U.S. Department of Justice 
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 
www.cops.usdoj.gov 

Jail Information Model 

By:
John Matthews 


Jail Information Model

This project was supported by cooperative agreement 
#2004CKWXK016 by the Office of Community Oriented 
Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice. The 
opinions contained herein are those of the author and do 
not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. 
Department of Justice. References to specific companies, 
products, or services should not be considered an 
endorsement thereof by the author(s) or the U.S. Justice 
Department. Rather, the references are illustrations to 
supplement discussion of the issues. 



Acknowledgments 

The author gratefully acknowledges Carl Peed, director of 
the COPS Office, for his vision in seeing the tremendous 
benefit to communities throughout the nation in 
developing and implementing a jail information project. 
A special note of gratitude is reserved for Fred Wilson, 
director of training, National SheriffsAssociation, for 
his unyielding support throughout the years on innovative 
public safety projects. Sincere thanks are also in order 
to Cynthia Pappas, COPS Office project manager; and to 
Sergeant Marty Parsons and Corporal Randy Shelton of 
the Forsyth County (North Carolina) Sheriffs Office for 
their invaluable contributions to this project. 



Abstract 

The Jail Information Model is a new process designed 
to cultivate jail-based information about internal and 
external safety and security issues, and to disseminate it 
to the appropriate offices or agencies in order to solve or 
prevent crimes and improve public safety. 

This Jail Information Model encourages and promotes 
a paradigm shift from traditional corrections activities 
to proactive public safety capabilities. This shift helps 
to solve current crimes, prevent future crimes or reduce 
their impact, save lives and property in the jail and the 
community, and improve community quality of life. 

In jails where this model or similar models have been 
institutionalized, officers lives have been saved, drug 
distribution networks have been seized, and potential 
crimes have been stopped. In the three pilot sites used in 
this project, more than one dozen homicides have been 
solved, rapists brought to justice, theft rings disbanded, 
and serial robbers arrested based on information that 
was collected, disseminated, and acted on using the Jail 
Information Model. 

 



Table of Contents 

Section                                      Page 

Acknowledgements ............................iii 
Abstract ....................................v

I. Introduction .............................1 
Assessment of the Existing Problem ..........1 

II. Overview ................................3 

A. Project Development ......................3 
Mission .....................................4 
Goals .......................................5 
Objectives ..................................5 

B. Basic Project Parameters .................5 
Process vs Program ..........................6 
Staffing ....................................6 
Equipment ...................................6 
Information Flow ............................7 
Paradigm Shift ..............................7 
Information vs Intelligence .................8 
Training ....................................9 

C. Obstacles to Implementation ..............9 

III. Jail Information Model .................11 

A. Information-Gathering Process ............11 
Data Sources ................................12 
Information Gatherers .......................13 
Documentation ...............................14 

B. Coding ...................................15 

C. Dissemination ............................18 

D. Evaluation, Use, and Feedback ............19 


IV. Work Kit Development ....................23 

A. Jail Information Monograph ...............23 

B. Forms and Templates ......................23 

C. Training .................................24 

D. Training Posters .........................26 

E. CD-ROM ...................................27 

V. Jail Information Model Pilot Sites .......29 

A Organizational Acceptance .................29 

B Pilot Site Process ........................29 

C. Pilot Site Selection .....................31 
Tulsa County, Oklahoma ......................31 
Pierce County, Washington ...................32 
Bergen County, New Jersey ...................33 

D Pilot Site Training and Jail 
Information Model Implementation ............34 

E Summary of Pilot Site Results: 
the First 6 Months ..........................37 

F. Key Findings from the Pilot Sites ........38 

G. Key Benefits of the Jail 
Information Model ...........................39 

VI. The Future ..............................41 

For More Information ........................41 
About the Author ............................43  


I. Introduction 

I only ask for information. 
David Copperfield (Charles Dickens) 

Assessment of the Existing Problem 

In the post-9/11 era, information collection and sharing 
has become of vital importance to this nation. Peter 
Brookes, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, 
stated that Information is our first line of defense, and it 
must be shared both vertically within organizations and 
horizontally across organizations involved in homeland 
security. 

The 9/11 Commission also agreed that the need 
for information collection and sharing is of critical 
importance and that the purpose of improving 
information analysis and sharing is to provide better 
information throughout the federal government and 
ultimately to state and local governments, the private 
sector, and our citizens so that collectively we are 
better prepared. Whether information is obtained by 
federal agencies at the national level, gathered by local 
law enforcement organizations, or collected by citizens 
just trying to protect their neighborhoods, information 
involving public safety is of critical importance. 

