Attorney General Lockyer Announces Department of Justice is 100 Percent Y2K Compliant

July 15, 1999
99-057a
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Sacramento) - Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced today that the California Department of Justice has received a 100% rating for Y2K preparedness from the Department of Information Technology.

"We were striving for early Y2K compliance because of the critical services the Department of Justice provides to state and local law enforcement agencies," Lockyer said. "Receiving a 100 percent preparedness rating is a rewarding outcome and reinforces our confidence that we will provide uninterrupted services for law enforcement and the administration of justice at the turn of the century. I am proud of the hard work of my staff to ensure our Y2K compliance and the protection of public safety for Californians."

The Department of Justice Y2K compliance review is part of a major state push to ensure mission critical operations can continue unimpeded throughout the year 2000 change. Stemming from an old programming shortcut that used only two digits of the year, the Year 2000 problem involves concerns that computers will mistake the year 2000 for 1900 and may be unable to function at all beyond January 1, 2000.

In issuing the report, computer experts from the Department of Information Technology reviewed nearly 500 Department of Justice computer systems, including the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), which provides computer links that allow law enforcement and others to access the extensive database in the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). The network includes computer links to similar federal law enforcement information systems and the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

The state Department of Justice handles over 1.4 million law enforcement queries daily through the CLETS network. The computer system is able to provide important information such as a person's criminal history; status of any restraining orders, parole, probation or sex offender registration; and registration of firearms, vehicles, boats and property. In addition, fingerprints of individuals arrested or applying for certain licenses, permits, credentials and employment are transmitted to the department via the network.

Lockyer said the next step will be assisting local law enforcement agencies with their Y2K readiness.