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 Community Corrections Technology Newsletter
May, 2009
A program of the Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice
In This Issue
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Electronic Monitoring
Training
Information Technology
Quick Links & Contact Info
 
 
Phone: 1-800-416-8086
EMRC
The EMRC is dedicated to providing law enforcement and correctional agencies with assistance in the development and maintenance of electronic monitoring programs.
Field Search Logo
 Field Search can be used by agencies as part of an overall strategy to gather computer use information to diagnose, treat, monitor, and manage the sex offender in the community. Field Search is designed specifically to help nontechnical probation and parole officers quickly and efficiently search an offenders' computer and create a detailed report of their findings.
Dear , 

The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) was created in 1994 as a component of the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ's) Office of Science and Technology.  NLECTC serves as an "honest broker" offering support, research findings, and technological expertise to help State and local law enforcement and corrections personnel perform their duties more safely and efficiently. 

NLECTC has created this electronic newsletter to keep community corrections practitioners informed about technology developments and how technology is being used by the field to enhance mission performance.  We hope that you find this information useful, and we welcome your feedback.
Drug and Alcohol Testing
 
Testing
The Traffic Injury Research Foundation has announced the launch of the Alcohol Interlock Curriculum for Practitioners (AICP) website, an educational resource which provides information relating to the following topics:
international research;
alcohol interlock technology;
information about the implementation of alcohol interlocks as part of a program to control and monitor impaired driving offenders; legal concerns about the use of alcohol interlocks; and information about contracting with vendors and service providers.
Click here for more information.

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The Office of National Drug Control Policy has released data from the 2008 Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program. The report, which surveys drug use among booked male arrestees in 10 major metropolitan areas across the country, shows the majority of arrestees in each city test positive for illicit drug use, with as many as 87 percent of arrestees testing positive for an illegal drug.  Click here.

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According to this article appearing in the Oneida Daily Dispatch, officials in upstate New York are evaluating an Ignition Interlock system which incorporates GPS vehicle tracking.  Click here.
Electronic Monitoring
   

Satellite
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report entitled "Global Positioning System: Significant Challenges in Sustaining and Upgrading Widely Used Capabilities" which has specific implications for offender location and tracking technologies.  Click here.

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According to this Boston Globe article, Massachusetts highest court ruled that a law mandating GPS monitoring of people on probation for certain sex offenses does not apply to defendants on pretrial probation.   Click here.

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has received recognition from the International Association of Chiefs of Police for its electronic monitoring program.  Click here for the article that appeared online at www.news14.com

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According to this article appearing in Information Week, some experts argue that GPS devices can be easily jammed and that their data can be spoofed, particularly when tied to cellular systems -- as offender tracking bracelets typically are.  Click here.

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City officials in Fresno, California had planned to monitor sex offenders with GPS technology even after the offender completes his/her parole term.  Legal obstacles are in the way but officials are still exploring ways to implement this plan.  Click here for the article that appeared in the Fresno Bee.

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GPS will play an important role in a current criminal case in Ohio.  In this case two men, who are suspects in a previous homicide but free on bond and tracked with GPS technology, allegedly forced their way into a woman's home and robbed her at gunpoint.   GPS data points should provide data to help incriminate or exonerate the men.   Click here for the article that appeared in the Chronicle-Telegram.

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The Attorney General in Texas recently issued an opinion which supports judges who wish to require truant students to be tracked with GPS technology.  Click here for the article that appeared in the American-Statesman.
 
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This article appearing in GPS World discusses the difficulty in achieving GPS accuracy for urban pedestrians and some strategies for improvement.  Click here.
Training
 
Technology Institute for Corrections

NIJ's annual Technology Institute for Corrections is designed for corrections managers to learn about and discuss technology initiatives and issues affecting the corrections community.

During the week-long institute, attendees will receive and exchange information about existing and developing technologies, problem-solving relating to technology implementation, and technology lessons learned. Attendees also will participate in briefings and demonstrations at various locations in the Baltimore, Md., area.

There is no registration cost and all travel, food, and lodging expenses are paid by NIJ. However, attendance is limited to 25 mid-level managers from state and local corrections and community corrections agencies who are involved with technology and technology initiatives within their departments.

The deadline for submitting an application is July 31, 2009. For more information and to register please visit:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/training/corrections-institute.htm
Information Technology
 
Monitors
The New York City Department of Probation's Spring edition of greeNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY provides an overview of the Reusable Case Management System and how it has increased efficiency while reducing costs.  Click here
 
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A bill moving through the Texas legislature would require convicted sex offenders to register their online identifiers, e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers with authorities. It would also prohibit convicted child sex offenders, level-three sex offenders and offenders who used the Internet to commit their crimes from accessing obscene material or communicating with anyone less than 17 years old on the Internet.    Click here for the article that appeared in the Daily Texan.

Thank you for reading and sharing the latest technology news with your colleagues.  Please contact us if we can ever be of assistance.

Joe Russo
Assistant Director, NLECTC- Rocky Mountain

This project was supported by Cooperative Agreement No. 2005-IJ-CX-K001; awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice.