Reprinted with permission

Complete text of Press Release follows

Governor Ridge Names Savidge As Justice Network Executive Director

Office of Administration Commonwealth News Bureau Room 308, Main Capitol Harrisburg, PA 17120

HARRISBURG (June 7) R Gov. Tom Ridge today announced that he has appointed Terrill J. Savidge of Camp Hill, Cumberland County, as executive director of the Justice Network (JNET).

The JNET program uses information technology to allow criminal justice organizations across Pennsylvania to more easily share electronic information. The Justice Network, which grew out of Gov. Ridge"s 1995 Special Session on Crime, currently is in the early stages of implementation.

"Terri Savidge has a proven track record of using technology to help state agencies improve their delivery of public services," Gov. Ridge said. "Her experience will be invaluable as we continue to build out the Justice Network and deploy technologies to help our criminal justice agencies keep Pennsylvania communities safe."

Savidge has 15 years of experience in information technology, taking on increasing levels of responsi- bility while working for three state agencies: the Public Utility Commission; the Public School Employ- ees" Retirement System; and the Health Department. She also has worked in the private sector for Computer Resource Associates Inc. in Cumberland County.

During the past two years, Savidge worked as director of the Health Department"s State Center for Health Statistics and Research. In that position, she led the design and development of local- and wide-area computer networks, interconnecting state health offices. She also worked on the department"s Year 2000 computer preparations.

The Ridge Administration"s JNET program is one of the most comprehensive statewide integrated criminal justice initiatives in the nation. It was conceived to overcome the challenge of sharing information between Pennsylvania criminal justice organizations that use different computer systems.

By making it possible for these groups to more easily share electronic data, information on criminal suspects and offenders will not have to be entered repeatedly into separate computer databases by police, court, and probation and parole officers. This will help speed up the processing of criminal cases and reduce costs by eliminating duplicative data entry.

Also, the sharing of information will improve the ability of public safety agencies to track potentially dangerous individuals. The five primary data repositories incorporated into the JNET system will be maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police; the Department of Corrections; the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts; the Juvenile Court Judges" Commission; and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.

In her position as executive director of the JNET office, Savidge will work with both the JNET Executive Council and JNET Steering Committee to ensure that the Justice Network meets its public safety objectives and implementation timeline.

The 1999-2000 state budget, which Gov. Ridge signed in May, includes $9.3 million for JNET.

Contact: Scott Elliott (717) 772-4237 selliott@oa.state.pa.us

1999 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Justice Network