How often are Federal and State Audits conducted?

Federal and State Audits for the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) are typically conducted triennially, which means every three years. This schedule is established to ensure compliance with the standards and practices set by the NCIC and to ensure that agencies are properly utilizing and maintaining the integrity of the data.

Conducting audits at this interval allows for a thorough review of policies, protocols, and systems, which is important given the sensitive nature of the data handled by NCIC. Frequent audits also help maintain accountability and promote improvements based on the findings of previous audits. Other timings, such as annual or biennial audits, do not align with the established practices of the NCIC in this regard, as they would either be excessive or not frequent enough to ensure ongoing compliance and operational integrity.