NCJ Number
14254
Date Published
Unknown
Length
20 pages
Annotation
A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A COMPUTER AIDED AUTOMATED RECORD SYSTEM FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURTS.
Abstract
THE AUTHORS FAVOR PARTICIPATING IN AN EXISTING INFORMATION SYSTEM OVER DEVELOPING AN INDEPENDENT, COMPUTER-BASED MUNICIPAL COURT INFORMATION SYSTEM. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EACH ARE LISTED. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT DESPITE ITS LIMITS, A LINK-UP TO AUTOMATED INDEX APPEARS TO BE THE PREFERRED METHOD FOR OBTAINING CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURTS. IT WILL COST LESS, CAUSE NO DUPLICATION WITH COMPETING SYSTEMS, AND CAN BE DEVELOPED IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME. A DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM, THE AUTOMATED INDEX, TO WHICH THE COURT SYSTEM CAN BE HOOKED UP, FOLLOWS. A SAMPLE CRT (CATHODE RAY TUBE) FORMAT ILLUSTRATES THE TYPE OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE COURTS. FURTHERMORE, A 'SWITCHING COMPUTER', JDIC (JUSTICE DATA INTERFACE CONTROLLER) CAN BE UTILIZED TO PERMIT ACCESS TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE CRIMINAL HISTORY SYSTEM (CHS). A SAMPLE CHS PRINTOUT IS INCLUDED. A DISCUSSION OF COSTS INDICATES THAT PURCHASING THE NEEDED EQUIPMENT WOULD BE CHEAPER THAN LEASING IT. THE REPORT CONCLUDES WITH A REVIEW OF FUNDING OPTIONS.