State Corrections on the Internet: Five-Star Web Sites

In July 1996, my first column reviewed corrections agencies on the Internet. Today there are many more agencies with web sites, and many innovative features that deserve recognition and emulation. To recognize good work, and the encourage replication of the best features of web sites by other agencies, I have created the "Corrections Telecommunication and Technology Five Star Award." I will give them out when I see excellence and innovation in a corrections web site. Five Star Awards, and the web links that earned the awards, will be constantly updated at the Corrections Telecommunication and Technology Five Star Award Web Site.

Finding Corrections Agencies on the Internet -- Make sure your agency is listed

To review state corrections web sites. I first had to find a comprehensive list of the sites. A good place to start is the Corrections Connection Stage Corrections Agency Index. However, this site has missed (as of October 1997) several corrections agencies (Minnesota and Texas, for example), so it is good to check several listings. A good second source is the Yahoo Regional Index of States. Yahoo is a major directory of web sites, and you can search for a corrections agency by starting with the state government's primary web page.

Florida still leads.

My Five Star Award for an excellent overall web site in state corrections goes to Florida Department of Corrections. In this respect, my opinion remains unchanged from my July 1996 column. They have a style and a depth of features than is not matched by any other correctional agency web site.

Unicor demonstrate Online Marketing

My award for an excellent prison industry web site goes to Unicor, the Federal Prison System correctional industry organization. You and I (as private individuals) cannot buy anything from them, but, their online marketing is worth a visit anyway. Eligible agencies can view merchandise and read specifications at the web site, and enter an online order.

Florida and Oregon demonstrate online access to job information

If you are looking for work in corrections, Florida's Recruiting Site and Oregon's Career Site have excellent recruiting features. Their systems provide up-to-date information about job openings, tailored to the interests and qualifications of the person making the inquiry. Florida and Oregon have connected their web site to their recruiting record systems, so that the information is timely. Other agencies seem to have listing that were entered by the people who maintain the web sites, creating an extra step that may make some of the information incomplete or stale.

Oklahoma and Florida place procedures on line

A new feature of several web sites involves placing agency policies and procedures on the internet. In my previous review, several agencies did this for procedures that directly affected the public, such as visiting. However, Oklahoma Policies and Procedures and Florida Policy and Procedure Index makes practically all of their policies and procedures accessible through their web sites. Oklahoma gets the Five Star award, however, because their procedures are directly accessible, while Florida's must be downloaded (copied from the web site), decompressed, and viewed using local software. Managers may question the value of placing procedures on the internet. However, the major advantage is that it assures the availability of up-to-date versions of the procedures when and when they are needed. The next step will be to distribute procedures exclusively over the internet, so that people only make paper copies of the procedures that they need in paper form. This will save both time and trees.

North Carolina generates custom statistical reports on request

A Five Star Award goes to North Carolina for their Customized Statistical Report Site. At their web site, you can select from a wide range of statistics maintained by the Department, and specify the exact information that you want in the form that you want. A customized statistical report is automatically generated and delivered directly to your browser. This reporting system should reduce the number of specialized reports that the Department has to produce. Professors, college students, reporters, and legislative analysts will also appreciate this feature.

Florida wins another Five Star Award for Reports and Data Available Online. While not as technically advanced as North Carolina, the Florida page provides an extensive library of information on their services.

Best Prisoner Release Notifications

Florida Inmate Search and Illinois Inmate Release Notification have features that allow anyone to search for prisoners, by name, who have been recently released from prisoner or who may be released soon. A listing is generated that includes a small picture of the prisoner involved, as well as crime and sentence information. This feature is very cost-effective compared to the cost of staffing a phone line or a mail response operation to provide this information. It also provides a very timely and detailed response.

Great graphics -- you can almost smell the steel

Many corrections webs sites have the look and feel of a college or hotel marketing page. A friendly and progressive look may be most effective. However, Illinois gets a Five Star Award for the distinctive look and feel of their site. The home page has a steel-plated look that conveys the sense of a real prison. This may be depressing for some visitors to the site, but, corrections professionals who know traditional prisons will feel at home (or should I say "at work") at this site.

Joining with a university for distance learning for staff education

Florida is commended again for a very forward looking idea that, once fully implemented, should be very beneficial for the agency and for the staff. The Florida Department of has joined with Florida Gulf Coast University to offer college courses over the internet to corrections staff.

There are many colleges and universities that now offer courses over the internet. A good list of courses can be found at the World Lecture Hall of the University of Texas. An index of directories of programs can be found at Directory of Distance Education Programs. As corrections agencies introduce college credit and college degree requirements for professional advancement, it is important to develop college study resources for staff in areas not served by nearby academic programs in corrections.

Best Online Phone Directory

Doing a simple application well earns Oregon Five Stars. They have an Online Telephone Directory that provides useful information quickly and reliably. The directory is organized so that it branches from the central office to institutions and programs.

Best prisoner program innovation

Most web sites are targeted to assist the public. However, Ohio Jobs Program has developed an application that should enhance the effectiveness of correctional programs. They provide information about ex-offenders who are about to be released from prison, documenting their job skills and preparation for release. Employers can find ex-offenders according to skill and locality of release. This page provides positive information that should motivate prisoners toward self-improvement, and facilitate effective reintegration into the law-abiding community on release.

I have again resisted the temptation to criticize web site features. However, maybe next year I should develop another award for features deserving criticism. Perhaps I should all this the "Broken Link" award. Based of my review of this year's sites. My categories would be:

• the most tedious commissioner's resume
• the most vacuous mission statement
• the slowest response over the internet.

Perhaps only the suggestion of this award will encourage some corrections systems to review their web site and consider some of the excellent applications that other agencies have already implemented.