What is Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS)?

About Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems (CCTNS):

• CCTNS was conceptualized by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the National e-governance plan of India and is being implemented as a "Mission Mode Project (MMP)" since 2009.
• It is an ambitious project that aims to put in place a comprehensive and integrated system for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of policing at the police station level throughout the country.
• It aimed to interlink all police stations under a common application software for the purposes of investigation, data analytics, research, policymaking and providing Citizen Services such as reporting and tracking of complaints, requests for antecedent verifications by Police, etc.
• The records of crimes and criminals available at one police station will be accessible to any other police office.
• Objectives.
  • Make the Police functioning citizen-friendly and more transparent by automating the functioning of Police Stations.
  • Improve the delivery of citizen-centric services through effective usage of ICT.
  • Provide the Investigating Officers of the Civil Police with tools, technology, and information to facilitate the investigation of crimes and the detection of criminals.
  • Improve police functioning in various other areas such as Law and Order, Traffic Management, etc.
  • Facilitate interaction and sharing of information among Police Stations, Districts, State/UT Headquarters, and other Police Agencies.
  • Assist senior Police Officers in better management of Police Force.
  • Keep track of the progress of cases, including in Courts.
  • Reduce manual and redundant record-keeping.
• The project is being implemented with close collaboration between the States and the Union Government.
• The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is the central nodal agency that would manage CCTNS.

Key Facts about National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB):

• It was established in 1986 to act as a repository of information on crime and criminals. 
• It comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.
• It was set up based on the recommendations of the Tandon Committee, the National Police Commission (1977-1981), and the Task Force of the Home Ministry.
• It is responsible for collecting and analysing crime data as well as serving as a repository of such information to aid investigators in tracing crimes and criminals.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• The Central Finger Print Bureauunder the NCRB is a national repository of all fingerprints in the country.
• NCRB also compiles and publishes National Crime Statistics i.e. Crime in India, Accidental Deaths & Suicides, and also Prison Statistics. 
• NCRB also assists various States in capacity building in the areas of Information Technology, CCTNS, Finger Prints, Network security, and Digital Forensics.

Q1: What is a first information report (FIR)?

It is the information given to a police officer in writing as per the provisions of Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). From the point of view of an informant, the main purpose of an FIR is to set criminal law into motion. While for the police, the main purpose of an FIR is to obtain information about alleged criminal activity and take necessary steps to produce the perpetrator(s) before a court.

Source: With dummy FIRs and pocket guides, police get ready to switch to new criminal laws