Birth of an information network.

Until November 1990, law enforcement agencies throughout Contra Costa County, California, processed information independently. As in other jurisdictions across the Nation, computer systems that served the 23 individual criminal justice agencies in the 800-square-mile county could not communicate with one another. Thus, information could not be transferred electronically between agencies.

However, this all changed with the establishment of the All County Criminal Justice Information Network (ACCJIN). All law enforcement agencies in Contra Costa County now tie into a regional computer network that links computers from different manufacturers (and different agencies) into an integrated system. This network allows authorized systems operators to access and transfer information much more quickly and efficiently than ever before.

BACKGROUND

Before the implementation of ACCJIN, agencies in Contra Costa County processed data separately. The county and individual cities developed automated systems independently, and these systems could not "talk" to each other.

Therefore, in order to search the files of another agency, investigators needed to request that someone in that department retrieve the information, photocopy the relevant material, and then mail or fax it to the requesting agency. Invariably, investigators avoided this repetitive and time-consuming task, and as a result, often proceeded with cases that lacked important information.

Vast independent systems existed for records management, computer-aided dispatch, crime analysis, and jail administration. However, except for a message switching program, which served as a basic network for transferring information between State and Federal databases, each system operated as an island unto itself. So, while agencies could access records in Washington, DC, or the State capital in Sacramento, they were unable to communicate electronically with departments in neighboring jurisdictions.

In addition, clerks in individual agencies entered identical data into different database systems. Court and probation personnel prepared records from scratch, even though police departments had previously entered much of the same information on their own systems. Systems operators generated vast amounts of paperwork to convey information between departments. Even simple transactions between databases required at least two people--one in the requesting agency and one in the responding agency. This greatly undermined efficiency in agencies already coping with personnel shortages.

In the past 5 years, several counties around the Nation experimented with regional networking. Law Enforcement Automated Data Entry and Retrieval (LEADER) in Los Angeles County and the Automated Regional Justice Information System (ARJIS) in San Diego County provide limited linking capabilities to member agencies.(1) Several other counties around the Nation are considering or implementing similar systems.

However, these networks use a central database with terminal or compatible computer coupling at remote locations. They require that all users operate the same types of hardware and software. In short, these systems must be built from scratch at considerable cost. The unique feature of the ACCJIN is that it links existing computer systems, resulting in a very cost-effective approach to networking.

ESTABLISHING THE ACCJIN

Funding

Funding for the All County Criminal Justice Information Network actually resulted from a lawsuit concerning contested DUI (driving under the influence) forfeitures. In the early 1980s, several cities in Contra Costa County noticed that their revenues from fines and forfeitures for DUI cases decreased dramatically. Investigation revealed that the county kept all fines for defendants placed on summary court probation. In Antioch et al. v. Contra Costa County et al., several municipalities contested the statutory basis for this practice.(2) As part of a negotiated settlement, the county agreed to reimburse these cities and established a fund that became the basis for the ACCJIN project.

Once the county established this special fund, two-thirds of the cities and the county board of supervisors needed to agree on the proposed automation project. Therefore, it was necessary to demonstrate the potential value of the network to the Police Chiefs Association, the Public Managers Association, and other groups that needed to endorse the project before it could progress. Not only did these groups eventually recognize the value of the network, but the county also decided to contribute over $200,000 in additional funds to assist in developing the ACCJIN.

Building the Network

As mentioned, the ACCJIN links 23 agencies in Contra Costa County. These include the district attorney's office, the probation department, the sheriff's office, the community college district, and both municipal and superior courts. Two message switching computers provide communications lot agencies outside the county, such as the Police Information Network in neighboring Alameda County, State automated data banks, and the NCIC in Washington, DC.

A private packet switching setup serves as the backbone of the system, with 24-hour monitoring provided by the telephone company. Users connect to the backbone with 19.2 dedicated lines and CSU/DSU connections.

Common software applications include a central name index (CNI), a justice automated want system (JAWS), and remote booking (RB) capabilities. Each agency assumes responsibility for the user-friendly software necessary to tie their operations into the network. In addition, each member agency must maintain its own hardware and software, which are supplied by the network.

Benefits of the Network

Installation of the ACCJIN revolutionized methods of information exchange in Contra Costa County. Because only one person is required to conduct an information transaction, investigators and administrators can now obtain information from other departments themselves. The one exception is data transfer, which still requires an authorized operator in the sending agency to approve the transfer. However, no copying, faxing, or mailing in necessary. Operators simply transfer the data electronically.

In effect, the ACCJIN makes all systems compatible, and thus, greatly reduces the need for redundant data entry. When operators enter information into one agency's database, other agencies can access and reproduce it within their own systems.

Needless to say, the immediacy of data transfer assists law enforcement agencies within the county significantly. Networking decreases the fragmentation often experienced when multiple agencies operate within the same jurisdiction. In this way, ACCJIN provides the basis for a more regional approach to law enforcement in the county.

Keys to Success

Successful development of the ACCJIN resulted from several main factors, including:

* Good communications (During the planning and implementation stages, monthly technical advisory committee meetings kept member agencies and city councils informed of progress and developments. Because ACCJIN administrators maintained open lines of communication, stakeholders understood and assisted in developing the program from its inception to its completion.)

* Well-defined criteria (Project administrators carefully reviewed and selected each element included in the ACCJIN network. As components of the system became operational and specific benefits were realized, support for the network grew stronger.)

* Ample funding (Because the county made sufficient funds available during the preliminary stages of the project, officials could plan and implement the program in an effective manner. This proved crucial to averting costly modifications and "corrections" to the original system.)

In addition, the willingness of member agencies to share expertise also contributed to successful development of the network.

FUTURE DIRECTION

As ACCJIN matures, administrators discuss additional applications. One possibility involves using the network for digital data transfer during disasters. Each agency could enter incident information into a terminal and then use the network to transfer the data to the county computer.

Another proposed application involves using the network to transfer crime analysis data to a central processor that would engage an intelligent crime analysis system. This information would then be forwarded to field units on a regional basis with specific instructions for action.

CONCLUSION

Though still in its early stages, the ACCJIN promises to advance the concept of a regional approach to criminal justice in Contra Costa County. By linking existing computer systems from different vendors into an integrated network, the ACCJIN provides a cost-effective alternative to constructing regional networks from the ground up. By doing so, this project may also provide a link between austere economic reality and the technological opportunities of the 21st century.

Endnotes

1 Nicholas A. Katzenstein, California Law Enforcement Criminal Information Systems Networking by the Year 2000, P.O.S.T., Sacramento, California, 1991, 3-4.

2 Antioch et al. v. Contra Costa County et al. 33924 (Sacramento 1986). Out of court settlement reached.

Criteria for the ACCJIN

System administrators realized that a successful project required certain criteria to be met. These include:

* Offering something to everyone. The network had to answer the question, "What will the system do for my agency?"

* Providing financial support. Each user must receive a cash benefit from the "products" of the system.

* Hardware and software assistance. Each user must have assistance that does not involve local funds.

* Ensuring an equitable development approach. Each agency should believe it received a "fair share" and that no agency was favored over others.

* Sharing future costs. Ongoing maintenance costs must be supported by all users. A plan to counter obsolescence had to answer concerns about the future.

* Message switcher upgrade. An upgrade of the county's existing message switcher had to be conducted concurrently with the ACCJIN project. Funds that agencies had been contributing annually to this effort became a component of the ACCJIN project funding.