Award Summary

The Bureau of Justice Statistics awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $803,786 to the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency (ASCJPA) under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP, CFDA 16.554), effective October 1, 2026, through March 31, 2028. This Year 1 funding supports the implementation of the American Samoa Integrated Criminal History and Records Improvement Project, which will enhance the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of criminal history records submitted to federal systems including the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Interstate Identification Index (III), and National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

The project will deliver concrete improvements to American Samoa's criminal justice information infrastructure through development of an integrated records management system, digitization of historical criminal records, enhancement of automated federal reporting capabilities, and implementation of data quality measures aligned with Federal Bureau of Investigation standards. Funded activities include personnel support, system development and federal interface enhancements, record digitization initiatives, and training and technical assistance. These products and services will benefit criminal justice agencies throughout American Samoa, including the Department of Public Safety, High Court, Department of Corrections, Office of Probation, and related justice partners, with expected outcomes of improved record completeness, faster arrest and disposition reporting, enhanced background check accuracy, and strengthened public safety capabilities across the territory.