In plain terms. The Justice System Improvement Act of 1979 reorganized federal criminal-justice assistance, establishing the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and related bodies. It shapes how justice data—including sensitive criminal-history information—is collected and safeguarded.
Citation. Pub. L. 96-157 (Dec. 27, 1979); 42 U.S.C. § 3711 et seq..