Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 34, August 23, 2024
Section 73-21 - Organization, Purpose, and Function of DepartmentsA. The State Law Enforcement Division Criminal Justice Information System, known as SLED/CJIS, acting as the State's central criminal justice information repository shall collect, process, and store criminal justice information and records necessary to the operation of the criminal justice information system of the State Law Enforcement Division. The SLED/CJIS is comprised of the State Crime Information Center (SCIC) which includes the Computerized Criminal History (CCH) department, the Criminal Records Department, and such other departments as may be deemed necessary.(1) The Computerized Criminal History (CCH) Department has the responsibility for converting manual criminal history record information to computerized data. The mission of the computerized criminal history unit is to serve criminal justice agencies and to assist non-criminal justice agencies throughout the State and nation by providing current criminal history record information. Conversion of existing computerized criminal history will be compatible with established concepts and operating policies of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to enable an accurate exchange of criminal history data. The five segments comprising an offender's Criminal History Record Information are:(a) identification segment(b) identification add-on segment(e) custody/supervision segmentSouth Carolina offense codes are assigned to each specific charge. The offense codes must meet State and national requirements for the entering of criminal history data.
(2) The Criminal Records Department has the responsibility of collecting, processing and storing all fingerprint cards and dispositions of persons arrested in the State. The Criminal Records Department supervisor will serve as the custodian of records. Fingerprints will be the basis for establishing computerized criminal history. The Criminal Records Department is responsible for the timely processing of all supporting documents for criminal history record information as provided to the SLED/CJIS by other criminal justice agencies. The department is also responsible for handling expungements as required by South Carolina statute. After the processing at SLED is completed, the department is responsible for forwarding the necessary documentation to the FBI/CJIS Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia.The Criminal Records Department will be responsible for entering, editing, and storing all criminal fingerprint card images on the automated fingerprint identification system.
(3) The Data Communications Department has the responsibility of providing the necessary systems and programming support to develop, manage, and modify various computer applications and programs as deemed necessary by the Computerized Criminal History Department, the Criminal Records Department, the Uniform Crime Reporting Department and other criminal justice entities to facilitate the automated processing of various information. This department is further charged with the responsibility of maintaining computer equipment and associated software to ensure effective and efficient information processing and message switching, and to ensure that adequate levels of security are provided throughout the electronic data processing system. The Data Communications Department is also responsible for the maintenance and operation of the statewide communications network, the computer interface with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime Information Center, the National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the South Carolina Automated Fingerprint Identification System, and other automated criminal justice systems.(4) The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Department has the responsibility for processing, analyzing, coding and compiling incident, supplemental, and booking reports received from law enforcement agencies, whether such reports are submitted on paper or by automated means. The Uniform Crime Reporting Department will classify and count incident, supplemental, and booking reports submitted by other agencies according to procedures defined by the International Association of Chiefs of Police Committee on Uniform Crime Reports, the Uniform Crime Records Committee of the National Sheriffs Association, the Uniform Crime Reports Section of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Law Enforcement Division. The Uniform Crime Reporting Department will assure through training and quality control measures that all automated incident, supplemental, and arrest data submitted to the State Uniform Crime Reporting program are classified and counted according to these procedures.B. When practicable, the SLED/CJIS will develop systems which will facilitate the exchange of criminal justice information between criminal justice agencies.C. The SLED/CJIS will collect, process, maintain, and disseminate information and records with due regard to the privacy of individuals, and will maintain and disseminate only accurate and complete records.Amended by State Register Volume 14, Issue No. 3, eff March 23, 1990; State Register Volume 25, Issue No. 9, eff September 28, 2001.