NCJ Number
48306
Date Published
1972
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF RECORD-O-PORT BY THE UTAH CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED. RECORD-O-PORT PROVIDES A METHOD FOR FAST, ACCURATE, AND COMPLETE FIELD DATA CAPTURE.
Abstract
UPGRADED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS WERE DEVELOPED WHICH SPECIFIED THE FOLLOWING: THE ELIMINATION OF HANDWRITTEN REPORTS; ONSITE DATA CAPTURE; REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF SPECIALIZED FORMS REQUIRED; UNIFORMITY OF REPORTS TO FACILITATE INPUT TO LOCAL AND STATE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS; AND REDUCTION IN REPORT TIME AND IMPROVEMENT IN REPORT QUALITY. CASSETTE RECORDERS WERE USED SINCE THEY PERMITTED THE CAPTURE OF ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION. A PILOT PROJECT INDICATED, HOWEVER, THAT USE OF CASSETTES RESULTED IN UNNECESSARILY LENGTHY REPORTS AND A RANDOM SEQUENCE OF DATA ELEMENTS DESTINED FOR COMPUTER INPUT. THESE DEFICIENCIES WERE ALLEVIATED THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CUE CARDS TO GUIDE THE OFFICERS' DICTATION THROUGH THE ELEMENTS OF THE NINE MOST COMMON SERIOUS OFFENSES. CUE CARDS CONSISTED OF THREE SECTIONS: A STANDARDIZED INITIAL ACTION SECTION; A STANDARDIZED IDENTIFICATION CARD SPECIFYING BASIC OFFENSE DATA; AND A SPECIFIC OFFENSE CARD WHICH DELINEATED OFFENSE-APPROPRIATE INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR LARCENY, BURGLARY, VANDALISM, AUTO THEFT, FRAUD, SEX OFFENSES, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, ROBBERY, HOMICIDE/MANSLAUGHTER, AND 'OTHER.' ALTHOUGH CUE CARDS SPECIFIED INFORMATION MINIMALLY NECESSARY FOR OBTAINING A CONVICTION, OFFICERS COULD ADD OTHER DATA CONSIDERED RELEVANT TO THE CASE. AT THE END OF THE SHIFT, THE OFFICER SUBMITED TAPES TO THE AGENCY'S RECORD SECTION WHERE THEY WERE TRANSCRIBED ONTO THE APPROPRIATE OFFENSE REPORTS. EVALUATION OF THE METHOD INDICATED HIGH USER ACCEPTANCE, DECREASED REPORTING TIME, AND IMPROVED REPORT QUALITY. THE RECORD-O-PORT SYSTEM MEETS THE DATA CAPTURE REQUIREMENTS OF THE UTAH CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM AND PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THE OFFENSE NAME INDEX AND THE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS USED BY LARGER AGENCIES. DATA DERIVED FROM REPORTS ARE USED ALSO TO GENERATE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS FOR EACH AGENCY. BY PROVIDING AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR COLLECTING OFFENSE DATA ACCOMPANIED BY A SUPPORTING RECORDS AND FILING SYSTEM, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF GENERATING MORE ACCURATE INVESTIGATIONS WHICH RESULT IN MORE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS. (JAP)