U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Opening the Black Box of NIBIN

Speakers
Professor William R. King, Sam Houston State University; John Risenhoover, NIBIN National Coordinator, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

Bill King discusses the operations of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a program through which firearms examiners at state and local crime laboratories compare tool marks on fired bullets or cartridges found at a crime scene to digitized images of ballistic evidence in a nationwide database.

Dr. King headed up a team of NIJ-funded researchers that examined the value of NIBIN database "hits" in solving crimes in which firearms are used. He will talk about the team's findings and recommendations for improving the tactical value and the strategic value of the NIBIN program.

Dr. King is joined by John Risenhoover, NIBIN's national coordinator at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, who will discuss how ATF has used the research findings in an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NIBIN

Date Published: July 1, 2014