Which system should never be used as a substitute for NCIC's III system?

The Criminal History Retrieval System is specifically designed to access criminal history records and serve as a resource for law enforcement. However, it is not intended to fulfill the same role as the NCIC's III system, which is the interstate component that provides national criminal history information. The III system aggregates and manages data from a variety of sources nationwide, enabling law enforcement agencies to share and access comprehensive criminal history records that are not only state-specific but also from other jurisdictions across the country.

While the Criminal History Retrieval System can certainly provide useful information, it lacks the interconnectivity and breadth of data that the III system offers. Therefore, relying solely on it could result in incomplete or insufficient information about an individual’s criminal history, especially when looking at cross-jurisdictional cases. This distinction underlines the importance of using the correct systems for comprehensive and accurate criminal background checks, ensuring that law enforcement operations work on the most complete data available.