CENTER FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY WEEKLY NEWS: Covering Law Enforcement, Corrections & Courts across the United States
 

Vol. 3 #17 July 26, 1999

 

[Source: "Lawmen Get Grant to Boost Technology; Improved Computer System Targeted" by Jim Guarino; The Tennessean, July 15, 1999]
 
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Item #2  DUPAGE COUNTY (IL) SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES TO E-MAIL REPORTS FROM VEHICLES

Deputies with the DuPage County (Illinois) Sheriff's Office will soon begin e-mailing reports from their squad car laptop computers, staying on the road an extra hour per shift. The new computer-aided dispatch switching equipment that provides the e-mail capability was purchased for $135,000, with $30,000 coming from a federal grant.

[Source: "Technology should help keep deputies on streets longer" by Bob McCoppin; Chicago Daily Herald, July 15, 1999]

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Item #3  TAMPA (FL) POLICE HAVE NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Tampa (Florida) Police have a new $1 million records management system that integrates criminal files previously stored in several different databases across the department. It is hoped that the Tampa City Council will approve funding for squad car laptops that would enable officers on the beat to get mug shots and arrest records from the new records system within seconds.

[Source: "Police Database Quickens Access" by Ace Atkins; The Tampa  (FL) Tribune, July 20, 1999]
 
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Item #4  ALBUQUERQUE (NM) POLICE BEHAVIOR TRACKING SYSTEM

The Albuquerque (New Mexico) Police Department is creating an early warning computer system to track officer misbehavior.  The database will flag a file for attention if, over a six month period, an officer receives three complaints from citizens, uses force five times, fires a gun twice, or misses three court dates. Officers tracked by the system may be offered retraining, counseling or a change in assignments.

[Source: "Police computer will flag officers who show problems" by the Associated Press; Albuquerque (NM) Tribune, July 15, 1999, Pg. A7]
 
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Item #5  TULARE COUNTY (CA) SHERIFF GETS GRANT FOR SQUAD CAR LAPTOPS

The Tulare County (California) Sheriff's Office recently received a $100,000 grant to install an additional 26 laptop computers in squad cars. The department already has 25 squad car computers that offer silent dispatch and reduce reliance on radio communications. The department plans to add software that will enable officers to submit their reports electronically from their vehicles, and also plan to spend $400,000 so the laptops will communicate from remote rural areas.

[Source: "Laptop Computers Enhance Law Enforcement; Tulare County Sheriff's Department Substitutes the Devices for Radio Communication" by Katie E. Ismael;  The Fresno Bee (Valley edition) July 16, 1999, South Valley  Pg. 1]
 
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Item #6  HAMILTON COUNTY (OH) SEX OFFENDER WEB SITE'S IMPROVEMENTS 
 
The Hamilton County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office has increased the amount of information on its sexual offender web site , adding addresses and registration date for those listed. Photographs will be supplied by early next year on the list, which is currently searchable by zip code only.

[Source: "Web Site Increases Sex Offender Info" by George Lecky; Cincinnati (OH) Post, July 17, 1999, Pg. 8A]

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 COURT TECHNOLOGY NEWS
 

Item # 7  ILLINOIS 19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WEB SITE

The Illinois Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, which covers Lake and McHenry counties, has created an Internet home page with the stated goal of enhancing "the court's ability to provide useful information to the public, litigants, and attorneys regarding their judicial system." The page provides extensive information on the department and includes a large number of links to related web sites.

[Source: "Circuit Court Creates Web Site to Keep Public Informed" by Amanda Vogt; Chicago Tribune (Lake edition) July 20, 1999, Metro Pg. 3]

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 CORRECTIONS TECHNOLOGY NEWS
 
 
Item #8  VIDEO VISITATION AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (FL) JAIL

The Morgan Street Jail, part of the Hillsborough County (Florida) Sheriff's Department Jail Division II that houses federal prisoners, will soon have a video visitation system. Jail officials favor video visitation because it increases security by keeping inmates and their visitors separate, while inmates and some ACLU officials question how humane such systems may be.  The Morgan Street Jail formerly allowed visits only on weekends, but will allow visits everyday once the video system is in place.

[Source: "Prisoner Visitation Has Gone to Video" by John Wing; The Tampa (FL) Tribune, July 19, 1999, Pg. 1]

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Mitretek Systems' Center for Criminal Justice Technology Weekly News is compiled by Jeffrey Michaels jeffreym@mitretek.org