WITHDRAWN

Proposal to modify/enhance ICOTS application:

Allow Users to Select the Specific CAR and Multiple CARs to Which They Are Replying

Proposed by: Technology Committee (via DCA Liaison Committee)
Enhancement No: ER_2020_03_ChooseCARToReplyTo_Technology

Users Impacted:

PO (Field User), Supervisor, Compact Office

Statement of Need:

The current CAR system is flawed. Currently, when multiple CARs are sent and not responded to, CAR responses from another state that are unrelated to the intended CAR being responded to is attached to the oldest CAR previously sent. This can create confusion among ICOTS users. Important information can be "buried" Into CARs that are old and irrelevant. ICOTS should be changed so users can pick which CAR they are responding to. ICOTS is a great program for sharing information about an offender's case. The flow of said information should be more organized and user friendly.

National Office Suggestions:  Add the ability to select multiple CARs to respond to.  This will assist in cleanup efforts when states fail to respond to multiple CARs with same request.

Current Practices:

Many users often call stating that they received an email for a compact action request but they cannot find it. Our office tells users to look at the dates for the CARs and to locate the CAR by the date. Often times, the CAR they were looking for is attached to a CAR that may have been sent over one year ago.

The following information is drafted by the Technology Committee

Justification of Enhancement Priority:

This enhancement will make the information in CARs more organized and user friendly. The flow of information chronologically is widely adopted by many other systems. The current CAR system sometimes does not allow for the chronological flow of information and can make gathering case information confusing and difficult. For example, if agents are gathering information for a violation report, it is often the practice to print CARS and CAR responses for violation hearing evidence. When a CAR is responded to and attached to an older, irrelevant CAR, this can also create confusion for hearing officers/authorities.

Region/Committee action:

DCA Liaison Committee February 2020: Chair T. Hudrlik (MN), presented an ICOTS Enhancement proposal submitted by the State of Minnesota.  The proposal was to add users’ ability to choose the CAR they were responding to. Currently, users had to reply to each CAR to keep it on the top of their list.

ICOTS Project Manager X. Donnelly clarified that the system was designed that way to ensure two-way communication between the states and to verify the CAR was received by the other state.

The committee discussed changing ICOTS requirement to mandate responses to CARs.

The committee decided to proceed with the enhancement as originally drafted.

DCA N. Latulippe (CT) moved to forward MN enhancement request to the Technology Committee for consideration as drafted. DCA S. Hammond (IA) seconded. Motion passed. 

Technology Committee April 20, 2020:  The committee reviewed ER-2020-03 Allow Users to Select the Specific CAR to Which They are Replying enhancement proposed by the DCA Liaison Committee and submitted by the Technology Committee. The national office suggested the enhancement should also include the ability for users to reply to multiple Compact Action Requests with a single reply.

DCA M. Billinger (KS) supported the proposal.

Commissioner J. Lopez (WI) moved to approve and refer enhancement proposal ER-2020-03 Allow Users to Select the Specific CAR to Which They are Replying to posting for comments as presented. Commissioner D. Blanchard (UT) seconded. Motion passed.

Technology Committee July 14, 2020:  The committee reviewed the comment received for ER_2020_03 Allow Users to Select the Specific CAR and Multiple CARs to Which They Are Replying enhancement.

Commissioner M. Pevey (WA) moved to approve ER_2020_03 Allow Users to Select the Specific CAR and Multiple CARs to Which They Are Replying enhancement as written for full Commission vote at the 2020 ABM. Commissioner J. Lopez (WI) seconded. Motion passed.

Technology Committee August 18, 2020:  Commissioner B. Jean (NH) moved to remove the enhancement ER_2020_03_ChooseCARToReplyTo_Technology from consideration at this time. Commissioner D. Blanchard (UT) seconded. Motion passed.

Impact on Other ICOTS Processes:

No impact on rules or other ICOTS processes.

Impact to External Data:

CAR identifying data is already provided to the compact_action_requests table in data export which may be modified due to this change. 

Development Cost:

$30,450

Functional Specifications Drafted by National Office:

Modify Compact Action Reply Assistant to display only one row per User with unanswered Compact Action Requests, rather than multiple rows of one per request.

Add new CAR Response Selection Form.

Display imbedded Multi-select field of Compact Cases.

Modify the Review Compact Action Request screen on the Compact Action Request Response Change Title to: Review Compact Action Request(s) for <Offender Name>

Modify the Preview Screen on the Compact Action Request Response. Under Request Items, add the field Requested Date.

Modify the Compact Action Request Response PDF to repeat the whole Request portion of the PDF to display every Compact Action Request which this Response addresses.