December/January 2019
Vol. 16 No. 6
Clear Sight & Sound Streamlining Jury Selection & Management
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Courts Today 69 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755
Overcoming Judicial Threat
with alternative & diversion programs
Publisher & Executive Editor Thomas S. Kapinos Assistant Publisher Jennifer Kapinos Editor Donna Rogers Contributing Editors Michael Grohs, Bill Schiffner G.F. Guercio, Kelly Mason Art Director Jamie Stroud
D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 019 VOLU M E 16 N U M B E R 6 F EATU R E S
Marketing Representatives Bonnie Dodson (828) 479-7472 Art Sylvie (480) 816-3448 Peggy Virgadamo (718) 456-7329
4 Clear Sight & Sound: Latest A/V for the Courtroom
10 Getting in Touch: Wayfinding & Digital Signage
12 Streamling Jury Selection & Management
18 IT = Court Empowerment 24 Overcoming Judicial Threat— Tightening Up Residential Security
28 APPA 2019 Winter Training Institute Exhibits
DE PARTM E NTS
34 Ad Index
with alternative & diversion programs
is published bi-monthly by: Criminal Justice Media, Inc PO Box 213 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310.374.2700 Send address changes to: COURTS TODAY 69 Lyme Road Hanover, NH 03755 or fax (603) 643-6551 To receive a FREE subscription to COURTS TODAY submit, on court letterhead, your request with qualifying title; date, sign and mail to COURTS TODAY 69 Lyme Road Hanover, NH 03755 or you may fax your subscription request to (603) 643-6551 Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions for non-qualified personnel, United States only, is $60.00. Single copy or back issues-$10.00 All Canada and Foreign subscriptions are $90.00 per year. Printed in the United States of America, Copyright © 2019 Criminal Justice Media, Inc.
BY DO NNA ROG ERS , E D IT O R
Clear Sight & Sound
EXAMPLES OF THE LATEST A/V TECH FOR THE COURTROOM.
DURING
a court proceeding, if it sounds like the witness testified: “I hid his knife,� but later you discover he actually said, “I hit his wife,� you may have an issue with sound clarity in your court, whether the problem is static, echoing, garbling, volume—or all of the above. Excellent sound systems—that which will permit all participants to clearly hear the proceedings and to record it clearly—are a must for a court. In addition quality video conferencing tools come in handy for remote appearances and interpreting. Evidence presentation sys-
tems allow attorneys, often with extensive papers and graphics, to display physical and electronic evidence. Quality monitors permit clear display of evidence and allow all to see minute changes of witness facial expressions.
Westchester County Commercial Division Integration Project A year ago, the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court, Westchester County, became the first civil court in New York state to implement Integrated Courtroom Technology (ICT), according to an article in the $ #" $ ! $ !"
# ! # $ # " ! $The authors, the Hon. Alan D. Scheinkman, presiding justice of the appellate division, and Sheng Guo, New York state Office of Court Administration, chief of technology, note that this technology incorporates a full slate of technologies—from A/V recordings and streaming over Wi-Fi to evidence presentation and real time transcription. The ICT initiative focuses on enabling all courtroom participants—judges, clerks, attorneys, litigants, witnesses, jurors, and members of the public—to take fullest advantage of modern evidence presentation systems, note the authors. “It ‘glues’ multiple
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components of courtroom technology into a modular, powerful, yet easy-to-use platform to promote efficiency and ensure full access to all participants in the proceeding.” (See box on page 9 for key A/V components they recommend.) “Our goal from the beginning was to obtain the latest and best courtroom technology and to tailor it to fit the needs of the Commercial Division while maintaining the aesthetics and integrity of the courtroom,” Judge Scheinkman notes. The project was modeled after the 2016 development of ICT in the new, state-of-the-art Family Court in Yonkers, New York. The annex where the Commercial Division holds court was built in the early
JAVS’ A/V recording technology accurately captures, stores, and publishes the official verbatim court record.
2000s but existing technology had become obsolete, even though the building wasn’t actually “old.” The Commercial Division handles important, complex commercial litigations, quite often involving multiple parties, with each party potentially having multiple attorneys and legal support staff, the judge relays. Jury trials are not uncommon. Use of video-recorded depositions is frequent. Discussion of complicated contractual provisions occurs all the time. Thus, Scheinkman continues, though the existing courtroom had “a decent standalone sound system consisting of an audio mixer, microphones and ceiling-mounted speakers, only the front counsel tables were equipped with microphones. While the sound quality was loud and clear when the attorneys spoke directly into the microphones at a sitting position, the microphones were not very useful when attorneys were standing while speaking. To rectify the problem, the
courtroom needed the existing microphones on the front counsel tables replaced with new ones with a better voice pick-up range and which are no longer in rigidly fixed positions. As a result, all the participants in the courtroom can hear the attorney’s voice whether he or she is sitting or standing. A microphone was also placed on the podium. The new microphones are capable of picking up sound throughout the courtroom. In the Commercial Division, Scheinkman furthers, “it is hardly uncommon to see attorneys hauling in voluminous amounts of evidence and documents by hand truck. Because of the lack of evidence presentation system, many attorneys struggled to set up an easel and used a pre-printed foamboard to show evidence. At times, counsel would write on a flipchart to illustrate a point.” In the new design, attorneys can present evidence from any one of the four counsel tables, or from the
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podium. All forms of evidence may be presented, including documents, video (live or recorded), and audio (live or recorded). All that is needed is a laptop or tablet (or even a smartphone) that can send the video signal to the HDMI port and an HDMI cable. It does not matter what type or version of computer operating system or applications are used. The Westchester Court furthers that they present evidence either locally or from the “cloud” using high speed Wi-Fi connections. The evidence presentation system simply takes the video images from the computer screen of the presenting attorney and replicates and re-displays them in real time to the judge, clerk, court reporter, witness, the other counsel, the jury, as well as the spectators. In addition to monitors for jurors, judge and counsel, a touchscreen monitor was provided for the witness stand. The witness can annotate the evidence on the screen using his or her finger or a stylus, and point out persons or locations. In the ICT implementation, audio conferencing and video conferencing are integrated well with the courtroom sound system. One can hear the voice of the remote party clearly, as if he or she is talking directly to a microphone in the courtroom. More important, video conference technology, such as Skype, is much more effective than plain audio conferencing, and makes it easier to understand the remote participant. In the future, counsel may be able to wait in their offices for their case to be reached for a video conference or, with consent, a witness may even be permitted to testify remotely, further providing efficiencies.
