How does the criminal justice system use databases?
There are a number of specific types of databases which have applications in criminology and criminal justice. The ultimate goal for many who work in the system is the creation of an integrated criminal justice information infrastructure able to allow databases to communicate to each other. Criminal justice information is currently stored in tens of thousands of databases maintained by local, county, state, and federal agencies representing law enforcement, courts, and corrections. An integrated system also needs to push information to the next appropriate step in the law enforcement system. Once criminals are caught the course system needs the information, once processed corrections does. Hurdles to the development of such a system are not only technological, which is probably the easiest to solve. Through the use of XML and middleware databases can talk to each other over the Web. Other issues include funding, policy, and culture. New York City credits the use of its COMPSTAT system