One environment rich in public safety information that 
has been largely ignored is this nations county and local 
jails. These facilities, ranging from a few beds in small 
and rural counties to tens of thousands in our major 
metropolitan areas, house individuals who are involved 
to some degree in a wide range of past, present, and 
potential future criminal activities. These inmates are the 
key to a tremendous repository of criminal and terrorist 
information. 

County jails are central to local public safety operations 
and criminal justice involvement. They house the 
inmates involved in a wide variety of offenses, are used 
by many (if not all) of the local jurisdictions, including 
sheriffs offices, municipal police departments, state 
police, and in many cases even federal agencies. The 
jails are accessed by the courts on a regular basis, 
and often the district attorneys investigators or state 
prosecutors office representatives can be found working 
on active cases within the confines of these correctional 
institutions. 

The Heritage 
Foundation, Heritage 
Lecture 764, October 11, 
2002. 

9/11 Commission 
Report: Reorganization, 
Transformation and 
Information Sharing, GAO, 
August 3, 2004. 



Information developed in local and county jail systems 
can have an impact on past, current, and future cases. 
It has the potential to give some families closure and 
prevent others from experiencing the loss of a loved one. 
Information developed in holding cells, workout areas, 
recreation yards, and in dorms can save lives both inside 
the facility (inmates and corrections officers) and outside 
by preventing crimes or stopping a planned terrorist 
attack. 

The potential upside to the formal collection and 
appropriate dissemination of jail information is often 
greater than can be measured (such as the saving of 
lives), while the cost of implementing a formalized 
system is almost nonexistent. Each and every day, local 
corrections officers overhear important information that 
could change or save lives. By adopting and using a 
formal jail information collection and dissemination 
system, corrections officers are no longer just casual 
participants in the local criminal justice system; they 
now become key players in community safety and 
security. 



II. Overview 

A. Project Development 

In December 2004, the National Sheriffs Association 
hosted a series of roundtable meetings with 
representatives of small, medium, and large jails to 
collect primary information about the current status of 
their information collection and dissemination activities 
or programs. 

Researchers discovered that while sheriffs are charged 
nationally with overseeing jail operations (more than 80 
percent of the nations jails are operated by sheriffs), and 
jail directors are responsible for the safety and security of 
those facilities, only a small percentage of local jails have 
a formal information collection and distribution system. 
According to New Realities: Law Enforcement in the Post 
9/11 Era, Information sharing must become a policy, 
not an informal practice and more often than not, jail 
officials stated that they either used informal systems to 
gather information or that they had no system at all in 
place. 

New Realities: Law 
Enforcement in the Post-
9/11 Era, Intelligence-
Led Policing: The New 
Intelligence Architecture. 
Bureau of Justice 
Assistance, 2005.

Even in some larger jurisdictions where formal systems 
existed, referral forms were rarely used by line-level 
corrections officers, so only a few designated individuals 
were assigned to collect information or follow up on jail-
based leads. At these facilities, only a limited amount 
of important information was being collected because 
a majority of the information gatherers had no formal 
authority and were not being used. In other facilities 
where formal information was being collected, it was 
only through passive collection where the inmate through 
some type of anonymous reporting procedure voluntarily 
provided information. Although this type of collection 
can yield valuable results, by its very nature a significant 
portion of important information may never be collected 
or acted upon. Often, active information collection was 
not being conducted because there was no formal system, 
proper awareness among corrections officers, little or no 
training programs, and no officer or employee recognition 
programs. 

Although a few major facilities, such as the Los Angeles 
County Jail, use their own information-collection 
process, the majority of the jails had no formal system to 
consistently gather, validate, and refer vital information 
throughout the local public safety system. This lack of 
a formal process is especially significant in light of the 


fact that when jail representatives were queried about 
the need for such a system, they continually pointed to 
the influx of organized activities within jails that affect 
the safety and security of the facility and the community. 
Respondents cited issues such as gangs, drugs, and 
terrorist activities when asked about challenges to their 
jail operations and to community safety. 

Based on the information developed by the National 
Sheriffs Association through its roundtable sessions with 
jail administrators, and personal interviews conducted 
with sheriffs throughout the country, researchers 
determined that jail administrators must have proactive 
and formalized jail information-gathering systems that 
result not only in obtaining information but in using and 
disseminating it properly. Armed with this information 
gathered through a formal data-collection system, 
personnel will be better equipped to make decisions about 
internal jail operations and improve communication with 
external entities to assist with community safety. 

Issues ranging from in-house gangs to external threats 
such as organized crime and terrorism can be more 
appropriately addressed using a formal, structured, 
information-gathering process. When in place, a Jail 
Information Model will offer a win/win situation for the 
jail, corrections officers, local law enforcement agencies, 
and the community. Jail directors and National Sheriffs
Association officials agreed that the benefits of this new 
process include the following: 

 Improved jail security and officer safety 
 Improved communications with staff and between 
jail and local law enforcement agencies 
 Improved involvement of corrections officers in 
public safety efforts 
 Improved community safety. 

