  Criminal data comes in a variety of formats, mandated by state, federal, and
international standards. Specifying the data in a unified fashion is necessary
for any system that intends to integrate with state, federal, and international
law enforcement agencies. However, the contents, format, and structure of the
data is highly inconsistent across jurisdictions, and each datum requires
different ways of being printed, transmitted, and displayed. The goal was to
design a system that is unified in its approach to specify data, and is
amenable to future "unknown unknowns". We have developed a domain-specific
language in Common Lisp which allows the specification of complex data with
evolving formats and structure, and is inter-operable with the Common Lisp
language. The resultant system has enabled the easy handling of complex
evolving information in the general criminal data environment and has made it
possible to manage and extend the system in a high-paced market. The language
has allowed the principal product of Secure Outcomes Inc. to enjoy success with
over 50 users throughout the United States.
