In a continued effort to support the implementation of the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) Rap Back service, SEARCH recently conducted a nationwide survey to assess the current status of Rap Back adoption across U.S. states. The findings reveal a landscape of varied progress, legislative hurdles, and growing interest in both criminal and non-criminal justice Rap Back.
What Is Rap Back?
The FBI’s NGI Rap Back service allows authorized agencies to receive ongoing updates about individuals who have undergone fingerprint-based background checks. This continuous monitoring is especially valuable for employment, licensing, and criminal justice supervision. (For more information about Rap Back, see SEARCH’s recent blog post.)
Survey Overview
Between June 15 and June 30, 2025, SEARCH collected responses from 32 states through an online questionnaire. The survey aimed to capture the current state of Rap Back implementation, both at the federal and state levels.
Key Findings
FBI Noncriminal Justice FBI NGI Rap Back
- 11 states are currently implementing the program.
- 3 states are in the planning phase.
- 18 states are not currently participating.
FBI Criminal Justice FBI NGI Rap Back
- 4 states are currently implementing the program.
- 6 states are in the planning phase.
- 20 states are not currently participating.
- 2 states did not respond to this question.
In-State Rap Back Programs
- 14 states offer in-state Rap Back for non-criminal justice purposes.
- 4 states offer it for criminal justice purposes only.
- 3 states support both.
- 10 states do not have an in-state Rap Back program.
- 1 state is in the planning phase.
Legislative Support
- 4 states are actively working on legislation to support FBI Noncriminal Justice Rap Back.
- 10 states already have the necessary legislation in place.
- 18 states are not pursuing legislative changes at this time.
Implementation Highlights
- Fully Implemented (Noncriminal FBI Rap Back): Utah, Texas, and Michigan lead the way with full implementations.
- Partially Implemented (Noncriminal FBI Rap Back): Arizona, and Nevada have limited or agency-specific implementations. Virginia began taking subscriptions for Noncriminal FBI Rap Back on July 1, 2025.
- In Progress (Criminal FBI Rap Back): States like Idaho and Kansas are in testing or development stages.
- Not Pursuing: States such as Connecticut, Maine, and Wisconsin are not currently working toward FBI Rap Back implementation.
Challenges and Considerations
States cited several barriers to implementation:
- Legislative approval remains a key hurdle in states like South Carolina and North Dakota.
- Funding constraints are slowing progress in states like Oregon and Georgia.
- Operational feasibility concerns, such as Louisiana’s difficulty meeting a 5-day update requirement, also play a role.
Diverse Use Cases
States are leveraging Rap Back in different ways:
- Criminal justice monitoring (e.g., Washington, Minnesota).
- Non-criminal justice applications like employment and licensing (e.g., New Mexico, Nevada).
- Selective agency participation (e.g., Georgia, Vermont).
Discussions with the FBI NGI Rap Back Team
Recent discussions with the FBI NGI Rap Back team revealed that:
- Two states are actively working with the FBI team towards implementation, Virginia for Noncriminal Justice and Idaho for Criminal Justice.
- Ten states, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, are currently enrolled in the FBI Noncriminal Justice Rap Back program.
- Three states, Arizona, Oregon, and California are approved to use the FBI Noncriminal Justice Rap Back program but are not yet submitting subscriptions.
- Hawaii and Texas are currently enrolled in the FBI Criminal Justice Rap Back program.
- Washington is approved to submit subscriptions to the Criminal Justice Rap Back program, but they are not yet submitting subscriptions.
Looking Ahead
As more states explore the benefits of continuous background monitoring, the momentum behind Rap Back adoption is growing. With legislative support, funding, and technical readiness, many states are poised to expand their use of this powerful tool in the near future.
Contact Us
If you have suggestions for topics you would like to see highlighted in a future SEARCH blog, or if you have specific questions about this briefing, please contact Michael Jacobson (mjacobson@search.org).