Project Mission 

Based on the information gathered during the 
initial stages of the Jail Information Collection and 
Dissemination project and using grant funding provided 
by the COPS Office, the National Sheriffs Association 
established the following as its project mission statement: 

To develop a national model to collect jail-based 
information and disseminate it to appropriate law 
enforcement agencies in order to solve and/or prevent 
crimes and improve public safety. 



Project Goals 

To support the project mission statement, the National 
Sheriffs Association established the following project 
goals: 

 Collect information in the jail regarding:
 Internal jail safety and security issues
 Criminal activity within the jail
 Criminal activity outside of the jail

 Route the information to the appropriate office or 
agency for action. 

Project Objectives 

To attain the stated project goals and fulfill the projects 
mission, the National Sheriffs Association established 
two project objectives: 

1. Develop, within 1 year, an innovative jail-based 
information gathering and sharing model process 
that can be replicated by law enforcement agencies 
nationwide. 

2. Encourage a paradigm shift from traditional guard to 
proactive peacekeeper to prevent crimes, save lives, and 
improve community quality of life. 

B. Basic Project Parameters 

During the development of the Jail Information Model 
process, certain project parameters became apparent. If 
most local jails were going to be able to implement this 
innovative initiative, the model had to be user-friendly 
and require little or no additional training of personnel 
or costs. Further, because of limited budgets, the model 
had to be designed to require no additional staffing and 
no major capital expenditures. Jail officials needed to be 
able to focus on basic information collection instead of 
concerning themselves with investigative technique and 
information analysis. Administrators desired a model that 
they could tailor to their own specific jail demographics, 
the existing local public safety culture, and their unique 
community concerns. The following paragraphs detail 
some of these basic project elements. 


 
Process vs. Program 

From the initial meetings regarding the development 
of a Jail Information Model, program administrators 
agreed on the need to design a generic, replicable process 
that could be tailored successfully to the jail and its 
community, instead of to a static and inflexible program 
that may or may not be implemented in a county jail or 
municipal facility. 

Developers believed that this important distinction 
between a process and a program would have a direct 
impact on the use of this model at the pilot site locations 
and, in turn, would result in a highly successful initiative. 
Whereas many jail administrators may not want to 
implement some prepackaged federal program, most 
were open to examining a process that could be tailored 
specifically to their own unique demographics and 
organizational culture, and implemented under guidelines 
that they felt best suited their needs. Because program 
administrators offered a process instead of a program, the 
pilot agencies were much more open to learning about 
and ultimately implementing this innovative public safety 
initiative. 

Staffing 

No additional staffing is required to implement the Jail 
Information Model successfully. Although additional 
staff is certainly an option and no facility is prohibited 
from hiring additional personnel to staff positions such 
as a jail information officer, no additional positions are 
required to implement this model. Corrections officers 
and staff collected and documented information as part of 
their regularly assigned duties, and selected supervisors 
validated and disseminated the information to external 
and internal resources. 

Equipment 

No additional capital equipment purchases are required 
to implement the Jail Information Model successfully. 
All forms, background materials, and training aids are 
included in the Jail Information Model Work Kit, so jail 
administrators only need to make copies. In some cases, 
the forms are specifically tailored to the agency, but there 
is no need for the acquisition of any capital equipment or 
of major expenditures to support the initiative. 



Information Flow 

While it could be argued that information is the 
central and most essential element of this initiative, 
most practitioners advise that it is actually the flow of 
the information that is the most crucial aspect of the 
program. This action-oriented process of continual flow 
of information throughout the local public safety system 
drives the entire model. The flow is initiated when 
inmates provide information to the corrections officers or 
jail staff. From there it flows by a formal documentation 
to the designated jail information officer, who codes 
and validates the information and disseminates it to the 
appropriate internal or external agency. The final step 
in the process is completed when the receiving agency 
provides feedback to the jail and ultimately to the officer 
or staff member who initiated the information flow. 

If the flow of information is stopped at any point while 
in transit to the agencies or investigative units, the 
core information may become lost, devalued, or totally 
worthless, thereby negating the positive effects of the 
entire program. If the information flow is stopped 
between the agencies or units that use the information 
and those who have originally provided it, the feedback 
mechanism is diminished. When this happens, the jail 
staff may not feel that their efforts were valuable or 
worthwhile, and may not continue to actively seek out 
information that can be beneficial to the communitys 
overall public safety. Implementing agencies, therefore, 
must maintain an active feedback mechanism and 
provide some type of employee incentive program 
that reinforces the importance of active line-level 
participation in the process. 

