LOCATED IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER (NCIC) IS OPERATED BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), WHICH MAINTAINS THE SYSTEM AND ITS FILES AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DATA CIRCUITS THAT CONNECT THE CENTRAL COMPUTER WITH THE REMOTE ACCESS TERMINALS MAINTAINED BY USER AGENCIES. WHEN NCIC BEGAN OPERATIONS IN 1967, IT FUNCTIONED ON A 2-HOUR WORKDAY, PROVIDED SERVICE TO 15 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND 1 FBI FIELD OFFICE, AND CONTAINED 5 FILES: WANTED PERSONS; STOLEN AUTOMOBILES; LICENSE PLATES; STOLEN WEAPONS; AND STOLEN ARTICLES. THE SYSTEM HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE SOME 86 ACCESS LOCATIONS IN 1977 AND SEVERAL ADDITIONAL FILES. PROBLEMS OF DUPLICATION IN SOME OF THE NCIC FILES ARE NOTED, AND THE COMPUTER ASPECTS OF THE OPERATION ARE DESCRIBED BRIEFLY. THE GROWTH OF THE SYSTEM IS DEPICTED IN A CHART SHOWING THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES IN EACH FILE FROM THE FILE'S INCEPTION THROUGH 1977. FLUCTUATIONS IN RECORD GROWTH AND IN THE PROLIFERATION OF ACCESS TERMINALS ARE DISCUSSED. THE MANAGEMENT OF NCIC AS A JOINT VENTURE INVOLVING THE FBI AND SYSTEM USERS IS DESCRIBED, INCLUDING THE ROLES OF THE NCIC ADVISORY POLICY BOARD, WORKING COMMITTEE, TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, AND SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY COMMITTEE. THE BENEFITS OF NCIC -- SAVINGS OF INVESTIGATORY TIME, INCREASED RATES FOR APPREHENSION OF WANTED PERSONS AND RECOVERY OF STOLEN PROPERTY -- ARE CITED. THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT OF THE SYSTEM IS SAID TO BE ITS CAPACITY FOR PROVIDING A PATROL OFFICER WITH INFORMATION ABOUT A VEHICLE AND ITS OCCUPANTS PRIOR TO THE OFFICER'S CONTACT WITH THEM. CONSIDERATIONS OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA SECURITY SURROUNDING NCIC'S EIGHTH FILE, THE COMPUTERIZED CRIMINAL HISTORY FILE, ARE DISCUSSED.