The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Washington, D.C. NCIC provides inquiry and record entry capability for authorized local, state and federal criminal justice agencies.
Many of the NCIC files are corollaries of CJIS and all inquiries are first routed to CJIS. If the desired information is available in CJIS, the message to NCIC is intercepted and CJIS information will be returned to the requestor. If information is not available in CJIS, the original message will automatically be forwarded to NCIC. The only exception to the above are inquiries to the Criminal History System. Criminal History inquiries may be routed directly to NCIC.
NCIC is composed of fourteen files, each of which contains information regarding:
- Stolen Boat File - stolen or embezzled boats. NCIC does not allow entry of lost, repossessed or stored boats. It also does not allow entry of boat parts or boat trailers. NCIC requires that stolen boats with out-of-state registration be entered to the stolen boat file;
- Gun File - stolen and recovered (abandoned, seized or found) firearms;
- Article File - stolen property. NCIC will not accept property records which are reported lost, found, evidence, under investigation, pawn or buy;
The criteria for entry into the NCIC Stolen Article File are limited to individual property items valued at $500 or more or multiple (group) property items totaling $5,000 or more in one theft. Office equipment (typewriters, copy machines, etc.) and color television sets may also be entered, regardless of value. Additionally, any item of property may be entered at the discretion of the reporting agency, if:
- The circumstance of the theft indicates that there is a possibility of interstate movement; and/or
- The seriousness of the crime indicates that such entry should be made for investigative purposes.
- Criminal History Files - NCIC maintains three files which provide criminal history information:
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- The Automated Identification Division System (AIDS) is updated by the FBI from manual records supplied by states which do not participate in the Interstate Identification Index (III). This file is not complete, as several states do not submit criminal history information to it;
- The III provides information necessary to directly access participating states' criminal history files; and
- The Federal Offender File (FOF) provides federal arrest, disposition and custody/supervision information.
Much of the information in these files is similar to the CJIS Criminal History System;
- Stolen Vehicle File - stolen or embezzled vehicles, (only if an arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect), vehicle parts, aircraft, and vehicles used in a felony. For NCIC purposes, a vehicle is any motor-driven conveyance, except a boat, designed to carry its operator. Trailers are also contained in this file;
- Stolen License Plate File - this file is used to store information regarding stolen license plates;
- Wanted Person File - persons with outstanding federal warrants, warrants for felonies or serious misdemeanors. The Wanted Person File is a pointer system only. The contributing agency must be contacted to verify the validity of the warrant. Contributing agencies must be willing to extradite the person from at least one state other than the contributing agency's state;
- Missing Person File - a person of any age who is missing and:
- Under proven physical/mental disability or is senile; thereby, subjecting himself or others to personal and immediate danger;
- In the company of another person under circumstances indicating that his physical safety is in danger;
- The circumstances indicate that the disappearance was not voluntary, e.g., abduction or kidnaping; and
- Declared unemancipated as defined by the laws of his state of residence and does not meet any of the entry criteria set forth above;
- Securities File - serial numbered identifiable securities which have been stolen, embezzled, counterfeited or are missing. This file does not include personal notes, checks, credit cards or coins. Securities for the purposes of this file include the following:
- Currency (Federal Reserve Notes, Silver Certificates, U.S. Notes, Canadian Notes, etc.);
- Documents which are evidence of debt (Treasury issued bills, bonds and notes; municipal and corporate bonds; debentures; other non-personal notes, etc.);
- Documents which represent subscription rights (stock warrants, stock rights);
- Other types traded in United States securities exchanges (except for commodities futures);
- Postal and other types of money orders;
- Traveler's checks;
- Warehouse receipts;
- Savings certificates;
- Bank drafts; and
- Interest coupons on stocks and bonds;
- Foreign Fugitive File - FFF records are maintained by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). The inclusion of foreign fugitive data in the NCIC System provides a warning to U.S. law enforcement officers who might confront the fugitive so that they may use appropriate caution, provides assistance in locating and arresting foreign fugitives and helps provide for the public safety. Inquiries are not made directly into this file, but positive responses are provided when your message is processed through the NCIC Wanted Persons File;
- Unidentified Persons - the intent of this file is to assist investigators in the identification of unidentified found bodies, parts and of unidentified living persons;
- U.S. Secret Service Protective File (USSS) - USSS is a file designed to aid the U.S. Secret Service in protecting the President and other authorized protectees. It provides investigative leads on the whereabouts of those individuals who may pose a threat to a protectee and an individual’s criminal activity which may be related to one of the protectees;
- Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) - ORI is a unique number assigned by the FBI/NCIC to every law enforcement or criminal justice agency that is serviced by NCIC. This file contains the agency name, address and telephone number; and
- Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Violent Felon File - ATF contains records on individuals who have three or more previous convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense and are barred by Federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.