Responsibilities
The Missouri SAC has been directed to organize plans and programs to achieve the following:
- Produce a series of standardized reports for criminal justice and traffic safety authorities and policy makers describing Missouri's crime problems and crash experience as well as resources and processes currently being employed to address them;
- Conduct long-term and ad-hoc research studies designed to identify problem areas associated with crime and the criminal justice system and traffic safety. These studies can encompass the entire State or be regional in nature. Their intent is to address specific concerns of federal, state, and local policy-makers associated with criminal justice and traffic safety;
- Conduct research studies designed to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of various criminal justice and traffic safety programs at the State or regional level;
- Develop computer applications for collection and dissemination of criminal justice and traffic safety data and reports;
- Assist in development of statistical and analytical skills of personnel associated with Missouri's criminal justice and traffic safety planning and management community; and
- Assist and promote implementation of criminal justice empirical and theoretical research to gain knowledge of crime problems facing society.
Organization
The Missouri SAC was established in 1981 and operates under authority vested in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) pursuant to an Executive Order issued by the Governor.
The SAC is organizationally placed in the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) - Information Systems Division. The MSHP is a division of the DPS. In order to ensure that interests of other major components of the Executive Branch of government are taken into consideration, letters of agreement have been enacted between the MSHP and Office of Attorney General, Department of Revenue, Department of Corrections, and Department of Social Services.
The Missouri SAC consists of a Director, two research analysts, and six computer information technologists. With the exception of one research analyst, these positions are supported by State funds. One research analyst is funded under a Justice Assistance Grant Program administered by the DPS.
System development and research funds are received from criminal justice and traffic safety grants. The U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics provides the Missouri SAC with grant support for criminal justice information system development and research. Traffic safety system development and research is supported by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grants administered by the Missouri Department of Transportation, Department of Highway Safety.