LEIN Information Systems & Database Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law governs criminal history record information (CHRI) accessed through LEIN and restricts its use and dissemination?
- The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- The Title 28 CFR Part 20 regulations under the Crime Control Act (Correct answer)
- The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)
- The Stored Communications Act (SCA)
Correct answer: The Title 28 CFR Part 20 regulations under the Crime Control Act
Title 28 CFR Part 20, enacted under the Crime Control Act, governs the collection, storage, and dissemination of CHRI accessed through systems like LEIN.
Question 2: A dispatcher queries LEIN on behalf of a field officer using the officer's provided information. Who bears accountability for this query?
- Only the dispatcher, since they physically entered the query
- Only the field officer, since they requested the query
- Both the requesting officer and the entering operator share accountability (Correct answer)
- The agency as a whole, not any individual employee
Correct answer: Both the requesting officer and the entering operator share accountability
Both the requesting officer and the operator who enters the query share accountability under LEIN policy, as both parties are responsible for the transaction.
Question 3: What is the function of the LEIN 'locate' transaction in the context of missing person records?
- It geographically maps the last known location of the missing person
- It cancels the missing person record when the person has been found (Correct answer)
- It updates the record with new investigative leads and sighting information
- It transfers responsibility for the record to the jurisdiction where the person was found
Correct answer: It cancels the missing person record when the person has been found
The locate transaction is used to remove a missing person record from LEIN when the individual has been found, clearing the active alert.
Question 4: In LEIN, what is a 'third-party dissemination' and why is it restricted?
- Sharing LEIN data with foreign law enforcement agencies, restricted due to treaty obligations
- Releasing LEIN-obtained information to parties outside the criminal justice system, restricted to protect privacy and data integrity (Correct answer)
- Transferring LEIN records between state systems, restricted to prevent duplication
- Publishing LEIN statistics, restricted to prevent operational security disclosure
Correct answer: Releasing LEIN-obtained information to parties outside the criminal justice system, restricted to protect privacy and data integrity
Third-party dissemination is sharing LEIN data with non-criminal justice entities, which is restricted because LEIN information is designated solely for criminal justice purposes.
Question 5: Which of the following would constitute misuse of the LEIN system?
- Querying a suspect's vehicle plate during a traffic stop
- Querying a neighbor's information out of personal curiosity without law enforcement purpose (Correct answer)
- Running a query on a repeat offender to check for new warrants
- Validating a missing person record during the annual audit
Correct answer: Querying a neighbor's information out of personal curiosity without law enforcement purpose
Querying LEIN for personal curiosity without a legitimate law enforcement purpose constitutes misuse and violates policy, potentially resulting in criminal charges.
Question 6: What does the LEIN 'NIC number' represent?
- The national identification code assigned to the querying officer
- A unique record identifier assigned by NCIC when a record is entered (Correct answer)
- The network interface code for the terminal used to enter the record
- A numerical index code assigned during annual record validation
Correct answer: A unique record identifier assigned by NCIC when a record is entered
The NIC (NCIC) number is a unique identifier automatically assigned to each record by the National Crime Information Center when it is entered.
Question 7: Under LEIN standards, what action is required when a wanted person is arrested based on a LEIN hit?
- The arresting agency must immediately cancel the LEIN record upon making the arrest
- The entering agency must be notified, and after confirmation, the record must be cancelled or updated (Correct answer)
- The arresting agency retains the record for 30 days pending extradition proceedings
- The system automatically updates the record status to 'arrested' when fingerprints are submitted
Correct answer: The entering agency must be notified, and after confirmation, the record must be cancelled or updated
When an arrest is made, the arresting agency notifies the entering agency, which is then responsible for cancelling or updating the LEIN record accordingly.
LEIN Information Systems & Database Management 5
Which federal law governs criminal history record information (CHRI) accessed through LEIN and restricts its use and dissemination?