BIS Digital, Inc. has provided solutions to over 4,000 customers and specializes in court and judicial system A/V technology.
“...It is hardly uncommon to see attorneys hauling in voluminous amounts of evidence and documents by hand truck.” —Hon. Alan D. Scheinkman
A/V Solutions JAVS is an A/V vendor that provides equipment that is used in multiple courtroom scenarios and available in a variety of configurations to meet budget constraints. If the court is concerned with archival and management of recorded files JAVS has solutions to cover these requirements as well. Its solutions enable courts to accurately capture, store and publish the official verbatim court record. From public address to remote arraignment, to open source access, JAVS promotes truth and accuracy by preserving the record of the future, points out Brian Green, vice president of
Operations. “High-quality audio capture is the most important aspect of your recording system.” Integrating other technologies into the recording, such as evidence presentation and video conferencing will determine the components that go into configuring your JAVS system. For courts that wish to bring video capture to their recording systems, the vendor can help them plan on how to manage the additional components and integrate them into other video technologies, he furthers. In courts where components are separate and non integrated, set up and breakdown of third-party equipment takes time from the court’s calendar every time there is a change in trial, amassing hours of wasted time. Green has found that as staff becomes more familiar with video conferencing tools, impromptu conferences crop up,, eliminating additional scheduling and organization. For participants requiring interpretation, much of the equipment JAVS installs is used for managing language interpreters and ensuring the court is providing quality interpretive services to those in need. Green notes that JAVS provides the top three areas of technology available for the courtroom today, which include: AV hardware, archiving and capture software, and systems control operations. “We are engineers, designers and developers of many court-focused A/V components and systems,” he says. And in addition to their core products, the firm utilizes thirdparty A/V for the traditional needs of the courts, such as video conferencing, assistive listening systems and public address systems. Another supplier of A/V judi-
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cial innovation, BIS Digital, Inc. has to date provided their solutions to over 4,000 customers and specializes in court and judicial system A/V technology, notes Damian Biltres, director of Technical Services. With its industry leading DCR records capture software, BIS Digital has taken an open source approach when standardizing on A/V solutions. It is this open source approach that allows the commissioning of A/V systems that allow for future growth rather than obsolescence, he notes. Since 1982, BIS Digital has been providing methods to capture audio for its client base. “Starting with tape cassettes to our best in class Digital Court Recording (DCR) software,� Biltress furthers, “our primary objective has always been the same: to provide a highquality court record. However, it all starts with our hardware. Our solution includes audio re-enforcement, presentation distribution, video conferencing and courtroom video capture.� A final product is only as good as the tools used to create it, says
Biltres. In order provide crystalclear audio in the courtroom and recording, BIS Digital utilizes a variety of microphones styles and zoning techniques. “We employ the use of the DANTE protocol for audio transport into our software,� he says, ultimately capturing all audio inputs on independent channels up to 32. By capturing audio on independent channels, court reporters have the ability to hone in on a specific speaker when creating judicial transcripts. The firm also includes audio enhancement tools such as noise cancellation and playback speed controls. In addition to our audio capture capabilities, says Biltres, DCR software is capable of capturing video. “We lead the industry by allowing users to capture a total of 8 simultaneous sources from a variety of input types, which include but are not limited to HDMI, HD-SDI and IP video. In the courtroom, our designs integrate the use of HDBaseT and A/V over IP technologies that provide high definition video along with flexible distribution.� A typical courtroom will be fitted with IP cameras that record all
Key Components of Integrated Courtroom Technology • An excellent sound system that permits all participants to clearly hear the proceedings. • Audio and video conferencing for remote appearances and remote interpreting. • An evidence presentation system that permits attorneys to display physical and electronic evidence, and witnesses to annotate the evidence, in a controlled fashion to all court participants. • Assistive listening capacity for hearing-impaired participants. • Monitors for displaying testimony when real-time court reporting is used. • Secure Wi-Fi access for judges with state-issued Surface tablets/laptops and open public internet access for the public. # " $ $ $ $ # " "## $ $ #" $ ! $ !"$ # ! # $ # " ! $ !" " $
parties with wired and wireless presentation capabilities for attorneys and a visualizer for presenting hard evidence and video conferencing, all controlled by an intuitive hardware control system. “Increasingly,� he adds, “we will see more video recording of judicial proceedings whether through legislation or court modernization. Technological advances will support this, making it more cost-effective and adoption more widespread.� The goal of all designs provided by BIS Digital are to enhance efficiency by improving the courtrooms A/V workflow. “We remove technology disruptions through our easy to use interface,� according to Biltres. “Our deep roots are in A/V records capture and we understand the importance of a clear and concise final product. We provide solutions that meet our customers’ needs and allow them to focus on what is important: the judicial proceeding.�
Digital Has Arrived With digital technology supplanting analog, as we go forward we see more and more courts moving to our digital video system, says JAVS’ Green. Not only are courts experiencing better video resolution, but now their digital video systems can integrate with other HD technologies. Analog cameras for courtroom recording are no longer available, adds Green, and it is only a matter of time before any analog components will be available. “If a court is looking to add technology today, they seriously need to consider a fully digital solution. We have seen this change coming for years, and now it is here.� CT December/January 2019x
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Getting in Touch
BY DONNA ROG ERS , E D IT O R
Digital signage, whether wall mounted, kiosks or interactive touchscreens, can be designed to directly target your audience.
Dynamic digital signage can undoubtedly offer advantages over static images and printed materials and maps. One of the benefits is to improve customer service. A map that can be updated daily and captured to a smartphone can make life easier for the court patron. And, providing entertainment has been shown to minimize perceived wait times. In addition, courts can run up-to-theminute changes to dockets, public service announcements, news, directories, weather, security alerts, check-in procedures or relevant ads. A court can even offer tips such as how to file a claim And, while digital signage may be more expensive initially, it could save money in the long run
by reducing print and administration costs. Digital signage makes it easier for court clerks to share notifications in several ways, relays Lillyan Wamaitha, marketing manager, Mvix Digital Signage. First, digital signage software is integrated with case management systems to automatically display dockets. This integration alleviates double entry of data, i.e., when the case management system is updated the screens automatically update to show the latest dockets. Further, she says, Mvix’s digital signage solution is cloud-based so court staff can make changes to the signs from anywhere—from inside the court or remotely—they are not tied to one device.
