Future of Court Computer Decided
Instead of continuing to waste millions maintaining and modifying a failing court computer system, local criminal justice partners have unanimously agreed to pursue a new system that will meet everyone’s needs, ultimately saving money in the long run.
Clerk Entrusted to Find Cost-Effective Solution
On July 10, 2008, members of the Justice Information Systems Policy Board voted to replace the 10-year-old case management system used by the Chief Judge, State Attorney, Public Defender, Clerk, Sheriff and other justice partners—all members of the Policy Board. In an effort to ensure greater success with a new system, the Board also decided to name Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock as the project manager, database administrator and server administrator—charged with selecting, installing, funding and, ultimately, operating the new system.
“Get the Facts” Online Clerk Entrusted to Find Cost-Effective Solution Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS): Past, Present and Future |
The existing court computer failed, many believe, because no single entity was responsible for its success. In fact, that was cited as a top reason for failure in an independent evaluation conducted earlier this year by the National Center for State Courts, the court technology experts brought in to determine the most efficient and effective solution for Palm Beach County. “Accountability is the difference,” said Clerk Bock. “My office has the knowledge, resources and project management skills needed to make this a successful endeavor that protects the public’s records and tax dollars, all while meeting the needs of the justice community and the people we serve.”
Court Fees to Pay for Replacement
The Clerk anticipates paying for a new case management system, not with the public’s property tax dollars, but rather, from state-mandated fees collected from the filing of official records and other court documents. By statute, a portion of this fee money must be deposited in an account that can only be used for the Clerk’s technology projects. It is too soon to say how much a replacement system will cost, but by diligently researching options and aggressively negotiating costs, the price of new software will be much lower than the continually rising costs of the current system. The goal is to have something new in place within two to three years.
“Accountability is the difference.” -Clerk Sharon Bock |
The Independent Evaluation
The Policy Board’s decision to replace the court computer—also known as the Criminal Justice Information System or CJIS—follows the June 2008 release of an evaluation by the National Center for State Courts. After months of research and interviews with 50 people from eight different organizations, the Center concluded that CJIS does not meet the needs of Palm Beach County, and “is not likely to.” The report recommended replacing the current system, rather than embarking on an upgrade of the software or continuing to spend money on something that will never meet the needs of its users. To read the report or other information about this topic, visit “Get the Facts” at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com.