Paradigm Shift 

Often relegated to entry level positions with lower pay 
and less prestige than their street officer counterparts, 
the corrections officers rarely played a major role in 
solving or preventing offenses. Their contribution to the 
criminal justice system seemed to be limited to the daily 
drudgery of inmate care and custody. Public or even 
peer recognition in the public safety community is rare, 
primarily because most corrections officers are rarely 
seen or heard outside of the jails in which they serve. 


One of the goals of the Jail Information Model is 
to elevate the status of the corrections officers by 
highlighting the important role they can now play in 
solving and preventing offenses. Armed with information 
developed and validated through the Jail Information 
Model process, corrections officers now become 
prevention officers and, in the process, can assist with 
both solving current offenses and preventing future ones. 

When corrections officers actively contribute to the 
reduction of crime in a community, their status level 
among their peers inevitably will be raised and their 
contributions noted, as increasing numbers of the public 
safety community acknowledge and recognize their 
important contributions. 

Information vs. Intelligence 

The Jail Information Model process focuses on gathering 
and corroborating primary information within the jail. 
This process does not address investigation or analysis 
of the information by the receiving agency or any 
intelligence that may develop on further investigation. 
While one of the primary goals of the Jail Information 
Model is to prevent crime, it does not focus on suspected 
criminal activities of individuals (pre-arrest information), 
but rather on the overall offense that may be committed. 
For example, information gathered may reveal that a 
gang shooting will take place later that night at a popular 
local club and, without knowing all of the specific details 
or players involved, local police can assign more officers 
to the area to prevent the offense from occurring. 

Corrections officers who typically are not trained 
investigative personnel are the primary users of the 
model. The focus, therefore, is on gathering information 
and not on analyzing intelligence. The corrections 
officers duty, therefore, is to collect data and not analyze 
or disseminate it. While supervisors or staff may review 
the data, their primary mission is to validate the data 
using their knowledge and background within the jail, 
and not analyze the information. The jail information 
officer should consider if the information comes from a 
credible source that has provided accurate information 
in the past, or if it came to light as part of an ongoing 
investigation that has already yielded positive results. 



The information should stand on its own, and the role 
of the jail information officer should be to send it to 
agencies that may have an interest in or be affected by 
the information. The receiving agency may then analyze, 
interpret, or disseminate the data as it deems appropriate 
or as required by federal statute. 

If an agency is receiving federal grant funds from 
the Department of Justice (DOJ) and intends to use 
those funds in connection with implementing the Jail 
Information Model, the agency may contact its DOJ 
funding agency to determine whether 28 C.F.R. Part 
23, Criminal Intelligence Systems Operating Policies 
(Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 
as amended) applies to the specific grant project. For 
additional information about 28 C.F.R. Part 23 and 
how it applies to DOJ grants, visit the Institute for 
Intergovernmental Researchs website at www.iir.com. 

Training 

The training associated with the Jail Information Model 
had to be as minimal as possible because of minimum 
staffing requirements in many jail facilities, the high cost 
of training, and the already overburdened professional 
development requirements that many jails face. To 
maximize the information presented to corrections 
officers and staff, the Jail Information Work Kit includes 
several training tools that could be used with little or no 
formal instruction. 

C. Obstacles to Implementation 

Throughout the research phase and the pilot site 
implementation, several factors were identified that could 
present possible obstacles to implementation at the jails. 
The following are some of the potential obstructions: 

 Labor union agreements and contracts. Although
key officials such as the sheriff or jail director may 
want to implement an information collection and 
sharing system, in many areas of the country this must 
be coordinated with labor unions representing jail 
employees. Even if the task of reporting information 
relating to jail safety and security is a current 
component of the employees job descriptions, the 
completing of forms and other tasks may require 
consultation or additional agreements with the labor 
union. 



 Employee resistance. Change within any system can 
create a feeling of uneasiness; therefore, implementing 
the program may require focused instruction on the 
benefits of the initiative to employees, public safety 
officials, and the community. 

 Employee sabotage. In rare cases, employee sabotage 
may occur if certain individuals are opposed to the 
implementation of a jail information system. 

 Organizational inflexibility. If the organization 
is inflexible in adapting to change or resistant to 
modification of its policies and procedures to support 
a jail information system, implementation may be 
impeded or permanently obstructed. 

 Managements lack of familiarity with requirements 
and organizational obligations. Even though support 
for the initiative may come directly from the chief 
executive officer, if the management staff members do 
not embrace and support the jail information program, 
successful implementation is unlikely. 

 Legal limitations and liabilities. In some cases, legal 
limitations, liabilities, or both, may limit or completely 
halt implementation of the jail information system. 



