Court implementing biometric kiosks for low-risk offenders
Judge Christopher Collier
A new year brings new initiatives, and the court has several for 2017.
The implementation of the biometric reporting kiosk program for probationers and bond participants is one of our first initiatives to be implemented in 2017.
Participants who are assessed to be a low-risk offender and are violation-free for a minimum of six months are referred to the program and are required to report to the kiosk anywhere from monthly to quarterly, depending on the facts of their case, and are also required to see their probation officer intermittently. This program frees up the probation officer to focus more intensely on moderate- and high-risk offenders who are permitted to use the kiosks, but only as a supplement to face-to-face office visits to increase surveillance.
Using the reporting kiosks, which are strategically located in Brunswick, Wadsworth, Lodi and the sheriff’s department, requires the participant to verify their identity through a biometric handprint and password. The kiosks can be used to submit payments; schedule appointments with their supervising officers; update personal information such as addresses, phone numbers and emergency contacts; and answer questions related to their conditions of supervision (such as whether their employment status has changed or if they have attended treatment).
Kiosks can also transmit instructions to probationers. The kiosks can randomly select the participant for drug testing and other vital responsibilities. After the kiosk sessions are complete, verification is provided and all the information is transmitted into the probation officers case management system electronically.
Shifting resources away from low-risk and towards moderate and high-risk offenders is well-accepted in the field and supported by a strong body of research. Active supervision and intensive treatment have the greatest benefit for moderate- and high-risk offenders of reducing recidivism.
In addition to the kiosk reporting program the court intends to review and increase its partnership with its police-probation partnership.
Such partnerships make sense because these departments have some common concerns that underlie their responsibilities and duties: The joint monitoring of offenders provides one example. After an offender has been placed under some form of community supervision, he or she may be monitored by an appropriate probation officer. In order to increase effectiveness of supervision, this requires collaboration and cooperation between probation and police agencies. Such partnerships have existed for some time in the court. They have been fairly successful in practice.
Partnerships between police and probation play several roles: Both agencies have community safety as a top priority and their joint collaboration promotes a good and effective presence in the community. Community supervision encourages officers to have good relationships with community organizations and other criminal justice agencies. Officers are much more likely to cultivate good relationships when they work with the community with the end goals being a reduction in recidivism and restoring offenders to become productive members of their community.
I am looking forward to 2017 and working with our dedicated court staff and all our justice partners to enhance the safety of our community through quality, cost-effective services that support the rehabilitation and reintegration of probationers.
The implementation of the biometric reporting kiosk program for probationers and bond participants is one of our first initiatives to be implemented in 2017.
Participants who are assessed to be a low-risk offender and are violation-free for a minimum of six months are referred to the program and are required to report to the kiosk anywhere from monthly to quarterly, depending on the facts of their case, and are also required to see their probation officer intermittently. This program frees up the probation officer to focus more intensely on moderate- and high-risk offenders who are permitted to use the kiosks, but only as a supplement to face-to-face office visits to increase surveillance.
Using the reporting kiosks, which are strategically located in Brunswick, Wadsworth, Lodi and the sheriff’s department, requires the participant to verify their identity through a biometric handprint and password. The kiosks can be used to submit payments; schedule appointments with their supervising officers; update personal information such as addresses, phone numbers and emergency contacts; and answer questions related to their conditions of supervision (such as whether their employment status has changed or if they have attended treatment).
Kiosks can also transmit instructions to probationers. The kiosks can randomly select the participant for drug testing and other vital responsibilities. After the kiosk sessions are complete, verification is provided and all the information is transmitted into the probation officers case management system electronically.
Shifting resources away from low-risk and towards moderate and high-risk offenders is well-accepted in the field and supported by a strong body of research. Active supervision and intensive treatment have the greatest benefit for moderate- and high-risk offenders of reducing recidivism.
In addition to the kiosk reporting program the court intends to review and increase its partnership with its police-probation partnership.
Such partnerships make sense because these departments have some common concerns that underlie their responsibilities and duties: The joint monitoring of offenders provides one example. After an offender has been placed under some form of community supervision, he or she may be monitored by an appropriate probation officer. In order to increase effectiveness of supervision, this requires collaboration and cooperation between probation and police agencies. Such partnerships have existed for some time in the court. They have been fairly successful in practice.
Partnerships between police and probation play several roles: Both agencies have community safety as a top priority and their joint collaboration promotes a good and effective presence in the community. Community supervision encourages officers to have good relationships with community organizations and other criminal justice agencies. Officers are much more likely to cultivate good relationships when they work with the community with the end goals being a reduction in recidivism and restoring offenders to become productive members of their community.
I am looking forward to 2017 and working with our dedicated court staff and all our justice partners to enhance the safety of our community through quality, cost-effective services that support the rehabilitation and reintegration of probationers.