In addition, she continues, their solution also automatically receives CAP alerts from local and national sources. Therefore, in the event of an emergency, the signs will update immediately, saving critical time while court staff can attend to more important tasks. Infax’s flagship judicial products, DocketCall and Engage, assist courts in improving the visitor experience by efficiently communicating dynamic information to the visiting public in a clear, concise— and most importantly—timely manner, says Jonathan Franklin, program manager. It’s important to a court to equip the courthouse with the proper number, sizes and types of displays for their particular needs. He explains that Infax
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uses a series of formulas that take into consideration the case volume of a court, the number of courtrooms a facility may have, and the overall scale of a courthouse in order to adequately supply the court with the appropriate amount of visual hardware to efficiently communicate. “A well designed and operating digital docket/signage system can efficiently usher a patron into a facility so they can conduct their business and move on.” Engage, Infax’s custom content module, allows court clerks to schedule content for the year or utilize ad-hoc messaging for lastminute notifications. Franklin says they work with several courts that schedule the court’s public closings (holidays, facility closures due to scheduled maintenance, special events, etc.) for the entire year. They set the system up to start the notification process roughly one week prior to the closure.
Mvix’s court docket displays show upto-date court dockets from any case management system. The screens show all cases for the day, organized by name, case number, judge, courtroom and time of hearing.
In addition, for courts that utilize external courtroom monitors, he furthers, “we have seen the staff schedule the courtroom policies and procedures along with the room’s docket information to display in what we call a playlist.” These playlists contain multiple screens of dynamic information that may be pertinent to that particular room, which the judge and court staff can set, in advance, so they don’t have to take the time to address those “items of housekeeping” in open court. “The creativity and flexibility of the system
The George L. Allen, Sr. Civil District Courthouse in Dallas employs digital dockets from Infax.
is only limited to that of the court staff and how much advance information they desire to convey,” he says.
What’s to come in 2019 “From automation and artificial intelligence to the Internet of Things, modern technology solutions have the potential to impact every aspect of the court,” observes Wamaitha. “Digital signage is no exception. We see automation playing a big role in 2019 in how court digital signage systems work— being able to integrate and automate data transfer (for dockets) represents significant gains in efficiency, productivity and data integrity. We expect to see continued growth in the use of digital signage with interactive technology. This is especially ideal for court wayfinding and directories,”she says. “One of the most noticeable trends that I see coming is digital dockets are growing beyond being a simple facility add-on, to becoming a key design element in new construction or when a courthouse is undergoing renovation,” says Franklin. Architects are designing and specifying digital signage into court buildings from Day One, he adds. Therefore factors that often work against courts, such as having adequate power and other infrastructure needed to support a digital docket/signage system, are being incorporated during the design phase for immediate (or future) installation. He concludes: “Digital docket systems in busy courts have approached the status of being a mission critical application, similar to what flight information displays are in airports.” CT December/January 2019x
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BY MI C H A E L G R O H S , CO N T R I B U T I N G E D IT O R
Jury Management Technology Ways JMS software assists judges and attorneys.
A
ccording to the National Center for State Courts, each year approximately 15% of American adults are summoned to jury duty. That means 8 million to 10 million potential jurors report to state or federal courts every year. This makes potential jurors the largest group to utilize the court system. That is a lot of people to manage in a system on which people’s liberty, health, and wealth might hang. Naturally there is technology for courts to use. Heath Rosenstein, marketing director at Judicial Systems points out that the primary thing courts have been asking for is to increase jury yield
and diversity. In short, despite those aforementioned numbers, there are not enough jurists for the amount of summonses sent out. Some counties will send out 400 summonses and realize a yield of only 40 and will then need to send more. This takes time and costs money. Courts want a more streamlined process and better results. This can be done, at least in part, by technology and Jury Management Systems (JMS). Jury management Systems, says Rosenstein, can offer courts a tool to significantly increase the jury pool yield. Jury2018Plus is Judicial Systems’ base system. It provides a tight level of integration between the core jury management system
and their interactive voice response (IVR) system, Internetbased interactive response system, a mobile texting system, and document imaging system. The industry-wide process, says Rosenstein, is that courts use either a 1-Step (summons), 1.5-Step (summons and a questionnaire), or a 2-Step process (questionnaire first followed by summonses to qualified jurors) when building a jury pool. The digital form imaging allows juror qualification questionnaires and summons profiles to be digitally scanned in order to make processing more efficient. The images then can be stored, displayed and printed, thereby reducing errors often accompanied with manual data entry. Juror telephone
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inquiries can be time-consuming and labor intensive. The system can save the time spent responding to routine juror telephone calls. It also allows prospective jurors to obtain their qualification status and retrieve reporting information over the telephone 24/7. With iJuror, jurors can visit a court’s web site to find answers to commonly asked questions, accept service, view instructions for the next day’s service, obtain work certification documentation, and request exemptions or deferrals. An electronic image of each request is stored for easy retrieval. This saves time and reduces postage costs. MJuror sends text message reminders to jurors before their reporting date, so summoned
jurors can be sent a text informing them of their request for deferment or excuse, jurors can text inquiries to a text interpretation engine, and jurors can request a GPS navigation map to the courthouse. A complete history of all communications is documented and becomes part of their permanent history. A JMS, continues Rosenstein, can benefit both courts and jurors. A juror will find a streamlined experience. There are more options with how to engage with the court. Some demographics want to use the phone, some the Internet, and some texting. Having more than one option widens the diversity of the jury pool. Most calls, he points out, involve increasing diversity
and the size of the jury pool. It is also a matter of quick turnaround. “Our society is going paperless. We want everything quickly.”
Streamlining Deferments The courts also find improved streamlining through the use of a JMS. The traditional way, it might take an hour or more just to address juror deferments. There is the also matter of cost. A court might send out a thousand summonses. Thirty days later it turns out five of the cases on the docket have been called off. Now, with a JMS, courts can let jurors know not to come in if they are not needed. This saves the court time and money. It is also electronic, so files
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Courts are frequently looking to increase jury yield as well as diversity.
are easy to read, easy to move, and easy to archive. “It’s win/win for both,” Rosenstein adds.
