The state of Kansas is using $3 million in Federal funds to improve its Judicial Branch records. The funding comes from the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) Grant Program.
The grant funding is being used to improve the accuracy, utility, and interstate accessibility of criminal history and related records in support of national record systems and their use for name- and fingerprint-based criminal history background checks.
“The nearly $3 million Kansas is receiving from the National Criminal History Improvement Program will empower us to modernize our court systems, ensuring greater efficiency, accuracy, and convenience in data transmission,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “Thanks to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Justice Programs, we will remain committed to upholding the rule of law and fostering a safer, more just Kansas.”
The grant funding will be used to continue the development of a statewide centralized supervision module. The state explained in a press release that the module connects with the case management software currently in the implementation phase for Kansas courts statewide.
“Since starting in Congress, it’s been my mission to boost support for Kansas law enforcement, so folks can feel safe and protected in our community,” state Rep. Sharice Davids said. “These resources will help ensure our justice system moves efficiently and Kansans are protected. I’m proud to have brought these new investments home to Kansas.”
Further, the governor’s office said that customizing this software and migrating to a cloud-based hosting solution will allow enhanced quality and timeliness of dispositions and case outcomes and improve the convenience and efficiency of data transmission to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for further transmission to other state and Federal law enforcement agencies.
“We greatly appreciate this award to the Kansas court system,” Amy Raymond, chief of Trial Court Services for the Kansas Judicial Branch, said. “It will help us continue modernizing court operations by building more data connections between our court information systems. It will also improve the way we communicate criminal conviction data to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which in turn shares that data with other state and federal law enforcement agencies.”
