NCJ Number
230753
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2010 Pages: 94-99
Date Published
April 2010
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article explores an agency's progress in combining a comprehensive jail management system (JMS) with biometric technology, an affordable information technology (IT) infrastructure, and interagency cooperation.
Abstract
A typical JMS functionality begins and ends with the arrival (processing) and eventual departure (release) of the offender. Effective jail management involves offender processing, information exchanges, and viable connections outside the facility walls. A JMS can be found in almost any county jail, and a typical JMS electronically records, stores, and displays information about inmates. A JMS should be flexible so that it compliments, accommodates, and enhances the workflow of the jail. In 2004, Contra Costa County, CA assessed its needs and sought a JMS that could quickly and accurately identify inmates and control workflows while accommodating the flow of arrestees and inmates throughout all its facilities. In 2008, the agency implemented a new JMS and integrated iris recognition technology that has reduced operational costs and ensures accurate identification of subjects throughout the incarceration process. This article outlines Contra Costa County's quest for this effective JMS.