III. The Jail Information Model 

Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps 
through walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across 
electrified borders. 
Ronald Reagan (London, June 14, 1989) 

The cornerstone of this project is the Jail Information 
Model. This continuous cycle of information gathering, 
coding, dissemination, evaluation, use, and feedback 
ensures that timely information flows throughout the 
system and reaches all participating parties. 

A. Information-Gathering Process 

The initiating step in the Jail Information Model is the 
information gathering phase during which corrections 
officers and jail staff collect a wide variety of jail-based 
information. For the purposes of this project, jail-based 
information is defined as information regarding internal 
jail safety and security issues; criminal activity within the 
jail; and criminal activity outside of the jail. 

The duty of collecting and documenting information 
is not dramatically different from the daily duties of 
most corrections officers in this country. As a matter of 
fact, the U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor 
Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook describes 
some of a corrections officers basic duties as follows: 
Correctional officers periodically inspect the facilities, 
checking cells and other areas of the institution for 
unsanitary conditions, contraband, fire hazards, and 
any evidence of infractions of rules. In addition, they 
routinely inspect locks, window bars, grilles, doors, and 
gates for signs of tampering. Finally, officers inspect mail 
and visitors for prohibited items. Correctional officers 
report orally and in writing on inmate conduct and on the 
quality and quantity of work done by inmates. Officers 
also report security breaches, disturbances, violations of 
rules, and any unusual occurrences. They usually keep a 
daily log or record of their activities. 

Bureau of Labor 
Statistics, U.S. Department 
of Labor, Occupational 
Outlook Handbook, 2006-
07 Edition, Correctional 
Officers, on the internet at 
www.bls.gov/oco/ocos156. 
htm (visited March 23, 
2006).

Even though the what information to collect as defined 
above may seem broad, the how to collect for that 
information is just as sweeping. This is a process and not 
a program; therefore, within the Jail Information Model 
there is no one correct or standardized methodology 
suggested for collecting information. Information 
collection will vary from agency to agency and within a 
single jail system structure. 


Corrections officers and staff should use whatever 
methods are appropriate and accepted within the agency. 
In some organizations, policy allows corrections officers 
to proactively interview inmates. Other jails, however, 
may take a more passive approach and direct officers 
simply to be more aware of their surroundings and to pay 
attention to and document what is being said in housing 
areas or in dorms at night. A third option is to collect 
information by asking inmates to complete a form or 
questionnaire, while still other corrections officers may 
actively engage inmates in conversation. 

There are almost as many ways to gather information in a 
jail as there are types of information to gather. Although
how to collect information may appear on its surface as 
just being in the right place at the right time, interviews 
with jail professionals have revealed a more complicated 
methodology. 

Individuals who excel at information collection are those 
who have honed their personal data-gathering skills to 
fit the conditions of their own unique environment. They 
have learned through trial and error that there are times 
and locations where inmates will more readily provide 
the information that authorities deem important. Visiting, 
dining, and recreation areas; monitored telephone 
conversations; and the review of inmate mail have been 
traditional data-collection points. Information-gathering 
experts have also identified transportation and booking 
areas as likely places where inmates reveal important 
information or want to be heard. 

One key element of the Jail Information Model is that it 
allows for institutional and organizational flexibility. Not 
every facility has to collect information the same way. 
Some jail administrators may prefer an active collection 
system while others may believe in a more passive 
system. Whichever method of information collection is 
used, the key element for success is a formal system of 
collection, documentation, review, dissemination, and 
feedback. 

Data Sources 

In most corrections facilities there are a wide variety of 
primary data sources that may include the following: 

 Inmates visitors - friends, family (excludes 
information covered by attorney/client privilege)
 Inmates conversations 
 Inmates mail or other materials. 


 
Jail information collection officers and trained staff 
should be cognizant of the various primary data sources, 
and should remain alert at all times for opportunities to 
collect or cultivate these data. Some physical locations 
within the facility that may lend themselves to the 
collection of data include the booking area, housing 
units, visiting areas, and the cafeteria. 

Information Gatherers 

The core component of the Jail Information Model is the 
dedication and willingness of jail employees and staff 
to participate actively in the process. Concerned staff 
members who embrace this initiative are crucial to the 
success of this information gathering and disseminating 
process. 

To achieve the best results, the Jail Information Model 
should be as inclusive as possible. Information gatherers 
may include the following personnel: 

 Corrections officers 
 Staff (employee or contract)
 Custodians 
 Health care workers 
 Private contractors. 

Formal information gatherers are individuals who 
have been designated as jail information collection 
officers and who have received the required training 
and instruction on the Jail Information Model, as well 
as training in communications and interviewing skills. 
Informal information gatherers may include all other 
employees or individuals who want to participant in 
the program but have not been designated as such or 
received additional training. 

