Law enforcement agencies know that access to timely and comprehensive data is critical to solving investigations and operating efficiently. Too often antiquated technology, data roadblocks, and outdated records contribute to the primary challenge facing agencies today: increased responsibilities with limited dollars and no additional staff.
Moreover, warrant lists continue to grow, exacerbating the administrative burden facing agencies. Growing lists of outstanding warrants create challenges for the entire criminal justice system:
It is likely that an individual’s criminal footprint spans multiple jurisdictions, crossing both county and state lines. Without access to near real-time, nationwide incarceration data, agencies lack crucial investigative data and the opportunity to locate and/or close a large percentage of their warrant lists.
Law enforcement can clearly benefit from comprehensive criminal justice data. But there are inherent challenges in collecting incarceration data: