Criminal Justice Technology in the News

Suffolk Police to Deploy License Plate Readers Amid Recent Gang Slayings in Brentwood
Long Island Press, (10/24/2016), Rashed Mian
Suffolk County, N.Y., police plan to use automatic license plate readers to help stem violent gang activity. Using a $1 million state grant, police plan to purchase and deploy at least 50 license plate readers across Brentwood, Central Islip and Bay Shore following six suspected gang-related murders that have occurred since September. The short-term goal is to use the devices to solve open cases, officials said, and ultimately "decimate" the gangs responsible for the crimes. Police believe the technology can be used as a "virtual net" encircling the perimeter of targeted neighborhoods to make it difficult for known gang members to pass through unnoticed. Since September, the department has aggressively targeted known gang members and boosted patrols in and around Brentwood.
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LMPD Says Gunshot Detection System Could Help Investigate City's Shootings
WDRB, (10/26/2016, Kyle Mitchell
Police in Louisville, Ky., want to use a gunshot detection system to improve response time and help with investigating shootings. The detection systems use a network of microphones to triangulate the sound of gunshots and provide a location to police. The department recently presented research on the systems to the Louisville Metro Council Public Safety Committee. The department would like to have a system in place within a year.
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County to Receive Federal Funds to Combat Drug Trafficking
Sun Current, (10/23/2016), Christiaan Tarbox
Five Wisconsin counties will receive federal funds to help combat drug trafficking, thanks to a special designation from a national drug control program. The counties of Anoka, Dakota, Ramsey, Washington and Hennepin were included in the Wisconsin High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area on Oct. 13. Under the program, the counties would receive future federal resources to aid their drug control efforts.
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There's a New Way to Take Down Drones, and it Doesn't Involve Shotguns
Ars Technica, (10/26/2016), Dan Goodin
A researcher has devised a way to interfere with a drone using a radio transmitter to hijack the device and take control. The original operator's remote control experiences a loss of all functions, including steering, acceleration and altitude. The hack works against any drone that communicates over DSMx, a remote control protocol for operating hobbyist drones, planes, helicopters, cars and boats. The device was presented recently at the PacSec 2016 security conference in Tokyo by Jonathan Andersson, the advanced security research group manager at Trend Micro's TippingPoint DVLab division.
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State Launches Program for Students to Anonymously Report Threats, Concerns
Casper Star Tribune, (10/27/2016), Elise Schmelzer
Wyoming students can anonymously report threats or safety concerns to law enforcement and school authorities through a new program. The students can use Safe2Tell Wyoming, a computer and phone application tip line, to report threats of violence, bullying, drug use and other issues. The program is based on the Safe2Tell program launched in Colorado in 2004.
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Donor Gives $18k for Body Cameras for Lebanon Police
Union Leader, (10/31/2016), Meghan Pierce
An anonymous donor has provided $18,000 to pay for 10 body cameras for police in Lebanon, N.H. The donation also covers accessories, hardware, installation, training and support required to integrate the cameras into police operations. The cameras will be shared by the roughly 22 officers assigned to the patrol division and other officers who may be working a uniformed patrol assignment.
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Corrections News

Less Crime, and Fewer Incarcerations
Harvard Gazette, (10/28/2016), Sibella Matthews
New York City experienced a substantial decrease in violent crime and incarcerations in an 18-year period, according to a new study. The paper, "Better by Half: The New York City Story of Winning Large-Scale Decarceration While Increasing Public Safety," was co-authored by Judith Greene, executive director of Justice Strategies, and Vincent Schiraldi, senior research fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management and a former New York City probation commissioner. The paper documents that between 1996 and 2014, the city's serious crime rate fell by 58 percent, while the jail and prison incarceration rate fell by 55 percent.
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Use of Force Simulator Demonstrated
Daily Citizen, (10/31/2016)
The Moraine Park Technical College criminal justice-corrections program recently hosted a use of force simulator demonstration for local corrections and law enforcement agencies. The simulator allows students at the Wisconsin college to respond to real-life crisis scenarios in a simulated, virtual environment. Users can hold firearms and other instruments while navigating a simulated scenario projected on a screen. Agencies viewing the simulator included correctional institutions, sheriff's departments and police departments. Security director Dylon Radtke of Dodge Correctional Institution said the simulator showcased promising features for future training and he plans to reserve the equipment to help train his staff.
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Jail Visits Are Going Away. But You Can Chat With an Inmate for 40 Cents a Minute
Miami Herald, (10/27/2016), Gwen Filosa
Monroe County jails in the Florida Keys are among the latest correctional facilities to allow only video visits with inmates. The sheriff is installing a digital system that will allow people to have virtual visits with inmates from their homes for about 40 cents per minute. It will remain free to go to a jail to visit an inmate at any of three county jails across the Florida Keys, but as of November 7, all visits will be conducted through video and must be scheduled at least eight hours in advance, according to Deputy Becky Herrin, spokeswoman for the Monroe Sheriff's Office.
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A Prison Drama Written and Performed by Prisoners
WBHM, (10/28/2016), Andrew Yeager
A new radio drama written and performed by prison inmates is airing on an Alabama radio station. "Corrections" is a health-themed drama produced by the University of Alabama at Birmingham and written and performed by inmates at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in western Jefferson County. The first episode aired recently on WJLD AM 1400.
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FBI's Cyber Investigation Certification Program

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, the FBI's Cyber Division and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, has developed the new Cyber Investigation Certification Program. The self-guided online program is available to federal, state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement personnel on the FBI's Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal. Each course has an assessment at the end of the training, and upon successful completion of each course, participants will receive a course certificate. The first responder course is available now and additional courses are in planning and development. To find out more, go to https://fbi-cicp.cert.org/lms.

Criminal Justice Technology in the News

School Safety Report Recommends Cellphone Ban, More Police in Delaware Schools
WDEL, (10/18/2016), Amy Cherry
Banning all cellphones in Delaware schools is one of several recommendations in a new school safety report. The report was issued by the Special Committee on School Safety, which was formed after a student was killed in a bathroom at a Wilmington high school earlier this year. The report cited gang violence and cyberbullying, and committee members said cellphones are aggravating school violence problems. The panel asked for a pilot program initiative in at least one district, where cellphones would be banned or significantly restricted. The panel also recommended the state fund technology and training programs to help teachers and administrators deal with cyberbullying, and add school resource officers in all school districts.
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For Maine Law Enforcement, No Liftoff on Drones for Doing Police Work
Portland Press Herald, (10/19/2016), Kate McCormick
Most law enforcement agencies in Maine are not using unmanned aircraft systems in their work, citing cost, state and federal regulation, and a lack of manpower, according to an informal survey by the Portland Press Herald. Last year, the Maine legislature passed a law regulating how law enforcement can use drones. The Maine law requires police to obtain a search warrant before using drones in criminal investigations, solicit approval from local governments before purchasing a drone and develop drone policies that meet minimum standards set by the state.
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Smyth County Deputies to be Armed to Reverse Opioid Overdoses
Swvatoday.com, (10/20/20160, Stephanie Porter-Nicols
Sheriff's deputies in Smyth County, Va., are among the latest law enforcement officers to be equipped with Naloxone, which is used to reverse opioid overdoses. The sheriff's office will use a $1,200 grant to place 16 Naloxone kits in patrol vehicles. Since 2007, prescription painkillers and heroin have killed more than 4,400 people in Virginia. Nationwide, heroin and opioids account for approximately 25,000 deaths per year.
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School Shooting Drill Tests Readiness and New Police Drones
Modesto Bee, (10/22/2016), Marijke Rowland
The Modesto Police Department recently used unmanned aerial vehicles in an active shooter training exercise held in conjunction with the Stanislaus Union School District. The department unveiled its new unmanned aircraft in August. The UAVs are equipped with cameras that can record and give real-time images to pilots on the ground. For the drill, a mobile command with video screens served as home base for the UAV operators, who then relayed information to officers on the ground.
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3D-Printed Fake Hand Fools Fingerprint Readers
Michigan Radio, (10/21/2016), Newsroom and Catherine Shaffer
Michigan State University scientists testing the accuracy of commercial fingerprint scanners discovered that the scanners can be tricked with a 3D-printed fake hand. The finding was incidental to their goal of testing the accuracy of a set of fingerprint scanners. To design a consistent and repeatable scanner test, the researchers designed a 3D replica of human fingers in the form of a glove with fingerprints on all five fingers. The intention was to develop a method for testing and calibrating commercial scanners, as requested by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Once they began testing the scanners, it became apparent that the fake hand could be used to spoof a fingerprint reader. If someone could acquire a set of fingerprints, and makes a fake hand with those fingerprints, they would have the same access privileges as the owner of the prints.
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Courts News

Shelby Court to Get New Justice Information System
The Commercial Appeal, (10/24/2016), Katie Fretland
Shelby County, Tenn., plans a major change in November to the computer system that tracks information about criminal cases. As part of a $9.7 million project to integrate criminal justice information systems with new technology, information from cases since 1981 will be reformatted into a new system for people who need minute-by-minute access, according to Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft. The project will bring new websites to the public and software to public defenders and prosecutors, as well as launching a new offender management system for the Shelby County Sheriff's office, Shelby County Jail and Division of Corrections.
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Corrections News

Mystery Drones Fly Over State Prisons in Sullivan County
MidHudsonNews, (10/20/2016)
New York State Police and prison officials are trying to determine who has been flying drones nightly over the Sullivan and Woodbourne correctional facilities. The flyovers by three to five drones at a time began in mid-October, according to state police. They appear in the late afternoon to early evening and fly as late as 11 p.m. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision bans use of unmanned aircraft systems over a correctional facility's property.
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As Inmate Population Climbs, Number of Corrections Officers Drops
Oklahoma Watch, (10/20/2016), Trevor Brown
As the number of inmates housed in Oklahoma state-run prisons grew by 12 percent from 2006 to 2016, the number of corrections officers overseeing the offenders dropped by 14 percent. During a legislative hearing on October 19, corrections officials and lawmakers warned this could put officers in danger and drain state funds by increasing overtime pay and the amounts paid to counties for holding state inmates in jails. Corrections Director Joe Allbaugh told the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee that because of funding constraints, his agency can fill only about 75 percent of its authorized positions, and maintaining that level is difficult because the department has trouble attracting and retaining employees.
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Kentucky Jail Using New Drug Treatment for Inmates Addicted to Opioids
CBS News, (10/19/2016), Jim Axelrod
A Kentucky jail has added administering the drug Vivitrol to its substance abuse treatment program to help inmates kick the opioid habit. The program in the Kenton County jail combines traditional psychotherapy and 12-step support groups with giving inmates an injection of Vivitrol just before they're released, and then once a month after release. The drug blocks the effects of opiates for up to 30 days. Vivitrol is designed to be taken for a year or two after release while an addict gets re-established in the community. Since February, 22 Kenton County inmates have completed the program and none have re-offended.
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Pilot Program for Correctional Facilities Gives Returning Citizens a Chance
Michigan Chronicle, (10/21/2016), Roz Edward
Detroit has a new job training program for prison inmates that includes training in environmental employment, culinary arts and hi-lo operation. Groups of approximately 25 inmates will be trained every month. The certifications gained allow inmates returning to the community the opportunity to interview for positions as soon as they are released. The program is funded by a $4 million grant from the Michigan Talent Investment Agency and the Department of Labor.
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Putting Telemedicine Behind Bars
Modern Healthcare, (10/22/2016), Erica Teichert
Correctional facilities are turning to telemedicine as a cost-effective solution for providing high quality care. In May 2016, New York City's Rikers Island jail complex began using telemedicine to treat its inmates. Since the initiative began, 52 inmate patients have had virtual checkups and information visits with infectious disease, gastroenterology and urology specialists. The visits allow doctors to spend up to 30 minutes with a patient. Although Rikers' telemedicine program has started small, the facility has a robust inmate intake program that could help NYC Health & Hospitals quickly ramp up telemedicine visits.
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Solitary Confinement for California Inmates Cut Sharply
SFGate, (10/24/2016), Bob Egelko
California has greatly reduced the use of solitary confinement and has nearly eliminated its long-term use in prisons under a year-old legal settlement, according to lawyers for the prisoners. The state had 9,870 prisoners in isolation cells in December 2012, shortly after inmates filed a class-action lawsuit. In August 2016 the total was down by 65 percent to 3,471, said the Center for Constitutional Rights, which represented the inmates. The center also reported a 97 percent reduction in the number of inmates kept in solitary confinement for 10 years or more. Under the lawsuit settlement approved by a federal judge in October 2015, inmates who have committed violent felonies in prison can be kept in solitary confinement for up to 10 years. They can be held longer only if they have been found to pose a continuing threat to other inmates or guards. Prior to the lawsuit, inmates were sometimes kept in solitary for 20 years or more, based on the prison system's findings that they were affiliated with gangs. Under the new rules, isolation cells are reserved for those guilty of assaults, weapons possession, drug dealing and other serious crimes while in prison.
