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Connecticut Announces Funding to Upgrade IT Systems for Prosecutors and Public Defenders

The grant funds will be used to purchase laptops, scanners, software and hardware.

Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell today announced that $210,000 in federal grant funds will be provided to the Judicial Branch to immediately improve and upgrade the information technology systems of Connecticut's prosecutors and public defenders.

The money will help the Division of Criminal Justice and the Division of Public Defenders Services implement new mandates enacted in Public Act 08-1, An Act Concerning Criminal Justice Reform, concerning more efficient case management systems, better information technology and more training for criminal justice professionals.

"One of the things we learned from my Sentencing and Parole Review Task Force is that we have to 'work smart' -- not only do we need good laws, we need a solid infrastructure to support the men and women who are on the front lines of the criminal justice system," Governor Rell said. "It is essential that all of the 'moving parts' work together -- and in our modern world, that means a computer system that ties together information about criminal records, sentencing and parole and probation status.

"We have made great strides in strengthening the laws and policies that deal with violent crime and perpetrators in Connecticut," Rell said. "That work will continue in the legislative session that has just begun. Meanwhile, we are actively implementing the changes we enacted in January, including technological advances. The Office of Policy and Management will be working with the agencies to finalize their technology requirements and I expect that these purchases will be hitting the desks of the front-line employees within a few weeks."

The grant funds will be used to purchase laptops, scanners, software and hardware consistent with the needs identified by the Sentencing and Parole Review Task Force and the planning objectives of the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) Governing Board.

The technology upgrades and training will also enable the agencies to meet the objectives and mandates of Public Act 06-193, An Act Concerning Criminal Justice Policy and Planning and the Establishment of a Sentencing Task Force, which requires OPM and other agencies to promote more effective and cohesive criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to develop and implement an offender re-entry strategy.

OPM will allocate federal funds from the U.S. Department of Justice, Byrne Justice Assistance grant (JAG) to the Office of the Chief States Attorney and the Office of Chief Public Defender to purchase new technology to supplement the upgrades proposed in the Governor's budget and bond package.

Separately, Governor Rell named Lt. Governor Michael Fedele as her co-chair to the CJIS Governing Board pursuant to Section 39 of Public Act 08-1. The Lieutenant Governor will act as the designee of OPM.

"The employees of these Judicial Department agencies have critically important responsibilities," Rell said. "We must provide them with the best resources possible in order to ensure that accurate and consistent information is provided to all of our criminal justice partners. These technology upgrades will make an immediate impact on the integrity of our information systems."