In 1964, the FBI launched what they called the “LCN Index” (with LCN being La Cosa Nostra, the FBI term for Mafia). This was a very basic organizational system – a series of 8×8 index cards with a photo of the known or suspected mobster and some basic biographical information. The FBI had a series of index card systems that they used to cross-reference files, and it worked fairly well… but wasn’t terribly convenient for getting information to different offices quickly or discreetly.
In late 1977, the FBI launched the successor to the LCN Index, the Organized Crime Information System (OCIS), which was a computerized record of information on the suspected mobsters. The FBI described this as an “on-line system” that would give field offices “immediate access” to information. What was “immediate access” at that time? Was this a database connected only to a small network, not accessible remotely, such as a bank with multiple branches?
The original version of OCIS was designed by a team of agents from two divisions: Criminal Investigative Division (CID) and Technical Services Division (TSD). After years of development, the system launched on April 21, 1980 with the “pilot” office being Detroit. As such, agents assigned to Detroit were largely responsible for entering the first batch of data into OCIS.
As of March 3, 1982, the OCIS was accessible from 19 field offices and 4 resident agencies. This included Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, Kansas City, Cleveland and all big mob cities. Not yet included but on the short list to join were Baltimore, Denver, St. Louis and San Francisco.
By December 22, 1982, the system expanded to include outlaw motorcycle gangs (specifically Hell’s Angels, Outlaws, Pagans, Bandidos) and narcotics cartels. By March 9, 1983, they added Aryan Brotherhood, Yakuza, and the so-called “Black Mafia” to the system.
On September 1, 1983, they created a new investigative field to the system: the “pedophile” index. Specifically targeted was NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association), which they described as an organization that produced child pornography (sometimes with children “only several months old”) and lobbied congress to remove age of consent laws. This seems like a stretch for “organized crime,” but if these people are working as a group to commit awful crimes, I suppose that’s the literal definition.
In 1985, OCIS reached 48 field offices. Interestingly, 47 offices were in the United States, but one was in Rome (Italy). An April 1, 1985 memo mentions the system could be accessed using “telephone lines” and “modems,” or Digital Data Service (DDS) lines where available. What speeds were there at the time?