Fact Sheet: National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)

Overview

NIBIN: The only national network for capturing and comparing ballistic evidence.
Purpose: Aids in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.
Key Tools: NIBIN and eTrace are essential for ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) to identify violent shooters and crime gun sources.

Year: 1997
Objective: Provides automated ballistic imaging to law enforcement partners.
Use: Only for criminal investigations, not for information from manufacture, importation, or sale.

6.5 million pieces of ballistic evidence stored.
912,000 NIBIN leads and over 151,000 confirmed NIBIN hits in 26 years.
666,000 pieces of evidence acquired with over 221,000 leads generated by 315 NIBIN locations in FY 2023.

Compares ballistic evidence images from crime scenes and recovered firearms.
Produces potential matches reviewed by trained technicians.
NIBIN Lead: Unconfirmed potential association based on digital image correlation.
NIBIN Hit: Confirmed match after a microscopic examination by a firearms examiner.
Results used in investigations and court cases.

Coordination: Involves local, state, federal, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.
Four Critical Steps:
- Comprehensive Collection and Entry: Submission of evidence suitable for NIBIN entry.
- Timely Turnaround: Swift entry to prevent cases from going cold.
- Investigative Follow-Up and Prosecution: Links crimes for better identification and arrest of shooters.
- Feedback Loop: Ensures partners know their impact on community safety.

Pre-NIBIN: Limited technology for researching, identifying, and cross-referencing firearms ballistic data.
Post-NIBIN: Automated nationwide network for data sharing and cross-referencing.
Operation: Maintained by ATF at no charge to partners.
CGIC Operations: Integral in collecting, analyzing, and distributing intelligence on crime guns across jurisdictions.