Maintaining a Good Image The trend Michael Kleiman, director of Marketing at Tyler Technologies, has noticed is courts asking for help in presenting an image to their constituents they will be proud of. Kleiman points out that the public is increasingly using the Internet to interact with businesses and other institutions such as banks and airlines. Courts are not an exception. Citizens expect to conveniently interact with courts online and by text. A JMS can provide an efficient jury process for the court and simplify jury duty for the juror. He furthers that the text messaging reminding jurors of jury duty increases attendance and adds convenience for jurors. An interactive seating chart with a map allows counsel and the
judge to easily find background information about jurors by clicking on the map. An inbound IVR provides the juror with a quick and easy way to check the status or for location change, and check-in becomes streamlined by scanning juror cards, thereby saving time for both the court and juror. Furthermore, jury duty is also likely the only contact many citizens will ever have with the court system. “Jury duty is the most visible part of the court system, and courts that have an efficient jury process demonstrate to the public that their time and involvement is respected, and their tax dollars are well spent. Effective jury management provides the foundation for efficient and effective courtroom operations,” Kleiman says. To assist courts in accomplishing this and simplify the jury management process, Tyler offers the Odyssey Jury.™ The system
allows for an easy way to compensate jurors, increase juror yield and response rates by enabling participants to respond to jury summons online, and it enhances the jury and clerk experience via a userfriendly system that facilitates faster processing at the time of check-in. Features include document management scanning that allows for the scanning of questionnaires, response cards, or other paperwork. There is a text message reminder system for jurors who have opted in. Inbound voice response communications allow jurors to call into a central number or get up-to-the-minute updates. Juror document upload in the web response model can provide proof of exemptions and aid in the ability to secure pools/panels. When considering implementing a JMS, there are certain details for a court to consider. One, says Rosenstein, are budgetary concerns. When courts have been
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using a free or a homegrown system, they might experience sticker shock when shopping, so he says courts should have a budget set and in mind when going in. They should also ask themselves what outcome they are looking for. What are they trying to accomplish? As a result of cuts, courts have high turnover and often look to automate a system to replace the displaced. Courts should also ask stakeholders what they want potential jurors to do, how, how fast, and when. The system, he furthers, must be user friendly. Complexity with this sort of implementation is not good. Courts should consider a reputable company and determine what they need: a JMS or a JMS as a component of a broader CMS? Jury management systems can be standalone or integrated into a larger system. (Jury2018Plus and Odyssey Jury are standalone systems.)
From the Attorney’s Viewpoint Naturally, jury management is a primary consideration for the court side of the process, but there is also the matter of the attorneys. Courts want a large and diverse jury pool. Attorneys trying the cases want the right individuals out of that jury pool. Michael Miceli, chief sales and marketing officer with Voltaire, Inc., says that Voltaire Voir Dire is designed to make the process of jury research and selection more efficient and productive. Proprietary software handles much of the data research and interpretive analysis for the user who can utilize a great deal of information in order to make the right decisions. When a trial is about to
Attorneys trying the cases want the right individuals out of that jury pool. Software offerings are designed to make the process of jury research and selection more efficient and productive.
begin, the attorneys involved are given a list of potential jurors. That list might arrive a week or an hour before the trial starts. Voltaire Voir Dire allows the attorneys involved the opportunity to find out who these jurors are. The app, which can be used on any device, pulls a combo of background and social information in near real time. The data include addresses, employment status, professional information, campaign contributions, and voter registration. It also gathers information on social media aspects and interests. The data are put through an algorithm and returned to the attorneys. The jurors are not ranked or scored, and it is not meant to be used as a replacement to human legal experience. It is an adjunct to be used during the voir dire process. In theory, the app can alleviate bias related to race, age, and gender. For example, a stoic-faced, older male with a silver crewcut and a
collar buttoned to the top might draw assumptions/worries/hopes of being staunchly conservative, but this assumption might not represent his actual personality. The app utilizes powerful technology, including IBM Watson, which provides a high degree of accuracy and deep psycholinguistic and behavioral analysis to support better jury research and selection. Information is organized into reports that give the whole picture of each potential juror. Adopting a JMS is not a task to take lightly, but the technology can help streamline the jury management process. It is not just a matter for large systems such as Los Angeles or Harris Counties that can benefit from a JMS. Smaller counties of 20,000 or 40,000 might be running a JMS. It depends on the needs of the court and the resources the courts need. Says Rosenstein, “When they realize the savings are big enough, they will change how they do things.� CT
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BY G. F. G U ERC I O, C O N T R I B U T I N G E D IT O R
IT=
COURT EMPOWERMENT Don’t get stranded on the information super highway—know how each technological option can keep you zipping through traffic.
INFORMATION
technology empowerment comes in many forms, starting with case management systems (CMS) to carry the caseload, and continuing with judicial case management software to build and manage the jury. Further advancements include remote appearance solutions, machine learning of documents for information gathering and redacting and online dispute resolution (ODR) that rectifies cases outside of court hours. And newer developments are public-facing eServices with solutions like data exchange suites, case reminder systems and mobile services. It’s like an information super highway where the newer cars zip along, employing lane assist, blind
spot detection and emergency braking, and if you’re falling asleep, can sense it and signals coffee! All the features readily available simplify the act of driving. So too, the technology available now to courts can streamline the processes that access justice. To start, the collection of information at each step arms courts with the data that drives informed decision-making, which in turn helps to drive transparency, consistency, equity, and improved justice outcomes overall, says Sue Humphreys, director, Industry Relations, equivant. She details equivant’s process of being a “360degree provider of justice solutions, from initial incident or filing, all the way through to final judgment and outcome analytics.”
