FY13 Improving the Completeness of Firearm Background Checks through Enhanced State Data Sharing

The Office of Justice Programs funds the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP). Both of these programs provide essential support and guidance to improve reporting of criminal history and related records used for background checks conducted through the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) NICS, for individuals seeking to purchase certain firearms. Recent acts of violence have focused national attention on the urgent need to close several persistent information gaps remaining in the background check process. The Bureau of Justice Assistance, in close coordination with Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI, is funding a one-time grant program to complement the ongoing NCHIP and NARIP programs by improving and expanding the data accessible to NICS at the time of a firearm background check to ensure lawful purchases.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Office of the State Court Administrator will use the funds to implement a statewide E-Warrant program to enable the circuit courts to securely and automatically submit information to law-enforcement agencies that use the Missouri Uniform Law-Enforcement System, the system that serves as the repository for all protection order and warrant data for the State of Missouri. CA/NCF