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FBI
National
Instant Criminal Background Check System Posts NICS Index Data
March 18, 2016
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) was
implemented on November 30, 1998 as a result of the Brady Handgun
Violence Prevention Act of 1993. NICS is a national system used by
Federal Firearms Licensees to instantly determine whether a prospective
buyer is eligible to buy firearms by checking available records.
The NICS searches three nationally held databases with every check. The
Interstate Identification Index (III), which houses criminal history
records; the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which houses
records such as warrants and protection orders; and the NICS Index. The
NICS Index was created specifically for use by the NICS and contains
descriptive information on persons determined to be disqualified from
possessing a firearm based upon state or federal law.
Local, state, federal, and tribal entities voluntarily contribute
information to the NICS Index. This information contains prohibiting
information that may not be found in the III or the NCIC. It should be
noted that felony data is usually contained in the III, and, therefore,
there may be few or no entries in this category in the NICS Index. In
contrast, the NICS Index is the logical location to share adjudicated
mental health data if the law allows. The contributing agency is
responsible for the accuracy and validity of the information;
therefore, additions, deletions, and modifications are expected and
occur on an on-going basis.
In January, the U.S. Attorney General announced in her individual
letters to governors that the FBI would, in the coming months, be
releasing data on the number of records each state has submitted to the
NICS Index by category. The data provided in today’s release represents
information within the NICS Index as of December 31, 2015.
Questions may be directed to Stephen G. Fischer, Jr., media liaison for
the Criminal Justice Information Services Division, at
stephen.fischer@ic.fbi.gov.
Categories and state participation are in the attached pdf. Ohio is noted below:
Felony
1
Under
Indictment
0
Fugitive from
Justice
1
Unlawful User/Addicted to a Controlled
Substance
0
Adjudicated Mental
Health
51,011
Illegal/Unlawful
Alien
0
Dishonorable
Discharge
0
Renounced U.S.
Citizenship
0
Protection/Restraining Order for Domestic
Violence
0
Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic
Violence
0
State
Prohibitors
0
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