Overview of PROMIS (Prosecutor's Management Information System)

• NCJ Number: 81122
• Author(s): T Hutton
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 38 pages
• Corporate Author: National Work Group on Justice Information and Statistics
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: National Work Group document number 7

Annotation

This report presents the results of a Canadian study group's review of the Prosecutor's Management Information System (PROMIS) developed in the United States.

Abstract

The review was conducted to determine which planned or developed systems could be used in the Canadian criminal justice system and to determine the difficulty and time required to tailor the system's software to a model for use in Canada. PROMIS is a computer-based management information system designed to track arrests, defendants, charges, cases, court events, and witnesses through the judicial process. It was designed to be easily installed in any jurisdiction and on the hardware of various manufacturers. The PROMIS software was developed by the Institute for Law and Social Research (INSLAW) in Washington, D.C., with grants from LEAA. INSLAW is currently modifying PROMIS so that it can be used independently by a court, prosecutor, or law enforcement agency or jointly by several agencies. The system's tailoring package enables the user to modify, add, or delete transactions, data elements, and reports through interaction with video terminals. The system produces printed reports such as calendars, case status lists, workload reports, and witness lists. Special forms such as subpoenas, notifications, and case jacket labels can also be generated. Online data entry is used. The average jurisdiction can adapt and install PROMIS in 9 to 15 months. PROMIS was installed in Alberta in August 1980 and is currently being used by provincial prosecutors in both Edmonton and Calgary. PROMIS can be used in buffered or unbuffered forms. Canada's National Work Group has concluded its study of the Tailoring and Online subsystems of PROMIS. The system is suitable for transfer to Canadian jurisdictions if their application is of the type that fits the general PROMIS model. A skilled programmer/analyst and access to both software and telecommunications are needed to establish the system. Appendixes present the PROMIS model developed by the National Work Group and descriptions of the Tailoring and Online subsystems of PROMIS.