Criminal Justice Technology in the News

Law Enforcement News

Department Upgrades Body Armor Vests
KAIT Region8 News, (09/14/2017), Japhanie Gray
The Jackson County Sheriff's Department in Arkansas has purchased 16 heavy duty metal plates to use inside body armor. The plates, paid for with a $3,500 grant, weigh five pounds each and add protection. Deputies have been wearing the extra plate during high-risk situations and on search warrants.
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Ore. Trooper Saved by Ballistic Vest
PoliceOne.com, (09/13/2017), Samantha Matsumoto for The Oregonian
An Oregon state trooper on an attempted traffic stop near Creswell was saved by his ballistic-resistant vest when the suspect shot him. The trooper returned fire and the suspect fled; he was captured later in the day.
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UPD Trains Faculty for Active Shooter Situation
Pipe Dream, (09/17/2017), Sasha Hupka
Police recently held a training at Binghampton University on strategies for surviving an active-shooter situation. The training used simulation, discussion and a video. Madeline Bay, deputy chief of police at Binghamton University's New York State University Police, said police have been training students, faculty and staff on the topic for years.
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Local Sheriff, Police Departments Receive Over $20,000 in Grants
Cannon Courier, (09/18/2017)
Approximately 400 grants exceeding $18 million will be distributed to law enforcement agencies in Tennessee to support local highway safety initiatives. The grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be distributed through the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. The Cannon County Sheriff's Department received a $10,000 grant and the Woodbury Police Department received $10,700.
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New Jersey Schools Turn to Anti-Drug Programs in Response to Opioid Crisis
CBS New York, (09/18/2017)
Anti-drug programs such as LEAD and DARE are being revived in New Jersey as part of the response to a surge in opioid use. Twenty-three law enforcement officers from across New Jersey are training in Somerset County to become DARE officers. DARE and Law Enforcement Against Drugs offer drug education and violence prevention programs.
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UMD Opens Outdoor Flight Laboratory to Advance Autonomy, Robotics
The University of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering has opened a netted enclosed outdoor flight laboratory for testing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. Located near the main College Park campus, the Fearless Flight Facility is a 100-foot wide, 300-foot long and 50-foot high netted enclosure that allows testing in wind and weather conditions. It also serves as a link between the Clark School of Engineering's College Park labs and the university's UAS Test Site in Maryland's St. Mary's County.
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Corrections News

Correctional Officers Need Raises, Lawmakers Told
Charleston Gazette-Mail, (09/17/2017), Phil Kabler
West Virginia lawmakers were recently told the state needs to raise starting salaries for correctional officers in state prisons and regional jails in order to compete with pay rates in neighboring states and reduce high turnover rates. Regional Jail Authority executive director David Farmer told a legislative committee the state needs to raise salaries to at least $30,000 from the current $24,664 to stay competitive. Farmer said regional jails lost 600 officers last year and currently have 255 vacancies.
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Jail Staff Trained to Use Narcan to Prevent Opioid Overdoses
The Morning Call, (09/17/2017), Pamela Lehman
The staffs at jails and work release facilities in Northampton and Lehigh counties in Pennsylvania are now trained to use naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses. Despite efforts to keep contraband out, authorities acknowledge that drugs still make it into jails. This summer, both county jails announced a program to offer inmates Vivitrol, a drug used to block cravings for opioids and alcohol. The program also offers inmates educational therapy, including advice on coping skills and strategies to stay clean.
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Jail Training Aims to Improve Addiction Treatment
Bismarck Tribune, (09/11/2017), Jack Dura
North Dakota jail administrators and medical and mental health staff met in September to discuss issues surrounding inmate addiction treatment. The Heartview Foundation and Community Medical Services contracted with the North Dakota Department of Human Services for correctional training and technical assistance, working with jails to help develop policies.
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Lancaster's Life-Training Boot Camp Keeps People From Returning to Prison
The Inquirer, (09/15/2017), Bobby Allyn for WHYY
A Pennsylvania intensive care-management program to help incarcerated individuals succeed after release is having impressive results. The Lancaster model has a recidivism rate of just 15 percent among former inmates who participate in the program in Lancaster. Program participants are provided with transitional housing and job workshops on personal finances, resumes and learning how to talk about the offense that landed them behind bars. Each person is assigned a case manager, who monitors weekly goals. Probation and parole officials in Lancaster are partners in the program.
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How Diverting Mothers From Prison May Break the Cycle of Incarceration
PBS News Hour, (09/14/2017), Rebecca Beitsch for Stateline
This article discusses the benefits of programs that divert mothers from prison. In Oklahoma City, pregnant women who are facing imprisonment for nonviolent offenses can avoid doing time and stay with their children by participating in a program known as ReMerge. The program, which is also open to mothers who have already lost custody of their children, includes two years of intensive therapy, parenting classes and job training. Women who graduate have their charges dropped.
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