NCJ Number
62597
Date Published
1979
Length
328 pages
Annotation
THE FEASIBILITY IS ASSESSED OF ADAPTING NEW PROMIS (A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGE DESIGNED FOR LOCAL APPLICATIONS) FOR USE IN STATEWIDE JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS.
Abstract
THE REPORT OPENS WITH A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW OF STATE JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF TWO MAJOR SYSTEM MODELS: SJIS (STATE JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS) AND GAVEL--A NATIONAL MODEL TRIAL COURT INFORMATION SYSTEM. OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS IN ALABAMA, MISSOURI, AND OREGON ARE DESCRIBED, WITH EMPHASIS ON EACH STATE'S MODIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF SJIS AND GAVEL CONCEPTS. OVERVIEWS OF THE PROMIS AND NEW PROMIS SOFTWARE PACKAGES ARE FOLLOWED BY A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM CAPABILITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF NEW PROMIS. EACH MAJOR COMPONENT OF NEW PROMIS IS ANALYZED AND EVALUATED, AND THE CAPABILITIES OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE ARE ASSESSED IN THE CONTEXT OF THREE STATE JUDICIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTS: (1) A STATE-LEVEL AGGREGATE DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM, (2) A CASE-TRACKING SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES OUTPUT REPORTS FOR STATE COURT ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL COURTS, AND (3) A SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES OPERATIONAL SUPPORT TO TRIAL AND OTHER COURTS AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION FOR STATE COURT ADMINISTRATION. THE STRENGTHS, LIMITATIONS, AND DESIGN TRADE-OFF CONSIDERATIONS OF NEW PROMIS ARE HIGHLIGHTED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE ADAPTABILITY OF NEW PROMIS ARE OFFERED. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE DETAILS OF THE ORIGINAL PROMIS, A DESCRIPTION OF A MULTIAGENCY APPLICATION OF PROMIS, AN EVALUATION OF THE 'MINI-PROMIS' SOFTWARE, A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE DATA ELEMENTS PROVIDED BY NEW PROMIS AND THOSE REQUIRED BY THE SJIS MODEL, AND 'MAXI-PROMIS' SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.