NIBIN
What is NIBIN?
The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) is a database system that captures, stores, and correlates digital images of fired cartridge cases recovered from crime scenes and test-fired firearms.
NIBIN helps law enforcement by:
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Searching for Associations: It searches for other cartridge cases with similar tool marks, creating a list of possible associations.
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Generating Leads: This correlation process can result in leads that have tactical and strategic uses for law enforcement.
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Identifying Patterns: NIBIN also helps law enforcement analyze and understand patterns of gun crime, including gun sharing and trafficking.
The NIBIN program has proven successful at linking crimes and identifying shooters. For example, in a recent analysis of 828,514 pistols recovered between 2019 and 2023, the ATF found that 14% (113,359 of them) had been used in more than one shooting event, providing invaluable, actionable intelligence to investigators.
How NIBIN Works
NIBIN allows for known (test fires) and unknown (evidence) cartridge cases to be imaged and searched against other images in the database. As new images are entered, NIBIN continuously searches against previous entries.
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Default Search: The default search for Utah includes all of the state's entries, as well as entries in the neighboring states of Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, and California
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Manual Searches: Manual searches can be conducted against any other NIBIN site in the U.S. upon request.
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Review Process: The searches are analyzed by an algorithm, which creates a list of possible associations. These associations are then examined by trained NIBIN Technicians or Firearms Examiners at the UBFS or the ATF's NIBIN National Correlation Training Center (NNCTC).
Lead Notifications
A Lead Notification is issued if a possible association is found using the NIBIN software. It is important to know that a Lead Notification is not a definitive match and should not be used for court purposes. A complete microscopic examination by a firearms examiner of all related evidence, resulting in a Crime Lab report, should be completed if a case goes to trial.
As of September 7, 2021, all NIBIN entries with crime dates of September 7, 2021 or later will be correlated by the ATF’s National NIBIN Correlation and Training Center (NNCTC), which is responsible for disseminating their results.
