A country isn’t deemed developed until its citizens feel safe in it. The safety and security of the citizens is one of the most supreme concerns of the government. The government of India is consistently and diligently working on creating a safe environment so that people don’t have to think twice before leaving their homes. One of the measures established by the government is the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), an agency responsible for minimising the crime rate across the country and protecting citizens against any harm. The NCRB comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and has operated since 1986.

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What Is The NCRB’s Role?

The NCRB acts as a warehouse of the country which stores all the data regarding crime and criminal data to help in imparting justice and prevent such crimes from happening in the future. It works in collaboration with various other departments to conduct accurate research and empower the police force with necessary information about criminal intelligence as they are the ones who work on the ground level. Some other responsibilities of NCRB are:

• Crime Data Collection and Analysis: One of its key roles is collecting data on various types of crimes, their frequencies, arrests of perpetrators, and convictions from all the states and the Union Territories (UT) of the country. The data is further compiled systematically to identify trends in crime, patterns of criminals, and other emerging issues for developing and strategising preventive measures.

• Providing Aid to Law Enforcement Agencies: NCRB provides accurate and informational data to other law enforcement agencies to keep up with the recent criminal activity and be vigilant. The research also helps them in identifying criminals, in understanding their modus operandi (the way of carrying out the crime), and in overall investigation.

• Facilitates Policymaking: The reports published by the NCRB aid in formulating government policies and frameworks to control and prevent criminal activity and even train the officers of law enforcement.

• Publication of Crime Reports: NCRB publishes annual data that studies the crimes in India including the types of crimes, target population and age, modus operandi of criminals, and other details for establishing a pattern.

The data shown in the above table shows a slight drop in criminal activities.

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Functions Of The NCRB

Some of the key functions of the NCRB are:

• Managing the National Crime & Criminal Database: NCRB manages various important databases for compiling an accurate report and keeping a watchful eye on the criminal activity happening across the country such as:

• Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS)

• National Database of Sexual Offenders (NDSO)

• Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), and others

• Statistics and Reports on Crime: Apart from working on the annual report, NCRB also releases specialised reports on cybercrime, human trafficking, and other issues.

• Designing & Implementing IT Systems: NCRB emphasises using technology to its best and hence has introduced the CCTNS which is a system that connects police stations across the country and enables them to exchange information and communicate through a secure line.

• Training Programs: NCRB also helps in designing and conducting training programs for law enforcement officials to equip them with updated skills.

• Collaborating with International Agencies: NCRB cooperates and works in coordination with international agencies as well to deal effectively with transnational crimes like smuggling, terrorism, cybercrime, and others.

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Conclusion

The National Crime Record Bureau is one of the most important agencies in the Indian Criminal Justice System without which the system wouldn’t be able to function properly. The NCRB contributes to identifying, controlling, and preventing crime and protecting the people of India from any form of harm.

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Important Links

Official Website: https://www.ncrb.gov.in/

Contact Information: https://www.ncrb.gov.in/contact-us.html

Citizen Charter: https://www.ncrb.gov.in/citizen-charter.html