Given SEARCH’s history as an organization that was originally founded to facilitate the exchange of criminal history record information (CHRI) between the States, we are uniquely positioned to conduct surveys on important CHRI issues. SEARCH has conducted surveys on issues that impact how justice information is collected, maintained, and used—and has done so at the request of the Department of Justice, the States, partner organizations, and our Members. Surveys are often conducted of the State central repositories of criminal history information, and sometimes of our own Membership Group—and other surveys have been conducted of the public. We provide these survey results as a resource to criminal justice practitioners and researchers.
Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems
Since 1989, SEARCH has conducted a biennial national survey of state criminal history information systems, then collates and analyzes the results. The resulting report provides law- and policymakers, administrators, managers, academia, research institutions, and other agencies and individuals with the most comprehensive data available on record quantity and completeness, and on procedures used by repositories to collect information and maintain record quality. Recipients of the survey typically include U.S. Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives, state governors, state attorneys general, law schools and their libraries, public libraries, and public and private security entities—and this report is believed to be the most cited document produced by SEARCH. The biennial surveys now available are:- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2020
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2018
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2016
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2014
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2012
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2010
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2008
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2006
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2003
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2001
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1999
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1997
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1995
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1993, with Supplementary Information on Presale Firearms Checks, 1994
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1992
- Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 1989
Additional Surveys
- CJIS Systems Agencies’ Hosting, Disaster Recovery and Continuity of Operations Strategies – October 2017
- Background Checks of Drivers for Transport Network Companies – October 2015
- Mental Health Records in the NICS Survey Results – April 2015
- Bulk Sale of Public Criminal History Information Survey Results – December 2014
- School Personnel Background Check Survey Results – March 2011
- Electronic Disposition Reporting Survey Results – July 2010
- Survey of Proposed FBI Rap Back Service – June 2010
- Survey of State Repository Services – April 2010
- Survey of state criminal record sealing and expungement practices, 2010
- SEARCH Survey on State Compliance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) – updated July 2009
- User Fees for Fingerprint- and Name-based Criminal History Record Searches – April 2008
- Civil Print Retention Survey – November 2007
- Fingerprint Technician Classification and Employment Survey – June 2007
- State Criminal History Record Information Availability Survey – March 2006
- Survey of State Repositories Regarding Individual Criminal History Record Access – January 2006
- Individual Criminal History Record Review Survey of Repositories – January 2006
- Compact Council User Fee Survey – posted January 2006
- Survey of State Repository Hours and Services – October 2005
- Survey of public attitudes toward the uses of biometric ID technologies by government and the private sector – September 2001/August 2002
- Survey on states that allow private agencies to submit fingerprints to their criminal history repositories – July 2002
- Survey on issues related to background checks of individuals who work in day care facilities – May 2002
- Survey on whether states can comply with the hazmat driver background check provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act – February 2002
- Survey on methods employed by the states to process individuals detained for immigration offenses – January 2002
- Survey on state office responsible for operation of criminal history record repository – November 2001
- Survey of which states provide public access to their criminal history records through the Internet – April 2001
- Survey of states that provide some level of “open” access to their criminal history records – March 2001
- Survey of fees charged by states to conduct volunteer background checks and related information – September 2000
- Survey of public attitudes toward the use of criminal history information – February-March 2000