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The National Tracing Center (NTC) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is the sole firearms tracing facility in the United States. It provides information to provide federal, state and local law enforcement agencies with suspects for firearm crime investigations, detect suspected firearms traffickers, and track the intrastate and international movement of firearms. Congressional restrictions are in place to prevent the release of firearms trace information to anyone other than law enforcement agencies, however, this restriction does not apply to participating foreign countries or agencies. The only restriction is by Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the agency receiving eTrace software. The NTC is located on a secure site in Martinsburg, W.Va. This facility also houses ATF's Violent Crime Analysis Branch, Firearms Technology Branch, Firearms Testing Range, Brady Operations Branch, ATF's Gun Vault Collection, the Federal Explosives Licensing Center, Imports Branch, NFA Branch, and will soon house the Federal Firearms Licensing Center.〔http://www.atf.gov/publications/factsheets/factsheet-national-tracing-center.html〕 == Features - Computer Systems == Firearms Tracing System (FTS). The ATF Firearms Tracing System (FTS) within the National Tracing Center (NTC) contains firearm tracing information from all traces performed since 1989. In 2003, over 460,000 Multiple Firearm Sales reports (ATF F 3310.4 - a registration record with specific firearms and owner name and address) had been entered into the system, and was increasing by about 140,000 per year. Further, all guns "suspected" as being used for criminal purposes, as well over 1.2 million (in 2002) detail results from all traces (which includes Names and Addresses of all known sellers and purchasers) had been entered. The system includes data manually collected from Out-of-Business records and entered into the tracing system by ATF personnel. ATF reports over 400 million firearms transaction records in the Firearms Tracing System - far more than the total number of firearms in the United States. The basis for ATF to trace a firearm is make, model and serial number. Serial numbers on guns are not sacrosanct. Recording of serial numbers by ATF, police or dealers is subject to human error, as it is easy to misread a serial (for example: confusing the number 0 with the letter O, 2 with Z, or 5 with S), omit a digit or two, or transpose a couple of numbers.〔http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/p/atf-p-3312-12.pdf〕 These and similar errors when entering a serial into the tracing system result in false traces. Certain categories of firearms simply cannot be traced because of multiple duplicate serial numbers, which will result in multiple false traces. Criminals can easily add a number or letter to a serial on a gun, or completely replace it with a false number. According to the ATF National Tracing Center data, an invalid serial number was the most common reason for unsuccessful traces from Mexico, but it's not clear from the report how a serial number can be "invalid".〔http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/ATF/e1101.pdf〕 Once a gun is traced, even falsely or in error, and no matter how innocent the buyer, the first (and any known subsequent) owner's personal data is permanently retained in the ATF trace file and sent to any law enforcement agency asking for the trace. It is documented that to attempt to accomplish a trace, Law Enforcement will frequently enter partial serial numbers to attempt a match, which results in additional false traces. The ATF Firearms Tracing System (FTS) contains firearm tracing information from millions of traces performed since 1989, and consists of several databases: :1. Multiple Sale Reports. Over 460,000 (2003) Multiple Sales reports (ATF F 3310.4 - a registration record with specific firearms and owner name and address - increasing by about 140,000 per year). Reported as 4.2 million records in 2010.〔http://www.scribd.com/IACP-LEIM-eTRACE-fts-ATF-DOJ/d/35646007〕 :2. Suspect Guns. All guns "suspected" of being used for criminal purposes but not recovered by law enforcement. This database includes (ATF's own examples), individuals purchasing large quantities of firearms (including collectors of older firearms rarely used in crime), and dealers with "improper" record keeping. May include guns "observed" by law enforcement in an estate, or at a gun show, or elsewhere. Reported as 34,807 in 2010.〔 :3. Traced Guns. Over 1.2 million (2002) detail results from all traces. ATF reported 343,746 guns were traced in 2009, and a total of 4 million traces since inception.〔 This is a registration record which includes Names and Addresses of the first seller and purchaser, and possibly subsequent purchasers. :4. Out of Business Records. Data is manually collected from paper Out-of-Business records (or input from computer records) and entered into the trace system by ATF. These are registration records which include name and address, make, model, serial and caliber of the firearm(s), as well as data from the 4473 form - in digital or image format. In March, 2010, ATF reported receiving several hundred million records since 1968.〔 :5. Theft Guns. Firearms reported as stolen to ATF. Contained 330,000 records in 2010.〔 Contains only thefts from licensed dealers and interstate carriers (optional).〔 Does not have an interface to the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) theft data base, where the majority of thefts are reported. For newer firearms not yet entered into the tracing system, ATF contacts the manufacturer or importer, wholesaler, and individual dealer to determine the identity of the first retail purchaser. The Firearm Tracing System provides manual & automated data retrieval from: # 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「National Tracing Center」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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