Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 28 : Section 534


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 534. Acquisition, preservation, and exchange of identification records and information; appointment of officials

      (a) The Attorney General shall - 
        (1) acquire, collect, classify, and preserve identification,
      criminal identification, crime, and other records;
        (2) acquire, collect, classify, and preserve any information
      which would assist in the identification of any deceased
      individual who has not been identified after the discovery of
      such deceased individual;
        (3) acquire, collect, classify, and preserve any information
      which would assist in the location of any missing person
      (including an unemancipated person as defined by the laws of the
      place of residence of such person) and provide confirmation as to
      any entry for such a person to the parent, legal guardian, or
      next of kin of that person (and the Attorney General may acquire,
      collect, classify, and preserve such information from such
      parent, guardian, or next of kin); and
        (4) exchange such records and information with, and for the
      official use of, authorized officials of the Federal Government,
      including the United States Sentencing Commission, the States,
      cities, and penal and other institutions.

      (b) The exchange of records and information authorized by
    subsection (a)(4) of this section is subject to cancellation if
    dissemination is made outside the receiving departments or related
    agencies.
      (c) The Attorney General may appoint officials to perform the
    functions authorized by this section.
      (d) For purposes of this section, the term "other institutions"
    includes - 
        (1) railroad police departments which perform the
      administration of criminal justice and have arrest powers
      pursuant to a State statute, which allocate a substantial part of
      their annual budget to the administration of criminal justice,
      and which meet training requirements established by law or
      ordinance for law enforcement officers; and
        (2) police departments of private colleges or universities
      which perform the administration of criminal justice and have
      arrest powers pursuant to a State statute, which allocate a
      substantial part of their annual budget to the administration of
      criminal justice, and which meet training requirements
      established by law or ordinance for law enforcement officers.

      (e)(1) Information from national crime information databases
    consisting of identification records, criminal history records,
    protection orders, and wanted person records may be disseminated to
    civil or criminal courts for use in domestic violence or stalking
    cases. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to permit
    access to such records for any other purpose.
      (2) Federal and State criminal justice agencies authorized to
    enter information into criminal information databases may include -
    
        (A) arrests, convictions, and arrest warrants for stalking or
      domestic violence or for violations of protection orders for the
      protection of parties from stalking or domestic violence; and
        (B) protection orders for the protection of persons from
      stalking or domestic violence, provided such orders are subject
      to periodic verification.

      (3) As used in this subsection - 
        (A) the term "national crime information databases" means the
      National Crime Information Center and its incorporated criminal
      history databases, including the Interstate Identification Index;
      and
        (B) the term "protection order" includes an injunction or any
      other order issued for the purpose of preventing violent or
      threatening acts or harassment against, or contact or
      communication with or physical proximity to, another person,
      including temporary and final orders issued by civil or criminal
      courts (other than support or child custody orders) whether
      obtained by filing an independent action or as a pendente lite
      order in another proceeding so long as any civil order was issued
      in response to a complaint, petition, or motion filed by or on
      behalf of a person seeking protection.



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