What is CJIS Compliance? A Beginner’s Guide for Government IT Professionals
If you’re an IT director, compliance officer, or administrator working in city, county, or state government—especially in law enforcement—there’s a high chance you’ve heard the term CJIS compliance thrown around. And for good reason.
The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy, developed by the FBI, governs how criminal justice information (CJI) is handled. Whether you’re archiving emails, text messages, or even WhatsApp chats, failure to meet these standards can result in lost access to federal databases—or worse, data breaches and litigation.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
- What CJIS compliance is
- Who needs to be compliant
- Why it matters for your digital communications
- And how Intradyn helps you meet CJIS requirements
What is CJIS?
CJIS stands for Criminal Justice Information Services, the largest division of the FBI. It manages systems that support law enforcement across the U.S., including:
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
- Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)
- National Data Exchange (N-DEx)
To protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of these databases, the FBI developed the CJIS Security Policy, a document that outlines security requirements for anyone who accesses or handles CJI.
What is Criminal Justice Information (CJI)?
CJI includes any data collected by criminal justice agencies that is stored in or transmitted from CJIS systems. Examples include:
- Fingerprints and biometric data
- Criminal history records
- Booking photos
- Case file information
- Investigative reports
- Warrant data
- Emails, text messages, and communications related to criminal investigations
Who Needs to Be CJIS Compliant?
CJIS compliance isn’t limited to law enforcement agencies. It extends to:
- City and county IT departments
- Third-party vendors or contractors (e.g., cloud archiving platforms)
- Public safety organizations
- Records managers or compliance officers
If you store, access, transmit, or manage any CJI, you’re subject to CJIS Security Policy standards.
⚠️ Important: Vendors must sign the CJIS Security Addendum and agree to audits and training obligations.
CJIS Compliance Requirements (Simplified)
The full policy is over 100 pages, but here are the most important compliance categories:
| Category | Key Requirement |
| Access Control | Role-based access; least privilege principle |
| Authentication | Advanced authentication (2FA or biometric) |
| Encryption | FIPS 140-2 certified encryption in transit and at rest |
| Audit Logging | Log all access to CJI and review regularly |
| Physical Security | Secure facilities, badge control, locked storage |
| Personnel Security | Background checks for staff with CJI access |
| Incident Response | Documented plan and breach notification protocol |
Full policy PDF: CJIS Security Policy Version 5.9.1 (FBI.gov)
How Intradyn Helps You Stay CJIS Compliant
At Intradyn, we understand how crucial CJIS compliance is for public-sector agencies. That’s why our virtual and hardware archiving solutions are designed to be CJIS-compliant out of the box.
🧩 Key Features Supporting CJIS Compliance:
- FIPS-compliant encryption (at rest & in transit)
- Access controls & advanced authentication
- Immutable audit trails
- Granular role-based permissions
- Support for Email, iMessage, WhatsApp, SMS, and social media
- Secure deployment models: On-premise, virtual appliance, or private cloud
Whether you’re archiving 10 users or 100,000, we offer scalable, auditable solutions that align with FBI standards.
⚠️ Learn more: CJIS Compliance Solutions – Intradyn
The Risks of Non-Compliance
Failure to comply with CJIS requirements can result in:
- Loss of access to FBI/CJIS databases
- State or federal audit findings
- Security breaches and lawsuits
- Fines and penalties
- Loss of public trust
The cost of non-compliance far outweighs the investment in a secure, compliant system.
Start Your Compliance Journey with Confidence
CJIS compliance is not optional—it’s essential for maintaining the integrity of your agency’s data systems and public safety operations. The good news? With the right tools and understanding, it’s achievable, scalable, and future-proof.
Intradyn’s CJIS-compliant archiving solution is here to help you stay ahead of regulations and ensure secure, accessible communication across all channels.
Ready to Achieve CJIS Compliance? Book a demo
