Criminal Justice Technology in the News

Law Enforcement News

Three North Central Wisconsin Counties Train for Child Abductions
WAOW, (09/19/2018)
First responders from three Wisconsin counties recently trained for dealing with child abductions. The simulation training brought together multiple departments from Adams, Wood and Juneau counties, including first responders, sex offender registry specialists and volunteers. The training included using drones and the GIS mapping system.
Link to Article

Mesquite Police Department Joins Neighbors App to Improve Public Safety
Mesquite News, (09/19/2018)
The Mesquite Police Department in Texas is joining the free mobile app Neighbors to enhance efforts to communicate with the community on public safety news and information. The department will monitor the app for crime activity and use it as an investigative tool. Residents can download the app to join their neighborhood area and share crime information and receive alerts from the police department.
Link to Article

Houston Fire Chief Announces Funding for Ballistic Vests for First Responders
KHOU, (09/19/2018), Jamie Galvan
The Houston Fire Department has received funding for new ballistic-resistant vests for firefighters when responding to a violent scene. The bid process is ongoing. Once approved and procured, firefighters will wear the vests during calls that clearly have the potential for danger, such as domestic violence incidents, shootings and stabbings.
Link to Article

Garfield County Disbands Crime-Tip Program
Aspen Daily News, (09/22/2018)
The Garfield County Sheriff's Office in Colorado is disbanding its chapter of the Crime Stoppers tip program Oct 1, citing the rise of social media, cellphone cameras and other ways provide information to authorities. Crime Stoppers gathered information from residents, and if useful tips led to an arrest, the tipster was paid up to $1,000. Today, the use of surveillance cameras at businesses, and residents using cameras that can transmit images via text or email have aided law enforcement in fighting crime.
Link to Article

LaRue County Schools Implements New System to Cut Emergency Response Times
The News-Enterprise, (09/23/2018)
Schools in LaRue County, Ky., have started using a new navigation system in hallways to improve communication between schools and public safety agencies. Through hallway signs, the FastPath Hallway Navigation System is designed to make communication more efficient and cut the time it takes first responders to arrive to the exact scene of an emergency.
Link to Article

Spokane Police Want to Use Drones for Investigations & Searches
KXLY, (09/25/2018), Melissa Luck
The Spokane Police Department wants to use drones for crime scene mapping, missing persons searches and other investigations. The city council is scheduled to discuss the issue at the next regular council meeting.
Link to Article

Corrections News

Return to Sender: No More Mailing Books to Inmates in Pennsylvania
Slate, (09/19/2018), Mia Armstrong
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections is banning direct book donations to inmates as part of new restrictions to thwart contraband in prisons. Previously, approved organizations could mail books or other publications directly to inmates. Now, the department is beginning a transition to ebooks to fight the flow of illegal drugs into facilities. The DOC also will no longer process inmate mail at correctional facilities; mail will go to a processing center where it will be opened, scanned, and emailed back to individual facilities to print and distribute.
Link to Article

Moran Stops Policy That Would Bar Women From Wearing Tampons When Visiting Virginia Prison Inmates
Richmond Times-Dispatch,( 09/25/2018), Frank Green
A policy barring women who visit inmates at Virginia prisons from wearing tampons or menstrual cups set to take effect Oct. 6 has been suspended. The Virginia Department of Corrections had said the measures were needed to keep contraband from entering prisons. State Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran suspended the policy, saying a more thorough review is needed. The policy was criticized by the ACLU of Virginia, which argued that it could discourage visits from family and friends.
Link to Article