Whether formal or informal information gatherers are 
involved, the primary consideration is the collection, 
documentation, and reporting of the information to 
the designated jail information officer or team. Once 
jail information collection officers or staff members 
receive raw information that affects any of the three 

predefined areas (internal jail safety and security issues; 
criminal activity within the jail; and criminal activity 

outside of the jail), they should complete the appropriate 
documentation and refer the information to the jail 
information officer. In matters of safety and security, all 
employees and staff are encouraged to report information 
immediately. 



These professionals have also learned through experience 
that certain offenders will be more willing to chat with 
corrections officers after being incarcerated for various 
lengths of time. Although numerous variables must be 
considered and more research has to be developed in 
this area, corrections officers who excel at information 
gathering in the jails firmly believe that key information 
can be developed if officers are aware of their inmates
patterns of behavior. 

Additionally, jail information collection officers may 
be more productive if they can understand the inmates
personal motivations for sharing information. Research 
indicates that individuals share information with public 
safety officials for a variety of reasons. Some of the 
motivations for sharing information may include the 
following: 

 Gain  Financial and other incentive-based gain
 Personal  Revenge-driven
 Patriot  Loyalty-driven
 Excitement  Thrill-driven 
 Moral  Ethics-driven. 

If corrections officers can identify the motivations for 
inmates providing specific information, it may also 
assist them with the validation and verification of 
the information. For example, an inmate who may be 
incarcerated for a felony offense might come forward 
to provide information on a potential terrorist event, 
indicating that although he may be a criminal he is 
also an American who does not want to see his fellow 
citizens harmed by foreign terrorists. Taken as a whole, 
the information about the pending terrorist event and the 
inmates background and motivations may help officials 
with validation and assist in preventing an attack on 
United States soil. 

Documentation 

The final component of this first step in the Jail 
Information Model is the proper documentation of the 
information received. This element of the information-
gathering process is critical. Inadequate or improper 
documentation can lead to miscommunication, which 
could be extremely detrimental to those affected and to 
the entire Jail Information Model process. 


Designated information collection officers and staff 
members should use the appropriate documentation and 
referral form to report information to the jail information 
officer.  A sample referral form is shown below.

Image of Jail Information Model Referral Form

All documentation received should be considered 
valuable and retained for future reference and possible 
use. Often, investigations take weeks or months to 
complete, and documentation that may not have seemed 
valuable when it was first received may prove to be 
essential on further investigation. Information officers, 
therefore, should retain a copy of each submitted 
document, whether or not they validate and disseminate 
that information to other agencies.  

B.  Coding

The second portion of the Jail Information Model 
is coding, which is performed by the designated jail 
information officer (or jail information team).  This 
individual is usually a jail supervisor or commander 
responsible for receiving information and validating and 
disseminating it to the appropriate internal or external 
investigative agency. 



The jail information officer will code each referral 
form as internal or external. Information that is coded 
internal will be used to enhance jail operations or solve 
or prevent crimes from occurring in the jail. Examples 
of internal information include: planned assaults or 
attacks on corrections officers or other inmates, jail 
safety issues, inmate communication issues, contraband, 
and security issues. 

External information refers to information that can 
be used outside of the jail. External information may 
be provided to investigative units or law enforcement 
agencies that are investigating offenses including, but 
not limited to the following: 

 Crimes against persons
 Terrorism 
 Property crimes
 Gang offenses
 Homicides 
 Sexual assaults. 

External information includes data that may be used 
either within the sheriffs office by the appropriate 
investigative division, or outside of the sheriffs 
office by any of the participating agencies in the Jail 
Information Sharing System. Jail Information Model 
liaisons may want to meet individually with the agencies 
that are receiving the information to ensure that the 
information is being provided in both a timely manner 
and a format that can be used by the agency. External 
members of the Jail Information Sharing System may 
include the following: 

 County prosecutors office
 District attorney
 Other sheriffs offices 
 Local police departments
 State and federal agencies
 Special task forces. 


The Jail Information Sharing System is illustrated on the 
Jail Information Sharing poster shown below. 

Image of Jail Information Model poster


C.  Dissemination

Once the jail information officer or team validates 
(if possible) and codes the information as internal or 
external, the information is then classified as normal 
or red level distribution. 

Normal distribution is the typical classification for the 
majority of information that will be received. Normal 
distribution routes the information to the appropriate 
agency within a useful length of time. The normal 
coding will be used for most information collected, 
especially when offenses have already been committed.

Red level (or priority) distribution will be used when 
the information collected must be acted on immediately 
to prevent future offenses from occurring, for example, 
a bank robbery planned for later in the day. Red level 
distribution can also be used for any offense that could 
be prevented, damage minimized, or harm reduced if 
the information is provided to the appropriate agency 
immediately. A planned terrorist attack should be 
designated for red level or priority distribution.  

