Developing a Business Case for the Integration of Justice Information

Summary

Project started on March 15, 1999 (Completed)

None

A successful effort to improve justice information integration depends on convincing leaders at all levels of government of the importance and benefits of integration. The US Department of Justice, through the Office of Justice Programs, commissioned CTG to provide a guide for developing an effective business case to present to those leaders. The result was a Guide for making an effective business case for integration projects to elected leaders and senior executives. 

The Guide is based on:

  • A reconnaissance study of the information integration issues, barriers, and resources typical at different levels of government and in different kinds of agency and community settings.
  • An intergovernmental workshop to establish what should be in a business case and strategies for presenting it.
  • Analysis of the requirements for preparing a multifaceted business case for use in different settings.

The Guide also includes links and references to a rich set of resources to support integration project planning and business case development.

Scope of Work

One of the key factors identified through a series of discussions the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has had with state and local agencies is the need for outreach to leaders, at all three levels of government, concerning the importance and benefits of integration within the criminal justice systems integration. 

In a meeting attended by representatives of 25 states, participants expressed a strong need for a "business case" for integration that can be promoted nationwide. The report of that meeting states:

"Executive level sponsors are critical to state and local initiatives... There is a need to develop an outreach/education strategy immediately. The strategy should be based on a business case and include a mission statement for the Integration Initiative. Emphasis should be on reaching elected officials and senior policy makers."

The report also emphasizes the need for a definition of "integration," and acknowledges that the term means different things to different people.

CTG assisted OJP in the development of a "Business Case for Criminal Justice Systems Integration" by working with a selected group of federal, state, and local officials to describe the audiences they must address, the issues these audiences face, and the arguments that will be persuasive to them. Equally important, this work further addresses the interplay of federal, state, and local needs, resources, and goals that were a major feature of the DOJ-sponsored meetings. The results recommend tools and strategies to help elected leaders and senior executives understand their roles and choices.

The Center assisted in this work in several ways:

  • Conducted a brief reconnaissance study of the issues, barriers, and resources typical at different levels of government and in different kinds of agency and community settings.
  • Conducted an intergovernmental workshop to establish the common and unique criteria by which different categories of policy makers assess investments in integrated systems and programs.
  • Prepared a multi-faceted business case for use in different settings.
  • Developed a report to the Office of Justice Programs about the conflicts, synergies, and gaps that need to be addressed in national policies and programs to promote integration.

Press Releases & News Stories

Press Release

Publications & Results

Guide

Report

Public Event

  • Summary of the June 1999 Workshop
    This five-page report summarizes the work conducted at the June 1999 workshop. The document recounts the workshop's context and purpose, participants and activities, themes, proposed strategies, and next steps in the project.

Related Websites

  • Office of Justice Programs FY1999 Program Plan
    OJP's goals are to respond quickly, across the bureaus and offices, to newly emerging issues; to institute the vision and priorities of the Attorney General, the President, and the Congress; and to ensure that they are advancing a comprehensive and coherent program to address public safety needs in this country.
  • SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics
    SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, is dedicated to improving the criminal justice system and the quality of justice through better information management, the effective application of information and identification technology, and responsible law and policy

Partners

Government Partners

Center for Technology in Government

  • David Connelly, Graduate Student
  • Anthony Cresswell, Research Director
  • Sharon Dawes, Director
  • Mark LaVigne, Project Associate
  • Shrilata Nath, Project Associate
  • Theresa Pardo, Project Director
  • Stephanie Simon, Information Coordinator

Participants

Initial Project Workshop - Attendees

The Honorable Patrice Bataglia
Dakota County Commissioner 

Mr. Brian Beamish
Information & Privacy Commission
Ontario, Canada

Dr. Peter Bloniarz
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Mr. David Boyer
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs 

Mr. J. Carey Brown
Office of the Attorney General
State of Kansas

Ms. Donna Canestraro
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Ms. Jane Christenson
Office of the Mayor
Redmond, Washington

Mr. John Cloud
United States Attorney's Office
Middle District Alabama 

Mr. John D. Cohen
PSComm, LLC 

Mr. David Connelly
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Mr. Ronald Cooke
New York State Police 

Mr. Gary R. Cooper
The SEARCH Group, Inc. 

Dr. Anthony M. Cresswell
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Dr. Sharon Dawes
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Ms. Karen E. Duffala
National Law Enforcement & Corrections
Technology Center 

Ms. Winsome Foderingham
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Ms. Anne E. Gardner
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the General Counsel 

Mr. Patrick J. Garvey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Mr. David Gavin
Department of Public Safety
State of Texas 

Ms. Sally Goodall
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Mr. Robert Greeves
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs

Mr. Richard J. Gross
North Dakota Consensus Council 

Ms. Kelly J. Harris
The SEARCH Group, Inc. 

Mr. Dennis Hausman
Department of Information Services
Justice Information Network 

Mr. Robert J. Helten
Office of the Attorney General
State of North Dakota

Dr. Thomas Henderson
National Center for State Courts 

Mr. Herbert H. Henry, III
U.S. Attorney's Office
Northern District of Alabama 

Mr. Arnold J. Hopkins
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs 

The Honorable Steve Kelley
Minnesota State Senate 

Mr. Paul R. Kendall
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the General Counsel 

Noble Kennamer, Esq.
Los Angeles County, California 

Ms. Fern Laethem
Public Defender
Office of the State Public Defender
State of Califormia

Mr. Robert D. LaMoria
Office of the Attorney General
State of Washington

Mr. Mark LaVigne
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

The Honorable Michael P. Lawlor
Connecticut General Assembly 

The Honorable Timothy Loewenstein
Board of Buffalo County Commissioners
Buffalo County, Nebraska 

Mr. Michael M. Losavio
Administrative Office of the Courts 

Mr. José McLoughlin
US Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Assistance 

Mr. James McNeil
U.S. Dept of Justice
National Institute of Justice 

Ms. Shrilata Nath
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Ms. Lori Nicely
U. S. Department of Justice
Global Program Management Office 

The Honorable Allen Olson
Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota 

Dr. Theresa A. Pardo
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Ms. Alison Poe
Bureau of Justice Information Systems
Department of Administration
State of Wisconsin

Ms. Janet
Quist Public Technologies, Inc. 

Ms. Amy Roberts
Committee Administrator for the House
Crime Prevention Committee
Minnesota House of Representatives 

Mr. James Ruda
Intergovernmental Consultant 

The Honorable Harold See
Alabama Supreme Court 

Mr. James F. Shea
New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services 

Ms. Stephanie Simon
Center for Technology in Government
University at Albany 

Commissioner Mark Stenglein
Board of Commissioners
Hennepin County, Minnesota

Mr. Ted Stoica
Illinois State Police 

Ms. Sande Sunde
Honeywell, Inc. 

Ms. Aldona K. Valicenti
Kentucky Chief Information Officer 

Mr. Scott Wallace
Defender Legal Services Director
National Legal Aid & Defender Association 

Mr. Richard H. Ward, III
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Assistance 

Mr. Roy Washington
Mobile Alabama County Sheriff's Office 

Mr. Ronald Wiborg
Dept. of Community Corrections
Hennepin County, Minneapolis

Mr. Carl A. Wicklund
American Probation & Parole Association 

Honorable Anthony M. Wilhoit
Legislative Ethics Commission
State of Kentucky 

Mr. Neil A. Woerman
Office of the Attorney General
State of Kansas 

Dr. Michael R. Zimmerman
Information Technology Department
Hennepin County, Minneapolis

 

Funding Sources

This project was supported by Award No. 1999-LD-VX-K004 funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice.