New Data Exchange Program Launched by Crisp County Criminal Justice Community

Crisp County Data Echange Work Group from Left to Right: Jay Harrell, Prosecuting Attorneys Council (PAC); Captain Pete Chambers, Deputy Sheriff Crisp County; Judge John C Pridgen, Crisp County Superior Court; Burt Baker, Cordele Judicial Circuit Public Defender; Mary Jo Cox, Administrator, Cordele Circuit PD's office; Pat Evans, Crisp County Clerk's Office; Jean Rogers (behind Pat Evans) Crisp County Clerk of Superior Court; Alice Fowler, Administrator, Cordele DA's office; Judge Pete Pfeiffer - Crisp County Magistrate Court; Michelle Oglesby, Crisp County Sheriff's Office Administrator; Marla Kosier, IT Manager, GPDSC; Nolan Martin, Deputy Director of Compliance, GPDSC; Mike Mears, Director, GPDSC; Rick Malone, Executive Director PAC; Denise Fachin, DA, Cordele Judicial Circuit; Lee Hampton, IT Director, PAC

Members of the criminal justice community in Crisp County have joined together to create an innovative data sharing system intended to improve the accuracy and speed of the judicial process. Many criminal justice agencies across the country rely on records management software to organize and track vast amounts of information. These agencies work together and share vital information every day. However, because the computer systems they rely on do not communicate with each other, the information exchange is slow and prone to error.

Until recently, the only solution to such a problem was to put all criminal justice agencies on a single computer system. Now, however, thanks to the development of XML and other web technologies, these disparate computer systems can be linked in certain ways while maintaining their individual integrity.

The Crisp County project is unique in many respects. It is one of the few integration projects that seeks to involve all pertinent players in the criminal justice system. Many projects have designed data exchanges among law enforcement agencies, or among court officers. However, the Crisp County project has designed a system to integrate the courts, the district attorneys, public defenders, and law enforcement, thus improving the entire criminal justice process.

According to Conflict Case Manager Nolan Martin, who has been very involved in the project's development, creators hope to, "carry this project to other circuits which use similar databases including: Paragon, ICON, Prosecutor’s Dialog and JCATS." Martin also stated that project organizers hope that they will soon be able to, “implement the data exchange project in a greater portion of the state with less expense and divide the maintenance costs among a greater number of users."

The Crisp County project organizers realize that integration projects are difficult and notoriously prone to failure. The Crisp County project has, therefore, been kept intentionally small to avoid some of the bureaucratic entanglements that so often inhibit such efforts. Project leaders are determined to show success on a small scale and then to build from there. This project can then serve as a model for other counties and circuits as they plan similar integration projects.

For more information visit the Crisp County Data Exchange Project website.