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PHILADELPHIA (PA) PRISONER INVENTORY SYSTEM (FROM PROJECT SEARCH - INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION AND STATISTICS SYSTEM - PROCEEDINGS, 1972, BY GARY COOPER - SEE NCJ-09380)

NCJ Number
48298
Author(s)
E J BLAKE; I J CHASEN
Date Published
1972
Length
33 pages
Annotation
THE PRISONER INVENTORY SYSTEM (PRINS) HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED TO PROVIDE ACCURATE AND CURRENT INFORMATION ON ALL INMATES IN THE PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA PRISONS.
Abstract
INFORMATION, STORED IN A COMPUTERIZED DATA BASE RESIDENT ON THE COURT'S S/360 MODEL 40 COMPUTER, IS ACCESSED THROUGH REMOTE TERMINALS BY ALL AGENCIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM REQUIRED VERY FEW PROCEDURAL CHANGES AND NO ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES. THE THREE PRISON RECEPTION CENTERS BATCH AND PERIODICALLY FORWARD ALL INFORMATION THEY RECEIVE ON INMATES. FROM THIS INFORMATION, SEVERAL COMPUTERIZED RECORDS ARE CREATED OR UPDATED. SECURITY AND QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES ARE BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM. GENERAL ON-LINE RETRIEVAL OF PRISONER LOCATION, BAIL, CHANGES, AND RECEPTION DATA MAY BE OBATINED BY EACH AGENCY. SIGN-ON INQUIRIES REQUIRING A SECURITY PROCEDURE MAY BE MADE TO OBTAIN SUCH INFORMATION AS PRISONER PHYSICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION AND GANG AFFILIATIONS. DATA BASES INCLUDE PHONETIC, MASTER, LOGGING, STATISTICS, CASE, SECURITY, AND TRANSLATION FILES. NONSIGN-ON TRANSACTIONS PROVIDE THE TERMINAL USER WITH THREE GENERAL INQUIRY FACILITIES: NAME SEARCH, MASTER INQUIRY (NAME, COMMITMENT NUMBER, SEX, RACE, RECEPTION DATE AND TIME, CHARGE, AND PRISON NUMBER), AND COMMITMENT INQUIRY (INMATE IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION, RECEPTION, SENTENCE, RELEASE AND PAROLE INFORMATION). PRISON STATISTICS, BROKEN DOWN INTO DETENTIONER AND SENTENCE GROUPS BY SEX, ARE ALSO AVAILABLE BY DESIRED DAY, MONTH, AND YEAR. SECURITY CHECKS ARE DONE FOR ALL SIGN-ON TRANSACTIONS. BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF EACH OF 11 POSSIBLE TRANSACTIONS ARE PRESENTED, TOGETHER WITH THE SIGN-ON TRANSACTION FORMAT. FLOW CHARTS FOR THESE TRANSACTIONS ARE ALSO PROVIDED. ON-LINE STORAGE REQUIREMENTS AND MACHINE AND CORE SPECIFICATIONS ARE DELINEATED, AND FILE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES ARE BRIEFLY OUTLINED. (JAP)