If the jail information officer is not sure whether to 
designate a specific referral as red level, it is always 
better to err on the side of safety and label it as red 
level, thereby allowing the receiving agency to take 
appropriate action.  This process is illustrated on the 
Jail Information Model poster shown below.  

Image of Jail Information Model poster



D. Evaluation, Use, and Feedback 

While the first three steps in the Jail Information Model 
are the responsibility of the jail administrators, their 
staff, or both, the final step is the responsibility of the 
receiving agency. The receiving agency should evaluate 
the information for usefulness. This is important for 
providing feedback to the originating agency. Not all 
information will be useful, but the receiving agency 
should determine the percentage of useful information 
generated by the program to determine if it will continue 
to participate in the initiative. 

If the information is valuable, it should be used by local 
or federal law enforcement agencies to clear or prevent 
offenses. For this model and the entire Jail Information 
Sharing Process to be of value to both the corrections 
facility and the end users, the information generated 
must be useful to the receiving agencies to enable them 
to improve community safety. If the receiving agency 
determines that most of the information is unreliable and 
unusable, then the integrity of the initiative may suffer 
and the entire process could be in jeopardy. If both the 
jail and the receiving agency make a concerted effort to 
verify the information, the reliability and accuracy of the 
information should increase its beneficial use. 

Finally, the receiving agency should provide feedback 
to the originating agency on the usefulness of the 
information and the usefulness of the overall Jail 
Information Model process. This feedback is extremely 
important, not only for the program but also for the 
individual corrections officers who participate. If they 
receive positive feedback and are acknowledged for their 
contributions toward preventing or solving crimes, they 
will be more likely to contribute in the future. 



This is an example of a feedback form. 

Jail Information Program 
Feedback Form 

This portion of the form is to be completed by the administrative section or investigative 
agency that has received the jail information referral. Once completed, return to the 
originating jail information referral officer or staff. 
For Administrative Staff or Investigative Agency Use: 
Information received from (jail name): ____________________________________ 

Information received by (officer and investigative unit): _______________________ 
____________________________________________________________________ 

Information utilized by (list investigative or administrative unit): ________________ 
____________________________________________________________________ 

Intelligence developed from information: __________________________________ 
____________________________________________________________________ 
____________________________________________________________________ 

Feedback form returned by: _____________________________________________ 

Date feedback form returned: ____________________________________________ 

This portion of the form is to be completed by jail staff overseeing the jail 
information referral program. 

For Jail Use: 
Feedback information provided to originating jail staff or officers by: ____________ 
____________________________________________________________________ 


 
Timely feedback not only closes the information loop but 
also serves as an impetus for both internal and external 
recognition systems. In some agencies, feedback is 
provided on the form. Depending on the size, scope, and 
publicity surrounding the specific case, it also may be 
accompanied by a letter of thanks from the investigating 
officers, or even a certificate of appreciation or 
recognition from the agency that cleared the case or 
arrested the offender based on information provided 
through the use of the Jail Information Model. 

Internally, the feedback form received by the generating 
officer may include notes of thanks or formal 
recognition for a job well done, signed by the sheriff, 
chief prosecutor, or agency executive. Whenever such 
feedback occurs, not only does the reporting corrections 
officer feel as if he or she is a more integral component 
of the overall public safety system, but it also reinforces 
to other employees the importance of the model and the 
personal and professional rewards that could be tied to 
proactive use of this innovative initiative. 



IV. Work Kit Development 

Before the Jail Information Model was implemented at 
the three designated pilot sites, the Community Safety 
Institute developed a specially designed Jail Information 
Work Kit for the National Sheriffs Association. The 
work kit assists agencies in providing training and 
in properly implementing the initiative. The Jail 
Information Work Kit contains the following tools: 

A. The Jail Information Model Monograph 

The Jail Information Model Monograph is a detailed 
examination of the project, its background, parameters, 
and the overall development of the process. This 22-page 
monograph also includes details on both the model and 
the process, and provides additional information for jail 
administrators who are interested in implementing this 
innovative project. 

B. Forms and Templates 

A variety of useful forms will assist jail administrators 
with implementing the Jail Information Model. Each 
form can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the 
individual facility and the specific way that the model 
can be implemented. These forms are available on the 
COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov: 

 Jail Information Referral Form 
 Jail Information Model Feedback Form 
 Jail Information Model Monthly Activity Report
 Jail Information Model Evaluation Report. 

Jail Information Referral Form. The Jail Information 
Referral Form should be used on a regular and ongoing 
basis to formally document information and report it to 
the jail information officer. 

Jail Information Model Feedback Form. The Jail 
Information Model Feedback Form is used to provide 
information back to the jail from the law enforcement 
or public safety agency that initially received the 
information and acted on it. This form closes the 
information loop and serves as notification to corrections 
officers that their efforts are valuable. 



