More Informed Decisions
The next iteration of the Midtown technology was called the Justice Center Application and was designed to accompany the development of the Red Hook Community Justice Center. This cutting-edge case management system leveraged two technologies that were new at the time: the Internet and a web browser interface.
Remarkably, with regular tweaks and modifications, we have been able to use the Justice Center Application as our primary case management system for more than a decade, not just in Red Hook but in multiple other locations. Each year, it has enabled us to keep tabs on thousands of defendants and others performing a broad range of services in a variety of different settings. The application has served us enormously well, but its days are basically numbered. The technology landscape had changed substantially since we developed the Justice Center Application. Cloud computing and the ability to use files and applications over the Internet now allows organizations to purchase computing, storage and applications on an as-needed basis. In addition, there are now more flexible ways to develop software that enable technologists to fix bugs and add features on the fly.
With the help of Cahoot Court Systems, we are currently working to take advantage of these advances. Together, we are building a new case management system that will (knock wood) not only serve the needs of multiple Center for Court Innovation programs, but also be a tool that will be useful to problem-solving courts and alternative-to-incarceration programs across the country and around the world.
Remarkably, with regular tweaks and modifications, we have been able to use the Justice Center Application as our primary case management system for more than a decade, not just in Red Hook but in multiple other locations. Each year, it has enabled us to keep tabs on thousands of defendants and others performing a broad range of services in a variety of different settings. The application has served us enormously well, but its days are basically numbered. The technology landscape had changed substantially since we developed the Justice Center Application. Cloud computing and the ability to use files and applications over the Internet now allows organizations to purchase computing, storage and applications on an as-needed basis. In addition, there are now more flexible ways to develop software that enable technologists to fix bugs and add features on the fly.
With the help of Cahoot Court Systems, we are currently working to take advantage of these advances. Together, we are building a new case management system that will (knock wood) not only serve the needs of multiple Center for Court Innovation programs, but also be a tool that will be useful to problem-solving courts and alternative-to-incarceration programs across the country and around the world.
Among other features, the new application will be able to maintain multiple assessments for each client, enabling clinicians to know, at any given moment, how many times a person has been assessed, the assessment instrument that was used, and the answers that the client provided. Where underlying licenses allow, the application will be able to import questions from 3rd party-created assessment instruments, eliminating the need for duplicate data entry. Scanned copies of documents, images and electronically delivered attachments (criminal histories, arrest reports, orders of protection) can all be attached to case files. All of which will deliver more complete information to case managers and others who are responsible for tracking client progress.
Crucially, the application will be adaptable to phones and tablets, allowing for portability and flexibility -- frontline staff will not be tied to a desktop computer. And a dashboard feature will give managers and researchers real-time access to the metrics and information they identify as important.
We are hoping to pilot test the new application this fall. Stay tuned for more updates as we proceed...