Jurisdictions can use equivant’s IJIS Broker agent to capture data, and move it along to initiate or support their court cases. Another equivant solution, the Northpointe Suite Risk/Needs Assessment tools, provides several options for conducting a quick, science-based risk assessment to identify significant flight risk as well as risk of reoffense or violence if released to the community. In addition, equivant provides a public-facing eServices Suite, adds Humphreys, “so that courts can help their justice partners and constituents peer into available court options, provide navigational assistance, or access court cases, calendars, and PCI-compliant (payment card industry) payments.” Once cases are officially
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lodged with a court, JWorks employs a configurable and open source case- and workflow engine to assign cases to appropriate pathways or tracks. Courts can notify stakeholders/citizens via email, text, and voice; conduct searches across cases, names, documents, and more; check-in hearing participants using kiosks/tablets; offer remote appearances (via Court Call connectors); interface with document management systems (DMS) or use the JWorks iDMS; interface with community supervision systems or use the Northpointe Suite; and utilize the JWorks API (application programming interface) library to create and manage interfaces. To manage remote appearances, VCourt leverages the court's CMS and payment processor, and is delivered as either a hosted or an on-premises solution on top of the Sonexis ConferenceManager2 audio processing platform (a Compunetix brand). Developed by Streamwrite, an ATI Connect company, VCourt is a new collaboration between ATI-Connect and Compunetix for telephonic court appearances, explains Patrick Bahar, sales, ATI-Connect. “Accessed via a court's existing website, VCourt enables court attendees to browse the court webpage, view and schedule a future appearance, and facilitate the payment.” VCourt produces daily reports for each courtroom, empowering coordinators to see what is scheduled, as well as access other administrative functions. VCourt improves upon the remote appearance experience in two ways, says Bahar. First, the Sonexis ConferenceManager2 pro-
RSI’s Forecourt Judicial Case Management System simplifies handling judicial needs.
vides courtroom operators/hosts with intuitive, real-time, and complete control of calls via a dashboard that visually shows participants and case numbers along with call control features. Second, since many states have established rates that courts can charge for remote appearances, the onpremise solution allows courts to retain a larger percentage of those
fees, rather than passing it to an outside vendor. As an affordable way to replace paper-driven processes or homegrown special purpose applications—Forecourt as a modular, integrated software suite—coordinates and automates the judicial case management process, says Bob Gorman, president, Relational Semantics Inc. (RSI). The core
Thomson Reuters C-Track’s integration framework allows it to reach into justice partners, service providers, payment processors and others where information is either collected or shared to create a single point of entry for all relevant case information. December/January 2019x
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Forecourt Judicial CMS supports all stages of the judicial case lifecycle including: case initiation, docketing, calendaring, case tracking, ingest of audio-video from courtroom recording systems, case searching and reporting and final disposition. “Beyond its core capabilities, the Forecourt product suite is modular and extensible, allowing you to buy the added capabilities you need, and not more.” He says optional extensions to the core Forecourt include: Forecourt eNotify, for electronic notification of case litigants and attorneys; Forecourt ECF Adapter, for integrating with ECF-compliant (electronic case file) judicial e-filing systems; and Forecourt ePublish, for providing web-based judicial public access to non-confidential case information. RSI can provide spe-
cial-purpose judicial mobile applications that integrate with Forecourt CMS and serve the particular needs of judges, clerks, administrators, or other stakeholders on the move. Designed specifically for the needs of state-level court systems, he says, “The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court have used Forecourt for more than a decade, both for case management and to publish their widely-praised public access website.” For total access from the point of inception to the point of adjudication, all pertinent information with respect to a case is stored and managed within the C-Track CMS, notes Kendall Smith, business development manager, Thomson Reuters. “Furthermore our integration framework allows our system
to reach into justice partners, service providers, payment processors and other such third party agencies and departments from where information is either collected or shared to create a secure, single point of entry for all relevant case information.” C-Track allows for easy data entry and data capture for end users while providing the necessary integrity and security protocols. Through configuration, C-Track captures information data points that are repeatedly used, ensuring efficiency for court staff and endusers. Says Smith: “Our product provides a well-documented integration framework based on web services standards that can be leveraged by partners. In addition we provide training for our partners and courts to help them leverage the API to connect and share infor-
Tyler Technologies Case Study Nevada Family Municipal Court ODR Pilot In Clark County, Nevada, Modria ODR (Online Dispute Resolution) has been implemented as part of the Family Municipal Court’s mediation process. During a three-court pilot run, 19 out of 57 cases referred to mediation had both the plaintiff and defendant participate in the online process—a 33 percent adoption rate of the system, exceeding participation in a permissive online system. Successful party-to-party negotiation was completed in these cases in an average of about six days, and 100 percent of the cases that used party-to-party negotiation reached a resolution outside of court hours. “The most exciting thing to me is that 100 Modria from Tyler Technologies can resolve the most common—and percent of the cases that had the party-to-party historically time-consuming—disputes. negotiation actually reached a resolution outside of court hours. To me, that is the definition of expanding access to justice. We are offering people something that the courts around the world cannot do,” says Jamie Gillespie, general manager for Tyler’s Modria solution. (See www.tylertech.com/Products/Modria/Modria-Clark-County-Family-Mediation-Center-CaseStudy.pdf for a fuller story of this case.)
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mation.” To help courts obtain the most complete and up-to-date information, Extract utilizes machine learning to classify, index and route court information from a variety of unstructured documents and makes it immediately available within a courts’ DMS and/or CMS according to Troy Burke, director of Government Solutions. “The ability to handle documents more efficiently allows more cases to be viewed more quickly, providing a benefit to both the court and the litigants. “In its most basic sense, our software provides automation, classifying, redacting, and extracting key pieces of information within court documents to avoid excessive amounts of manual data entry,” he furthers. Extract’s software is able to intelligently find the key pieces of index data or PII (personally identifiable information) using machine learning and the extensive rules library. “Integration has always been a hallmark of Extract, and we’ve never encountered a document management system that we can’t interact with,” Burke stresses. “While each DMS is different, the integration process is not a concern when adopting our software. Extract’s Web API has made the integration process even easier for courts today.” As for dispute resolution, all online communications can be handled asynchronously with Modria ODR, says Michael Kleiman, director of marketing, Tyler Technologies Courts & Justice Division, empowering citizens to resolve their own disputes anytime, anywhere. “Each party can move through
In JWorks from equivant, case and workflow are modeled by setting processes, triggers, timers, and resources in the workflow console where every component is thoroughly tested before use.
