NIEM Bridging Information Systems Case Study New Jersey Data Exchange National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) NIEM-GJXDM for New Jersey Law Enforcement Information Sharing Synopsis Two projects in New Jersey are actively using and/or developing the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) and Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM) standards for the sharing and processing of data. The New Jersey Data Exchange (NJ-DEx) project is a key initiative for sharing information both horizontally and vertically in the New Jersey law enforcement community. With similarities to the N-DEx program in structure and intent, NJ-DEx is now delivering previously unprecedented cross-jurisdictional data sharing capabilities in New Jersey. Another project is NJ-CrimeTrack, a system that supports the New Jersey Governor’s new crime plan, “A Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods.” NIEM-GJXDM for New Jersey Law Enforcement Information Sharing Executive Summary Challenge New Jersey has more than 500 law enforcement agencies. Agencies in the state have realized that there is a regional basis both for where crimes occur and how they are solved, which necessitates improved ways of sharing information among the many individual agencies. New Jersey is a home-rule state; therefore, no centralized technology can be dictated to the local agencies. As a result, there is a hugely diverse collection of platforms for records management systems (RMS), computer- aided dispatch (CAD), and information sharing query systems. Solution New Jersey began using a standards-based approach to tackle information sharing challenges. Beginning with GJXDM and then incorporating NIEM, the state was able to accommodate many different industry solution providers fairly. New Jersey created an Information Exchange Package Document (IEPD) and a set of Data Sharing Extract Guidance rules to help facilitate the exchange of data (consisting mostly of CAD and RMS excerpts) for the Statewide Master Name Index called NJ-DEx. NJ-CrimeTrack v1.0 was developed to assist in tracking shooting information in support of the Governor’s crime plan, “A Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods.” Results Implementation of NJ-DEx is under way. It is in production, serving a user base of more than 20,000 law enforcement personnel across New Jersey. Additional counties are developing their extracts and will be expanding the base of data sharing partners throughout 2009 and 2010. CrimeTrack v1.0 will continue to be used and analyzed in support of the Governor’s strategy and, in the near future, CrimeTrack 2.0 will be delivered. The new version will have expanded data exchange capabilities for monitoring gang members and gang-related incidents. Agency Overview The collaborative information sharing effort is led by the New Jersey State Police; the agency has 3,000 officers and 1,500 civilians and core functions that include general police services, general highway and traffic enforcement, statewide investigation and intelligence services, emergency management, support for state and local law enforcement efforts, maintenance of criminal records and identification systems, and regulation of certain types of commerce. The New Jersey State Police operates the NJ-DEx system and database and performs design and software development. There is active collaboration with the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness for funding, project support, and project management and in building relationships statewide. Challenge New Jersey faces technology, culture, and procurement challenges in its information sharing initiatives. Procurement is overwhelmingly the primary challenge, since New Jersey’s information technology (IT) procurement process is sometimes difficult. An additional challenge faced by the state is the existence of a wide variety of technology with many disparate systems. However, since 9/11, there is Issued 03/09 This project was supported by Grant No. 2007-NC-BX-K001 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. www.NiEm.gov an increasingly wider acceptance within the state that law enforcement must not only agree to but also actively pursue information sharing initiatives. Solution New Jersey began using a standards-based approach to tackle information sharing challenges. Beginning with GJXDM and then incorporating NIEM, the state was able to overcome the challenges of disparate information technology systems and accommodate many different industry solution providers fairly. New Jersey created an IEPD and a set of Data Sharing Extract Guidance rules to help facilitate the exchange of data (consisting mostly of CAD and RMS excerpts) for the Statewide Master Name Index. Each data exchange entity (such as the county prosecutor databases, county sheriff systems, and large-city RMS) must write an extract and data sharing module that conforms to the GJXDM IEPD. As part of NJ-DEx, New Jersey began a project to share statewide data in a “northbound” interface with the Federal Bureau of Intelligence’s Law Enforcement National Data Exchange (N-DEx), using a GJXDM-to-NIEM mapping and interface process. A separate information sharing project, CrimeTrack v1.0, is currently in the works in support of the New Jersey Governor’s new crime plan, “A Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods.” The plan focuses on three areas— enforcement, prevention, and reentry—and information sharing is listed in the plan as being a critical component in each of these areas. CrimeTrack v1.0 is currently assisting New Jersey law enforcement officers in monitoring shooting incidents. Experiencing the same challenges as NJ-DEx, CrimeTrack also benefits from the use of information sharing standards to facilitate the data exchanges. Results Implementation of NJ-DEx is under way. It is in production, serving a user base of more than 20,000 law enforcement providers across New Jersey. Additional counties are developing their extracts and will be expanding the base of data sharing partners throughout 2009 and 2010. CrimeTrack v1.0 will continue to be used and analyzed in support of the Governor’s strategy and, in the near future, CrimeTrack 2.0 will be delivered. The new version will have expanded data exchange capabilities for monitoring gang members and gang-related incidents.