but is not limited to gangs, that are engaged in high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.

No. The 30% set-aside funds may be used for non-enforcement activities, such as outreach, prevention, and reentry programs, so long as the funds are used to address criminal and/or transnational organizations that are committing the categories of offenses outlined in the Act.

For this purpose, a “criminal organization” is a group of two or more individuals that exists for a period of time and that acts in concert with the aim of committing any of the categories of offenses outlined in the PSN Authorization Act, whether successful or not.

For this purpose, a “transnational organization” is a group of two or more individuals, one or more of whom is a citizen of a foreign country, that exists for a period of time and that acts in concert with the aim of committing any of the categories of offenses outlined in the PSN Authorization Act, whether successful or not.

No. As long as individuals associated with the criminal and/or transnational organization are acting in concert with the aim of committing the identified offenses in your district, the organization may be based elsewhere. For example, a criminal and/or transnational organization based in District A may illegally distribute firearms or narcotics in adjacent Districts B and C. The 30% set-aside funds may be used for collaborative, coordinated law enforcement efforts aimed at investigating and prosecuting firearms and narcotic offenses in Districts B and C that result from the actions of a criminal and/or transnational organization based in District A or elsewhere.

What constitutes a “high level” of a particular crime will vary from district to district. Each district should examine local crime conditions to determine what threshold to use when assessing whether a criminal and/or transnational organization is engaged in high levels of the categories of crime identified in the PSN Authorization Act.

VehicleID is a unique combination of alphanumeric characters that identifies a specific vehicle. A vehicle identification number is normally imprinted by the manufacturer and attached to the vehicle in specific locations, but is occasionally assigned by titling or registration agencies. Sometimes referred to as a VIN, VIN number.

In the early 1980's the U.S. National highway Traffic Safety Administration (USDOT) required that all road vehicles must contain a 17 character VIN. The result was a unique "DNA" style number for each vehicle, where each character and its sequence identify a vehicle attribute.

How to read a VIN

1st character - identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured

2nd character - identifies the manufacturer

3rd character - identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division

4th to 8th characters - identifies attributes of the vehicle

9th character - verifies the accuracy of the transcription of the vehicle identification

10th character - identifies the model year

11th character - identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle

12th to 17th characters - identifies the numeric sequence of the vehicle production.

A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) may be assigned by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or local agencies. The VIN needs to indicate the issuing authority in the “DrivingJurisdictionAuthorityIDType”. The most common assignment of a VIN by someone other than the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) involves conversion vans and other truck-like vehicles where the VIN is assigned by the final manufacturer.

Example: Winnebago buys Ford 350 vans with a cab and a set of frame rails in the rear, after Winnebago adds an RV body, it assigns a VIN. The VIN reflects the manufacturer and model number given by Winnebago, not Ford. A less common case is a completed vehicle, which already has an assigned VIN that is transformed and then receives a new (replacement) VIN.

The Joint Task Force on Rap Sheet Standardization (JTF) has made an effort to implement a national standard for the exchange of criminal history rap sheet. This is a project sponsored by the FBI in combination with SEARCH and NLETS.

The JTF created an XML specification for Interstate rap sheets that contains the XML-based, criminal history transmission standard conformant to the Global Justice XML Data Model version 3.0.2. Included are a recommended text presentation format, an example XML rap sheet instance, an illustrative implementation using the FBI’s Interstate Identification Index and NLETS network, a style sheet, and schema.

The document's Executive Summary provides a description of the project to create a national rap sheet standard. Rap Sheet Specification 3.00, has defined an element (as an extension to the GJXDM) for Court Case Number. The name of thiselementisrap:CourtRecordID.

Rapsheet Specification: https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/glossa…

“rap:CourtRecordID” is defined as the “element that contains the case number assigned by the court.'' Assuming the court docket number is the same number assigned to a particular case on a court's docket, this element seems appropriate. If you are generating a RAP sheet, conform to the JTF RAP Sheet Specification 3.00 as close as possible, since that is what will be sent to other states via NLETS. Extend it only for additional data elements when it is used exclusively within your state.

Joint Task Force on RAP Sheet Standardization: http://www.doj.state.wi.us/les/XML/jtf.htm

XML Specification for Interstate RAP Sheets: http://it.ojp.gov/jsr/common/viewDetail.jsp?sub_id=215&view=yes&keyword…