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the issues on their own, putting their information and terms up for approval. This time-delayed communication gives parties time to more thoughtfully consider their responses and avoid overly emotional comments. Any settlement offers can be accepted or rejected online and all communication between parties is digitally tracked.” Modria provides out-of-the-box resolution flows that can automatically resolve the most common— and historically time-consuming— disputes (e.g., debt, landlord/tenant, small claims, and even child custody and other complex case types). To ensure clients are protected and get the most from their ODR investment, Tyler has developed an EverGuide continuous improvement initiative, which includes training and consulting after implementation. “EverGuide helps minimize the consumption gap that occurs when software users fail to learn or use new features that are included in product updates and upgrades.” This initiative stems from the evergreen philosophy— ensuring clients benefit from continually enhanced technology for the life of their products. Three products from Integrated Software Specialists, Inc. (ISS) highlight its IT solutions. The Enterprise Integration and Automated Data Exchange and Management Solution Suite enable customers to serve the data and intelligence needs across any and all systems and an unlimited number of departments, agencies, and
people, states Michael Locascio, president and CEO. “It has the ability to monitor information flows and can be set up to recognize certain events, transactions, or conditions and intelligently take calculated actions, such as sending or orchestrating information to
various locations simultaneously, trigger alerts, send emails, send text messages, and much more.” Another new, high-impact solution, the automated court case eReminder System was implemented for a State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), which noted even 3 percent to 5 percent improvement in reduction of noshows would yield significant court and judicial efficiency benefits. “We have been live statewide,” points out Locascio, “serving all courts for the past few months and the results have been better than expected. As
such, the AOC is expanding the eReminder system to include additional case types and parties.” And ISS recently rolled out SmartCourt Interactive Mobile
Public Subscription Services, the next generation Court2Public (C2P) solution, providing a higher degree of intelligent mobile public court eServices. “This iJustice solution allows anyone to subscribe and take advantage of any offered court service, using their cell phone.” The solution also allows courts to offer premium services that require a subscription fee. In the end, the information super highway is crowded with services
and vehicles delivering solutions. There is even more information available from the sources below… don’t be the motorist stranded on the shoulder. CT ATI-Connect, sales@aticonnect.com, Patrick Bahar, 1.800.333.8394, pbahar@ati-connect.com, http://try.ati-connect.com/vcourt/ Extract Systems, Troy Burke, 1.877.778.2543 x534, Troy_burke@extractsystems.com Relational Semantics Inc. (RSI), Forecourt, www.rsi.com Thomson Reuters, Kendall Smith, 651.687.1142, Kendall.Smith@thomsonreuters.com Tyler Technologies, Inc., 1.800.431.5776, cjsales@tylertech.com, www.tylertech.com Equivant, 1.800.406.4333, equivant.com, info@equivant.com Integrated Software Specialists, Inc. (ISS), www.iJusticeSolutions.com
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BY JO H N F. M U FFL E R
Protecting Your Castle: Residential Security for Judges our home is your castle— or so the old saying goes. You want to feel safe and secure and live comfortably without fear of intrusion. You want a layer of security for your loved ones so they will be able to live and sleep peacefully, knowing their surroundings are secure. Good locks, lighting, landscaping and security systems are measures a homeowner can use to help provide effective security for their home. But the security footprint for your home starts beyond the brick and mortar of the home’s exterior. It starts at the street, curb, tree line and—in this Internet Age—
Y
beyond. There are multiple layers of residential security, and each layer is related. To provide a safe environment, these layers must work cohesively to achieve optimum effectiveness. Inherent risks are associated with serving as a judge. Decisions can often cause reactions from litigants, family members and the general public. Judges are viewed as the embodiment of the judicial system and are, unfortunately, held responsible for the results, even when decisions are legally based and beyond their personal control. Therefore, disgruntled litigants may not be upset with the
judge as an individual, but with the institution they represent. This can often place the judge, as well as his or her family and staff, at risk. Acknowledging this inherent risk is the first step in having the proper mindset. Law enforcement can provide resources, but judges must remember that security starts with them. For the most part, courthouses are safe and secure. With security officers, magnetometers, x-rays, cameras, duress alarms, ballistic barriers, high grade locks and lighting, they provide an excellent security blanket. However, when you step out of the courthouse, your vulnerability skyrockets. You
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no longer have the systems and personnel at your disposal. Proper security education and countermeasures will help mitigate the risks to you and your loved ones while away from the court, at home or in transit. A recent security survey of National Judicial College membership shows significant concerns regarding workplace and personal security measures for judges. It is incumbent on you to be proactive in developing a secure lifestyle. This begins with effective communication with security and law enforcement officials responsible for your security. It is equally important that this line of communication extend to your family and staff. Often, a few simple security measures can mitigate risks to you and your family.
A Brief, Tragic History of Attacks at Home Attacks on judges and their families are rarely random. Most potential predators conduct preliminary research and surveillance on their intended victim. This is where predators are vulnerable to detection. They look for where to strike, when to strike and how to escape. This is not simply a part of the predator’s strategy, but part of their psychological makeup. The steps of an attacker’s pathway to violence are grievance, ideation, research and planning, preparation, breach and then the attack (Calhoun and Weston, 2003). Your castle is the likely point of attack. To emphasize the importance of offsite security and the dangers of being away from the protective confines of the court, Susan P. Baker chronicles in her book
disturbing statistics. From the period 1909–1999, 21 judges, along with four spouses, were killed away from the court. a recent study on attacks to justice personnel from 1950-2013, found that 51 percent of the attacks occurred at the residence with a 68 percent kill rate (McGovern, 2013). The murders of United States District Court Judge Joan Lefkow’s husband and mother, and the murder of Federal Judges Robert Smith Vance, Richard J. Daronco and John A Wood, Jr., all occurred at their residences. In June 2013, an assassin’s bullet narrowly missed the head of United States District Court Judge Timothy J. Corrigan, while he sat in his favorite chair at home.
