Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS)

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Context (TH l TOI): All modules of CCTNS are not being used to their full potential by States.
GoI has claimed that over 99% of first information reports (FIR) were filed through CCTNS.
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the then-Home Minister proposed the CCTNS concept in 2008.
The CCTNS is based on the Common Integrated Police Application (CIPA) launched in 2004-05.
The Nodal Ministry MoHA has been carrying it out as a “Mission Mode Project (MMP)” since 2009 under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP).
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is implementing CCTNS.
The CCTNS project has been expanded to incorporate police data with the other elements of the criminal justice system, including the courts, prisons, prosecution, forensics, and fingerprints.
A new system called the “Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)” was created in 2017.

Objectives Of CCTNS

To provide a pan-India search on the National Crime and Criminal Records Database.
To make police operations more accessible to citizens and transparent by automating the operation of police stations.
To provide citizen-centric police services through a web portal.
To reduce the need for manual record keeping.
To digitise police processes (FIRs, Investigations, Challans).
To promote interaction and information sharing among police stations, districts, state/local headquarters, and other law enforcement agencies.
Improve justice delivery by sharing crime and criminal data among police stations, courts, prisons, forensics, and prosecution.

CCTNS aims to integrate all crime data and records in India into Core Application Software (CAS).
The CCTNS project includes horizontal connectivity, which connects police functions at the State and Central levels to external entities.
The CCTNS also has vertical connectivity of police units (linking police units at various levels within the States – police stations, district police offices, state headquarters, SCRB, and other police formations).

Interconnects about 15,000 police stations (All 35 States and UTs) and 5,000 offices of supervisory police officers nationwide.
Digitize data related to FIR registration, investigation, and charge sheets.
Provide a central citizen portal with linkages to state-level citizen portals.
It would help in developing a national database of crime and criminals.
The project also involves training police personnel.

For the citizens

Multiple channels to access police services.
Simplified process for registering petitions and accessing general services such as certificate requests, verifications, and permissions.
Simplified process and accurate tracking of the case’s progress during trials.
Simplified and accurate access to view/report unclaimed/recovered vehicles and property.
Simplified process and channel for grievance registration.
Improved relationship management for victims and witnesses.

ICJS is a national platform for enabling integration of the central IT system used to deliver Criminal Justice in the country.
It seeks to integrate the five pillars of the system, viz
1. Police (through Crime and Criminal Tracking and Network Systems),
2. E-Forensics for Forensic Labs,
3. E-Courts for Courts,
4. E-Prosecution for Public Prosecutors and
5. E-Prisons for Prisons.
The project will be implemented with the States and Union Territories.
NCRB will implement the project with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

It is headquartered in New Delhi and was set up in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It functions as a repository of information on crime and criminals to assist the investigators in linking crime to the perpetrators.
It was set up based on the recommendations of the National Police Commission (1977-1981) and the MHA’s Task Force (1985).
NCRB brings out the annual comprehensive crime statistics nationwide (‘Crime in India’ report).