Legal Register Centre (LRC)

We are responsible for the development and maintenance of information systems for the judicial administration authorities, as well as for record keeping, data management and the enforcement of pecuniary penalties.

Our customers include the general public, the media and the different sectors of the judicial administration, such as courts, the Prison and Probation Service of Finland, National Enforcement Authority Finland, the National Prosecution Authority and the National Legal Services Authority. Our other important stakeholders include the police, the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres) and the Regional State Administrative Agencies. We also cooperate at the EU level on matters involving criminal records and enforcement matters.

We promote the digitalisation of the Ministry of Justice’s administrative branch by building, procuring and maintaining modern ICT solutions. We are responsible for the Election Information System, and therefore play a key role in Finnish elections.

We are responsible for the enforcement of fines and other sanctions, i.e. for the collection of them on behalf of the State. We also pay compensation to victims of crime and assist the general public in handling their affairs with us. We act as the controller of a number of different registers and disclose information from our registers, such as criminal records, to the general public and other authorities.

Strategy

Our strategic priorities for 2025–2028 comply with our performance agreement:

Profitable partnership
Digital service experience of the general public
Daily life and competence of public officials
Justice administration architecture
Production basis

Good understanding of our customers and proactive cooperation are the prerequisites for the achievement of these goals. We actively promote productivity of the administrative branch through projects and development programmes.

Vision and values

Our vision is seamless digital administration. The values guiding our operations and targets are:

Sustainability: We act transparently, fairly and taking into account the impacts of sustainable development.
Communality: We support and appreciate each other, learn together and celebrate our successes.
Trailblazing: We are at the forefront of the digitalisation of judicial administration, boldly trying out new things and anticipating the future.
Customer-focused performance: We build genuine partnerships with our customers and provide them with added value through efficient solutions of a high quality.

History and background

The Legal Register Centre was founded in 1974 in Hämeenlinna, at which time its name was tietojärjestelmien kehittämisyksikkö (Information Systems Development Unit). In 1996, the Legal Register Centre was officially given a mandate to manage the registers and information systems of the judicial administration, as well as forward information to other authorities. The Legal Register Centre was also responsible for the enforcement of fines, confiscations and receivables, and for the maintenance of research registers.

Oikeushallinnon tietotekniikkakeskus (the ICT Centre for the Judicial Administration) was established in 2003 to provide IT development, expert, production, procurement and support services to the Ministry of Justice and other government agencies in its administrative branch.

In 2012, the Legal Register Centre and the ICT Centre for the Judicial Administration were merged based on the Act on the Legal Register Centre (Laki Oikeusrekisterikeskuksesta 625/2012), forming the Legal Register Centre in its current form.

Main stages in the history of the Legal Register Centre

1920s: The keeping of judicial administration registers by rikosrekisteritoimisto (the Criminal Records Office) started.

1963: The provincial government took over the management of the enforcement of fines and receivables as the highest executing authority.

1971: ATK-toimikunta (the IT Commission) was set up to develop IT systems of the judicial administration.

1974: Oikeus- ja poliisihallinnon tietojärjestelmän kehittämisyksikkö (the Judicial Administration and Police Information System Development Unit) was established.

1978: The Judicial Administration and Police Information System Development Unit became the Tietojärjestelmäyksikkö (Information System Unit) of the Ministry of Justice.

1981: The enforcement of fines was gradually transferred from the counties to the Ministry of Justice and further to the Information Systems Unit.

1985: Hämeenlinnan maksukeskus (Hämeenlinna Payment Centre) was established as part of the Information Systems Unit to manage the accounts of the judicial administration.

1989: The Information Systems Unit was renamed Tietohallintotoimisto (the Information Management Office).

1994: The Information Management Office was renamed Tietotekniikkatoimisto (the Information Technology Office).

1996: The enforcement of fines and the keeping of registers were separated from the Ministry of Justice to an independent government agency – the Legal Register Centre.

2002: The Act on the Enforcement of a Fine prescribed that these duties were the responsibility of the Legal Register Centre.

2003: The ICT Centre for the Judicial Administration was established to provide data governance services for the entire administrative branch.

2010: The Hämeenlinna Payment Centre, a part of the ICT Centre for the Judicial Administration, became part of the Finnish Government Shared Services Centre for Finance and HR (Palkeet).

2013: The information system development activities and all employees of the ICT Centre for the Judicial Administration were transferred to the Legal Register Centre.

2014: Basic ICT services independent of the administrative branch and their employees were merged with Government ICT Centre Valtori.

2017: The Legal Register Centre became a separate accounting unit.