Concentric Layers The term “curb appeal� is often associated with real estate to describe how a home is presented to potential buyers perusing the neighborhood. Potential assailants or burglars make a calculated determination of a home’s “curb appeal� or vulnerability and balance the potential risks versus potential rewards. Burglaries occur every 13 seconds (FBI, 2013) in the United States, mostly during work hours. While burglars usually spend less than 60 seconds trying to break into your home, they spend on average 10 minutes inside. Home intrusion detective systems are excellent deterrents; homes without them are three times more likely to be burglarized (FBI, 2013). The front door and lower level windows are the likely entry points. Think of your home and securi-
ty in terms of concentric circles. The most important part of your home is your family, and it should be the focus of your security plan. From that epicenter to the outer walls are multiple layers of security. Analogous to the features of a medieval castle, the structure may have consisted of a moat, drawbridge, armed guards, interior walls and additional layers of security extending internally to the center. The concentric layers of your castle’s security, from the outer perimeter to the epicenter, should consist of proper lighting and wellmaintained landscaping that allows good lines of sight; quality locks, doors and windows; a home security system; and an identified safe area within the residence. These visual and physical barriers are designed to be impediments that allow you to place time and distance between you and your assailant. Beyond physical barriers, you should also have an emergency action plan, coupled with open, candid communication about crisis situations with your family. This strategic plan should consist of responding to and evacuating from potential emergencies. Let’s turn now to a step-by-step look at concentric layer countermeasures. The three essential principles of layered security are: deter, detect and delay. When any of these elements are met, they will place time and distance between you and the potential threat. But remember, they will not stop an assailant.
Lighting A well-lit house is a far more formidable obstacle to a burglar. December/January 2019x
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Good lighting with motion sensors can act as a form of an alarm and can scare intruders away.
Statistics confirm that a home with a well-lit exterior is less likely to be burglarized than one that is poorly lit. Several types of lighting systems can reduce the risks of intrusion. Motion lights illuminate when a person or vehicle gets close enough to activate the sensor. Sensing devices should be placed in locations that are out of reach so that they cannot be easily tampered. Dual motion lights illuminate large areas simultaneously, for example, areas around the driveway and walkway. Well-placed, motionactivated lights can act as an alarm when triggered, frightening away potential intruders. Uniformity of lighting will reduce shadows and potential hiding places. If the interior of the home is lit, blinds or shades should be closed, preventing a clear line of sight for the assailant.
Landscaping As previously mentioned, the home’s curb appeal is a significant factor to a possible intruder. You
can take simple steps to make the exterior of your home less inviting to intruders. Keep shrubs trimmed to remove hiding places and keep the structure visible from the street. Shrubs near the house should be trimmed at three feet or less to remove hiding places. Trees located near the front of the residence should be maintained at a height of around seven feet. This is called the three-to-seven pruning rule. More importantly, the gap between three and seven feet allows for good lines of sight from inside to outside the house. This may result in some loss of privacy, but it’s a significant gain in security. Prickly, thorny plants placed under windows or along fence lines can also deter intruders.
Locks and Doors Good locks and sturdy doors are key elements to home security and the biggest impediments for an intruder. But, they are a delay tactic and alone won’t stop an intruder.
The exterior doors of your home should be solid wood or metal, preferably with minimal to no glass. Deadbolt locks offer tremendous protection. For maximum effectiveness, the door should be flush with the frame and the bolts should enter an inch into a wellconstructed frame. Locks that have a thumb turn from the inside of the house are single cylinder and should not be used on doors where a window can be broken and the knob turned to open. Doors with these types of windows should have double cylinder deadbolts, which require a key internally to exit. Obviously, the key should not be left in the knob. “Key bumping” is a phenomenon by which most pin tumbler locks are easily picked. This is the standard type of lock on most doors. To counter key bumping, install a high quality lock equipped with lock resistant features. Aftermarket door security bars are an inexpensive but effective secondary devise to further delay entry.
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Windows Because they are easily broken to gain entry, windows are the weakest and most vulnerable part of the house. There are, however, several ways to counter the use of windows as an entry point. Do not leave tools, loose bricks or similar objects lying around the yard. They can easily be used as an instrument for entry. Many windows have a laminate between the two plates of glass that require multiple blows to shatter the window. Most burglars want to avoid noise in gaining entry. If you do not have such windows, consider an aftermarket laminate. Needless to say, keep your windows locked. Good secondary techniques include window pinning, where a nail or pin can be placed in the frame of the sliding part of the window. This prevents an intruder from being able to lift out the window. For sliding glass or horizontal windows, place an old broom handle at the base and track filler or dowel into the upper part of the glass. This too will prevent the door or window from being lifted out of the panel.
enough time for an emergency response or perhaps dissuade the intruder from progressing further. While in the safe room, stay away from the door and open a window to summons help. Depending on the floor where your safe room is situated, a rope ladder, which secures to the window frame, can assist in evacuating the premises. If it is possible for a person to safely exit the premises, they should proceed directly to a neighbor’s home and/or call 911. Utilizing safe rooms and practicing evacuation techniques are important for every household. Preparing for “what if� scenarios may save the life of you or your family.
Other Security Elements Firearms and other types of weapons can provide an additional element of security. If you are inclined to own a firearm, be aware of the laws of your state of residence, particularly as it pertains to the use of deadly force. You should train with your firearm and
Home Intrusion Detection Systems A home security system is critical for the safety and security of your family. At a minimum, it should consist of control panels in the primary bedroom and lower level, glass break detectors, door and window contacts, motion detectors and an alarm annunciator. It also is wise to have cell guard in the event the land line phone is lost and/or cut. Additional common features include: panic button key fob; intercom; closed circuit television equipment; and the ability to monitor your system via smartphone, laptop or tablet. Since 60 percent of burglaries occur while the home is occupied (FBI, 2013) it is critically important that if you have a home intrusion detection system, you should use it constantly.
