Assessment of PCCD-Funded MIS Projects, Final Report

• NCJ Number: 221288
• Author(s): Karen Shastri Ph.D.; Xiaoyan Zhang Ph.D.
• Date Published: July 2001
• Length: 48 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Pennsylvania Cmssn on Crime and Delinquency
• Sale Source: Pennsylvania Cmssn on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Technical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded January 22, 2008

Annotation

This report evaluates four Statewide management information systems (MIS): Jailhouse Management System, Adult Probation Management System, Prosecutor’s Management System, and Juvenile Probation Management System.

Abstract

Factors affecting usage at the MIS level are: limited training and inadequate training materials; staff turnover; limited use of technical support; limitations in the types of technical support provided; and perceptions that the MIS does not save time, reduce duplication of effort, or increase efficiencies. In terms of costs/benefits analysis users evaluated gains in efficiency and quality of information as limited with the exception of information access. The majority of the end users surveyed indicated that other information management characteristics did not improve. Personnel indicated that efficiency gains and productive improvements were also limited; the major savings was the time saved on data entry due to electronic submission of data. In terms of technical merit, the results of that model indicated that the MIS systems studied were technically sound compared to other products on the market. Based on the results of the data integrity tests conducted by the evaluator, several issues were identified: there were illogical data values detected in all three MIS data files, inconsistent data format, a large number of missing values, and duplicated records. MIS needs to be further enhanced to reduce and eliminate these errors. In terms of development process, results from both the end-user survey and the onsite visits indicate that user groups need training at the earliest possible time. Based on multidisciplinary conceptual framework, the evaluation measures were grouped into four conceptual domains: utilization, cost/benefits, technical merit, and developmental process. In terms of utilization, there are numerous factors that affect the extent to which the MIS is being used. At the user level, this may include the individual’s level of sophistication and length of time a user has held their position; that is, the longer an individual has conducted his duties in a specific way may make it more difficult to adapt to change. Appendices