Fast Facts
The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.
NIBIN and eTrace are two key tools that ATF's Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs) use to identify violent shooters and their sources of crime guns.
In 1997, ATF established NIBIN to provide local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners with an automated ballistic imaging network. This technology is vital to violent crime reduction because it enables investigators to match ballistics evidence from cases across the nation. This process helps reveal previously hidden connections between violent crimes in different states and jurisdictions.
Along with eTrace, NIBIN is a critical part of ATF's CGIC operations. CGICs are multiagency law enforcement collaborations focused on stopping gun crimes by collecting, analyzing and distributing intelligence reports about crime guns, mass shootings and major incidents across jurisdictions.
Note: NIBIN is only used for criminal investigations, and does not capture or store ballistic information acquired at the point of manufacture, importation or sale.
The Numbers
7 million
pieces of ballistic evidence are currently stored in NIBIN.
1,150,000
NIBIN leads were generated during its 27-year history.
658,000
pieces of evidence were acquired and over 217,000 NIBIN leads were generated by 378 NIBIN locations in fiscal year 2024.
How NIBIN Works
NIBIN technology compares images of submitted ballistic evidence from shooting scenes and recovered firearms and produces a list of possible similar results. Trained NIBIN technicians then conduct a correlation review of these results, identifying NIBIN leads or potential links or associations from the same firearm. A NIBIN lead is an unconfirmed, potential association between two or more pieces of firearm ballistic evidence and is based on a correlation review of the digital images in the NIBIN database.
When needed for court or other purposes, a firearms examiner will conduct a microscopic examination of the actual physical evidence to confirm a NIBIN lead as a hit. A NIBIN hit occurs when two or more firearms ballistic evidence acquisitions are identified as a confirmed match by a firearms examiner. The data is then compiled into intelligence reports that are used for investigations and court cases.
Combating Violent Crime
NIBIN is vital to violent crime reduction strategies because it enables investigators to match ballistic evidence with other cases across the nation. Crime guns are often used in multiple crimes, and NIBIN can link the firearms from various crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.
Partnering with Law Enforcement
NIBIN relies on the close coordination of its partner law enforcement agencies at the local, state, federal, tribal and territorial levels to compile their data and share intelligence about violent crimes. NIBIN’s success depends on four critical steps:
- Comprehensive Collection and Entry: Partner agencies must collect and submit all evidence suitable for entry into NIBIN, regardless of the crime. Evidence includes cartridge cases recovered from crime scenes, as well as test fires from recovered crime guns.
- Timely Turnaround: Violent crime investigations can rapidly go cold, so the goal is to enter the evidence into the network as quickly as possible to identify potential NIBIN leads for investigators.
- Investigative Follow-Up and Prosecution: Linking otherwise unassociated crimes gives investigators a better chance to identify and arrest shooters before they reoffend.
- Feedback Loop: Without feedback, NIBIN partners cannot know how their efforts are making the community safer, which is necessary for sustained success.