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Among State Lawmakers, Compassionate Release of Inmates Is Divisive Issue
Boston Globe, (10/20/2016), Milton J. Valencia
Massachusetts state lawmakers are divided on proposed legislation to allow compassionate release of state inmates. Earlier this year, a bill calling for compassionate release of Massachusetts inmates cleared the Senate. The proposal was sent to a House committee and then for a study, which effectively killed it for the legislative session. Under a compassionate release program, a correctional facility can ask a judge to reconsider an inmate's sentence based on new circumstances, such as failing health. The proposed legislation would create a mechanism for the lawyer or family member of an inmate or a prison official to ask a judge to release a terminally ill inmate to the care of a family member or caretaker.
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Hancock Co. Sheriff Fights Drug Problem With Body Scanner
WISHTV, (10/21/2016), Jessica Smith
The Hancock County Sheriff's Department in Indiana is buying a $120,000 body scanner to help thwart the smuggling of drugs into the jail. So far this year, deputies have found drugs inside the jail 11 times, and there were 16 separate incidents last year. Earlier this year a cell block of women tested positive for drugs, after jail officials say a woman managed to sneak drugs inside.
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Parolee Drug Testing Finds Success in South Dakota
Argus Leader, (10/21/2016), Mark Walker
Some areas of South Dakota are employing a parolee drug testing program to reduce probation violations by drug offenders. The Fifth Judicial Circuit's 24/7 HOPE program is a random drug testing program. Participants are expected to call the sheriff's office every morning to see if it's their day to test. A person who fails a drug test is placed under arrest and taken to jail for a brief period. In some cases, a positive drug test ends in a defendant's probation being revoked.
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Sentence for Violating Monitoring Found Improper
Law.com, (10/24/2016), Joel Stashenko
A New York appeals court said a man was improperly sentenced when he could not pay the fee for a court-ordered monitoring device following his felony drunken-driving conviction. The Appellate Division, Third Department, panel ruled that Sullivan County Court Judge Michael McGuire did not have the authority to make a defendant pay the costs of monitoring for his ankle bracelet as one of the terms of his five-year probationary term in 2013.
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Drone Drops Becoming a Prison Problem
Kingston Whig-Standard, (10/21/2016), Ian MacAlpine
Drone sightings and contraband drops from the unmanned aerial vehicles over prisons continue to be a problem for Correctional Service Canada and its institutions. Through an Access to Information Act request, the Whig-Standard was given documents with details of drone sightings on six separate days and one drone drop of contraband at one area institution in 2015. Information on drone sightings or drops for 2016 is not yet available, an official from CSC said.
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Murder Blade Smuggled into Pentonville Prison Was Likely to Have Been Flown in by Drone
The Sun, (10/20/2016), Mike Sullivan
A large hunting knife smuggled into Pentonville prison and used to stab one inmate to death and critically wound two more may have been smuggled in by drone. A source said that the four-inch weapon found at the murder scene, "is not a knife that has been made inside a prison - a so-called shank. The conclusion is that is has been thrown over the wall or brought in by a drone."
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Winnebago County Prosecutors Want More Ankle Bracelets That Detect Alcohol Consumption
Rockford Register Star, (10/18/2016), Jeff Kolkey
Winnebago County State's Attorney Joe Bruscato wants to expand the use of an ankle bracelet monitoring device that detects when a defendant consumes alcohol. The Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring (SCRAM) device attaches to the ankle and detects alcohol consumption through contact with the skin. Since September 2015, it has been an option for Winnebago County (Ill.) judges in DUI cases as a condition of bond, probation, court supervision or conditional discharge. Bruscato wants to expand the program's use to other types of felony cases such as domestic violence, when alcohol is known to play a role in the behavior of a defendant.
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