Process Analysis in Minnesota

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Process Analysis in Minnesota

• Judge Thomas G. McCarthy
• 1st Judicial District
• Chair, Supreme Court Technology Planning
  Committee
• Member CriMNet Policy Group

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Topics

• Minnesotas experience with Justice Information
  Exchange Model
• Automating the Criminal Justice Process
• Automated Sentencing Assistant, aka, Sentencing
  Wizard aka Turbo Judge
• E-complaint
• Biometric identification verification

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Minnesotas Collaboration Projects
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Justice Information Exchange in Minnesota

• The prototype Exchange Points were evaluated by
  Minnesota and used to determine where the
  critical information was generated and to whom it
  needed to be delivered.
• The Minnesota experience, as well as four other
  states, has been synthesized by SEARCH and is
  currently a useful tool for any system seeking to
  integrate criminal justice information.

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Justice Information Exchange in Minnesota

• Minnesota developed a multi-disciplinary team of
  over 100 participants to review JIEMs relevancy
  to our situation.
• Three delivery teams
• Squads
• Gavels
• Bars

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Justice Information Exchange in Minnesota

• Teams not limited to their specialty
• Public Defenders and Prosecutors were on the
  Squads Team, for instance.
• Operational users found it very easy and
  intuitive to use.
• Determined that there are over 250 points of
  exchange of information in the Minnesota Criminal
  Justice System.
• Of these, over half were generated or used by
  the Courts

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Sorted by Sending/Receiving Agency
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Justice Information Exchange in Minnesota

• 250 exchanges of information is overwhelming.
• Next step What are the CRITICAL exchanges that
  we MUST facilitate.
• Will get number to a more manageable figure.
• Fortunately SEARCH has gone a step further and
  now has reference documents.
• This tool could save a jurisdiction that is just
  getting started countless hours of analysis time
• Thanks to SEARCH, my MN colleagues and the many
  jurisdictions that have made this possible.

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Automated Processes

• Sentencing Assistant
• So the judge doesnt miss something in the
  sentence
• E-complaint
• So the prosecutor doesnt miss something in the
  complaint
• Biometric identification verification
• So we know as early as possible we have the right
  defendant in the system.

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Sentencing Assistant

• A proof of concept project
• Test Worthwhile to build into case management
  system?
• Was not intended to be put in production
• Meant to test whether legislatures sentencing
  requirements could be incorporated into
  sentencing process
• Dont rely on judges / prosecutors / probation
  officers memory

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Sentencing Assistant

• Will be incorporated into MNCIS in future
• Predatory Offender Registry
• Sex offenders
• Driving Under the Influence

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E-complaint

• Minnesota will be accepting electronic filings
  within the month.
• Essential information is required to be inputted
  in form or will not process.
• Utilizes a standard MN statute table that assists
  in insuring accurate charge info.
• Ensures that all critical information is captured
  at the beginning.

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E-complaint

• Not without some pain and some complaints (pun
  intended) takes longer to implement than you
  would expect.
• Requires prosecutors to make some modifications
  on their systems.
• There is some cost as well
• Required court and prosecutor business practices
  changes have to communicate and negotiate

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Review Electronic Filings Page

• Click Refresh to look for new electronic files.
• Click a row to see the electronic file details
  in the Accept/Reject Electronic File dialog (see
  the next slide).
• Show drop-down list options Currently only
  Criminal Complaints
• Sort drop-down list optionsDate/Time Received,
  Party, Reference

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Accept an Electronic Filing

• The Electronic File Information section displays
  all information received from the files source.
• Select Accept to create a new case from this
  file on Save.
• Case numbering works just like on "Add a Case".
• If Accept is selected, Odyssey will go through
  party matching on Save.

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Reject an Electronic Filing

• Select Reject to send this file back to its
  original owner when you click Save.
• A reason is required for a rejected file.
  Reasons will be user-defined codes.

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Delete an Electronic Filing

• The Delete option is only available if the user
  has the right to delete electronic files. If
  Delete is selected, no other fields will be
  available to the user, e.g., Reason will not be
  displayed.

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View an Electronic Filing

• After a case has been created, the original
  electronic files information can still be viewed
  in this dialog that is launched from the Charges
  tab.

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Biometric Identification Verification

• Without biometric identification (e.g.,
  fingerprints) convictions do not appear on
  Minnesotas Computerized Criminal History (CCH).
• Cases end in suspense.
• Failure to take, send fingerprints most common
  reason for suspense files

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Biometric Identification Verification

• Need system to ensure fingerprints taken before
  conviction, i.e.,while the defendant is still in
  the Court system
• Solution Verify with Minnesota Bureau of
  Criminal Apprehension that they do or do not have
  fingerprints AT EVERY STAGE OF THE COURT
  PROCEEDINGS

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Biometric Identification Verification

• For further information on the business practice
  challenges and technology used on this project
  attend the Biometrics and Integration Panel on
  Tuesday.

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Contact Information
http//www.crimnet.state.mn.us/
http//criminal.justice.state.mn.us/mncis/default_
p.asp
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Contact Information
Thomas G. McCarthy Judge of District Court Sibley
County Courthouse Box 867 Gaylord MN
55334 Telephone [phone] E-mail
tom.mccarthy_at_courts.state.mn.us