Safe Room/Safety Plans Your home emergency strategy should also include the identification of a secure area of the home in the event of an intrusion, particularly if exiting the house is not an option. A safe room need not resemble what you would see in a Hollywood movie. It should have a solid core door with secure locks, a wireless phone (with cell guard security), or a cell phone to call 911. Isolating yourself from the intruder will provide December/January 2019x WWW . C OU R T ST OD AY . CO M
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BY BI L L S C H I FFN ER, C O N T R IB U T IN G E D I T O R
APPA 2019 Ready to Roll into Hyatt Regency Miami in March IF
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE LATEST IN HI TECH,
MIAMI
WILL BE
AMERICAN PROBATION AND PAROLE ASSOCIATION’S (APPA) 2019 WINTER TRAINING INSTITUTE. IT’S BEING HELD AT THE HYATT REGENCY MIAMI, MARCH 10-13. THE PLACE TO BE FOR THE
“The exhibit hall is filling quickly and we expect 70 exhibitors and over 600 attendees from a wide variety of professionals involved in the community corrections, juvenile justice, and treatment professions in the United States, its territories, and several other countries,” says Diane Kincaid deputy director with APPA. “These professionals understand the need for information on the products and services that enable them to ensure safer communities.” This year’s theme is “A Nation in Crisis” and the conference will address substance abuse and behavioral health in our communities. The Institute’s workshops and sessions are developed by planning committees that research and
address the critical issues facing the community corrections profession. The APPA Institutes also provide a forum to discuss the newest theories, examine advanced technology, develop creative solutions, and network with colleagues. Kincaid notes that some trending technologies in community corrections that will be on exhibit include biometrics, such as voice recognition for automated checkins, cloud storage, information sharing across jurisdictions and between agencies, and social media surveillance. “Community corrections must think towards the future and operate as other industries in working smarter, not harder, while not losing the person-to-person aspect of the work to bring about behavior change,” she points out.
Here’s a look at some of the new technologies, products and services that will be on display in the exhibit hall.
Pretrial Solutions Northpointe’s Pretrial solutions provide the relevant data to help inform and effectively manage all phases of Pretrial, from assessing to ongoing supervision. Data collected
at the pretrial stage is automated into a Pretrial Recommendation for the Court, a Pretrial Release Agreement for those defendants that are released, and a Pretrial Summary that will detail the full
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pretrial case in an easy-to-read document including all the important details. info@equivant.com, 1.800.406.4333, www.equivant.com
Community Supervision cFive Catalyst is a behavioral change and rehabilitation platform that helps community supervision agencies bridge the client-supervisor relationship with an intelligent
Manage Clients and Track Supervision Tyler’s CaseloadPRO provides supervision and probation clients with a comprehensive, easy-to-use SaaS product to manage probationers and parolees, and smoothly track every step of the supervision process with features including automatic check-ins, automated appointment reminders, and active tracking of electronic monitoring bracelets. CJIS-security compliant CaseloadPRO also makes it easy to view and share case information across agencies and jurisdictions, which increases efficiency and elevates the ability to keep the public safe. cjsales@tylertech.com, 1.800.431.5776, www.tylertech.com
Mobile Breath Tester Securus Technologies’ SoberTrack is a mobile breath alcohol testing unit with GPS location
supervision management smartphone app. Unlike other remote supervision solutions, Catalyst enables agencies to engage with all clients, configure automated interactions that fit individual needs and promote client self-management. Catalyst also helps case managers maintain effective client relationships, and enables timely communication and interventions. Results include increased compliance, fewer technical violations and modified client behavior. " " " # www.cfive.com/products/catalyst/
capability specifically developed for community supervision, court diversion or at-risk youth programs. Similar to the type of portable breath alcohol testing unit used by law enforcement officials, agencies asked for such a unit for parolees, probationers and/or pretrial defendants who are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages. SoberTrack allows breath alcohol testing to occur at any location and at any time of the day or night. sales@securustechnologies.com, www.securustechnologies.com
Case Management Software Journal Technologies supplies case management software and products to courts, prosecutors, public defenders, probation and other justice agencies. The company serves over 500 courts and agencies in 42 states and three countries. The configurable, browser-based solutions do not require their clients to change processes to fit the product. Instead, the firm works with users to configure the system to their needs. This includes courtroom processing, judicial dashboards, dynamic searches, public portals, and more. This allows the company to meet client’s unique needs now and in the future. 1.877.587.8927, www.journaltech.com
Drug Testing App Call2Test’s ConnectComply is reported to be an innovative new smartphone app that makes random drug test check-ins easier. December/January 2019x
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,)./)&1'2$-,!2 0 12 Parole and probation officers find that ConnectComply’s geolocation feature provides an alternative to ankle bracelets and physical monitoring while ensuring program compliance. For Android and iOS smartphones, ConnectComply helps drug court administrators manage automated scheduling programs and fully comply with court directives. ConnectComply is based on an economical, cloud-based system and includes the Call2Test proprietary algorithm for randomized selection. info@call2test.com, 1.888.972.9166, www.call2test.com
Offender Assessment Screening
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properly store it in a secure but accessible location. Remember that many children are accidently injured or killed by improperly secured firearms in the home. Children should be taught that the area where firearms are stored is off limits. Canines are another great way to help secure your residence. Big or small, it doesn’t matter as long as they can intimidate an intruder or announce a potential threat. All of the above described measures, when taken together, will give the homeowner a distinct advantage if they are the target of a potential assailant. These measures place critical time and distance between the home occupant and an intruder, and may be enough to deter, detect or delay their advancement. Your situational awareness and the security measures you undertake for your castle can increase the likelihood of mitigating targeted violence. Further, a home inspection by a security professional and/or your local law enforcement agency is strongly recommended. Finally, report all suspicious activity to law enforcement. CT ,%)2 "2 &$$+1-2 /*2 02 !1! 1-2 ,$2 .%1 0./,)0+2 &'/(/0+2 ,++1 12$0(&+. #20*2 1++ 0*2 -/)(/ 0+#2 1 &/.0*2 +, 0+2 1(&-/. # "2 12-1./-1'20*2.%120'!/)/*.-0.,-2$,.%12 0./,)0+2 1).1-2 $,-2 &'/(/0+ 1(&-/. #2 )/.1'2 .0.1*2 0-*%0+* 1- /(12 /)2 0*%/) .,)#2 " "#2 %1-12 %1 0*2-1* ,)*/ +12$,-2.%120(0'1!/(#2, 1-0 ./,)0+2 0)'2 .1(%)/(0+2 ,&.-10(%2 .,2 *.0.1# +,(0+#2 .-/ 0+2 0)'2 /).1-)0./,)0+2 &'/(/0+ ,$$/(/0+*2 /)2 !0..1-*2 -1+0.1'2 .,2 (,&-.2 0)' &'/(/0+2*1(&-/. "2 %/*20-./(+12 0*2-1 -/).1'2 /.%2 1-!/* */,)2$-,! " &' 1*",- -1*/'1)./0+ *1(&-/. $,- &' 1*
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