Federal Cooperative Agreement Award Summary

The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ), Bureau of Criminal Information and Analysis, received a $5.87 million Cooperative Agreement award from the Bureau of Justice Statistics under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP, CFDA 16.554) for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. The award funds a comprehensive initiative to enhance the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, and accessibility of criminal history records throughout California. Key deliverables include the development of automated data quality dashboards and reporting tools to identify missing dispositions and duplicate records within California's criminal history system; an evaluation of participation in the National Fingerprint File Program for interstate criminal history information sharing; and the modernization and integration of regional computer-aided dispatch and records management systems across Yuba and Sutter Counties to improve interoperability with national criminal justice databases.

In partnership with the Judicial Council of California and participating local and state justice agencies, the project will improve electronic disposition reporting by California courts through the identification of reporting gaps, enhancement of data quality, and implementation of long-term solutions. These coordinated efforts will strengthen California's reporting to the Interstate Identification Index, National Crime Information Center, National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and Next Generation Identification System, thereby improving public safety, supporting accurate firearm background checks, increasing operational efficiency, and enhancing collaboration among state and local criminal justice agencies.