Procuring and Implementing Offender Tracking Technology: Challenges and Needs

• NCJ Number: 252822
• Author(s): Joe Russo; George B. Drake
• Date Published: April 2018
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2014-IJ-CX-K404
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance); Report (Grant Sponsored); Instructional Material (Programmed)

Annotation

This report presents the findings of an expert panel that identified the key challenges associated with identifying, evaluating, selecting, procuring, and implementing offender tracking technology (OTT), as well as the development of needs, strategies, and/or tools that address these challenges.

Abstract

The panel was assembled by the federal Justice Technology Information Center (JTIC) and was composed of administrators and program managers with responsibility for their agencies' offender tracking programs. They had experience and expertise in probation, parole, and pretrial organizations. They represented various geographic regions and organizational levels and sizes. The OTT challenges examined by the panel related to 1) the identification of OTT products; 2) the comparison of competing products; 3) choosing the product best suited for a particular agency; 4) an agency's ability to acquire the selected OTT; and 5) the implementation of the OTT so as to achieve the intended outcomes. One of the panel's findings was that agencies need free, objective information sources on OTT. A second finding is that they need networks and platforms to share information and lessons learned. A third finding is that agencies could benefit from a peer-to-peer review of key program activities, such as requests for proposals, contracts, policies, and procedures. A fourth finding is that model-testing protocols would make it easier to assess and compare products. Other recommendations for addressing OTT challenges pertain to a conformity assessment program, model contract language, the development of a common lexicon for the OTT industry, research that guides evidence-based implementation practices, and research and best practices that can leverage the location-data collected. 3 tables, 2 figures, and a listing of the panelists