Courts Series Kick-off: Connected Justice for All

Imagine the price of connecting all of the moving parts within our justice system. Think of the time and money it takes to do so. From pre-trial hearings, attorney conferences and arraignment to administrative proceedings and remote testimony then disposition and even post-trial proceedings, all of these services can be streamlined through Cisco’s Connected Justice solution. Through connectivity of mobile devices, cameras, sensors, transfer vehicles, the Internet of Everything (IoE) allows law enforcement, courts and corrections staff to streamline the justice process. Cisco’s solution provides a unified network platform to automate justice workflow and, therefore, removes barriers between systems, agencies, people and processes as critical information is transferred.

Convergence is at the heart of connecting people, process, data and things anytime, anywhere. For those working within the U.S. justice system the convergence of IoE can streamline processes through faster collaboration. It can benefit inmates by reducing processing times and, simultaneously, improve security for justice workers while providing enhanced public safety to the community.

One simple example can illustrate the principle. Arraignments require defendants to appear before a judge to conduct a formal reading of the criminal charges. This heightens security risks for law enforcement officials and the public, increases administrative costs to safely transfer the defendant to and from the arraignment and slows the entire process should there be multiple court facilities with which the defendant must connect. Through secure, remote video for motions and testimony directly from detainees’ holding facilities, many of these risks can be eliminated.

I will be presenting on the power of a better connected justice system at the National Center for State Court’s upcoming CTC conference in Minneapolis on September 22-24. As a retired Judge, I have been in the trenches and understand the complexities of day-to-day operations within a court system. Cisco’s solution set is designed and operates based upon real needs and experiences of actual law enforcement, courts and corrections users.

This summer I will release a series of blogs to provide an overview of Cisco’s Connected Justice solution. Together, we will explore how public safety is affected, how the solution is expanding and the benefits associated with its growth. We will discuss how judges, attorneys, probation officers, jailers and other key stakeholders in the system can use technology to help increase efficiency while simultaneously reducing costs without compromising the fair and equal access to justice.

To learn more about Cisco’s Connected Justice solution visit us here.