Jail Information Model Monthly Activity Report. The Jail 
Information Model Monthly Activity Report records all 
referrals generated, interviews conducted, photos taken, 
internal and external referrals made to public safety 
agencies, and the feedback from those agencies. 

Jail Information Model Evaluation Report. The Jail 
Information Model Evaluation Report is designed to 
track and record internal data about the program, such 
as the number of referrals received, offenses cleared, 
crimes prevented, and offenders arrested based on the 
Jail Information Model. 

C. Training 

The training programs provided in the Jail Information 
Work Kit include the following: 

 Jail Executive Level 
 Jail Corrections Officer Level 
 Self-Paced Learning Systems
 External Public Safety. 

One of the primary project parameters used when 
developing this process was the requirement for minimal 
formal training. Budget restrictions and the costs 
associated with staffing the facility so that employees 
could attend training led the developers design a 
program that focused on awareness and procedures. 
In each course, attendees learn their specific roles 
and responsibilities regarding this model and how to 
implement the process to achieve the greatest results. 

To further this minimal training requirement, a self-
paced learning series was developed so that corrections 
officers and staff could review the training materials on 
their own time or during designated times when they 
had access to a computer terminal. Self-paced flexibility 
allows jail administrators and supervisors to determine 
when training should occur and lets them make the best 
use of the time allocated. 

Jail Executive Level. This training course was designed 
specifically for the sheriff and his or her command 
staff. It examines program acceptance and development, 
specifically addressing how a sheriffs office can 
implement the Jail Information Model successfully. It 
presents the mission of this project, its goals and specific 
objectives, and an overview of the jail information 
process that should be established prior to implementing 
this national model. 



Jail Corrections Officer Level. Unlike many new 
programs that require extensive training to fully 
implement their initiatives, the Jail Information Model 
requires only a minimal amount of formal instruction. 
This training course includes the overall process, its 
goals and objectives, information on new policies or 
procedures that are being used in the initiative or adopted 
to support the program, and specialized training in 
communications skills and interviewing techniques. 

Jail Information Model training should consist of at 
least a 2-hour block of instruction that all designated jail 
information officers must complete. In facilities where 
all jail staff will participate in this initiative, training 
should be provided for the following personnel: 

 Command staff 
 Corrections officers 
 Jail staff 
 Jail contract services. 

Self-Paced Learning Systems. To facilitate training at all 
levels in the sheriffs office and within the corrections 
facility, two self-paced learning systems are included 
in the Jail Information Work Kit. These narrated, web-
style instructional courses provide professional low-cost 
training on the Jail Information Model to executives and 
officers alike. 

Command staff personnel, corrections officers, or staff 
simply load the CD-ROM into their computer to review 
the entire course of instruction on the Jail Information 
Model, its implementation, documentation, and skill-
building components. 

This self-paced learning system is an invaluable 
component of the Jail Information Model Process 
because of the corrections environment and the limited 
resources that are available to most jurisdictions to 
train corrections officers. In many jurisdictions, the Jail 
Information Model could not be implemented without a 
self-paced system. 

External Public Safety. While internal training for jail 
staff should be approximately 2 hours in length, the 
specialized training for all external entities involved 
in the program can be limited to 1 hour. This external 
training simply needs to appropriately explain the 
Jail Information Model, the specific process, why it 


is important, its goals and objectives, and the roles 
and responsibilities of each participant, especially 
emphasizing the significance of the feedback mechanism 
to ensure a continual flow of useful information. 

Some entities that will be involved in the process and 
should receive this basic or introductory training include 
the following: 

 Investigative units (both internal and external to the 
jail)
 School resource officers 
 Patrol supervisors
 Patrol deputies and officers
 Outside agencies that may participate in the Jail 
Information Model: 

 Local police departments
 Other sheriffs offices 
 State police
 Special task forces
 Federal agencies:
 Federal Bureau of Investigation
 Drug Enforcement Administration
 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives
 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 

D. Training Posters 

To assist jail administrators with training, three full-color 
posters designed as teaching aids are included in the Jail 
Information Model Work Kit in both heavy-duty poster 
form and electronically on the CD-ROM. The three 
posters are Jail Information Sharing, Jail Information 
Flowchart and the Information Cycle. 

Jail Information Sharing. The poster illustrates how 
the jail can play a central role in local public safety. It 
displays all public safety partners, sheriffs office, police 
department, state and federal agencies, special task 
forces, and the district or county prosecutors office as 
interlocking gears, with the jail serving as the primary 
information collection and dissemination point. 


 
Jail Information Flowchart. The poster demonstrates the 
flow of information from the inmate to the corrections 
officer or jail staff who documents the data and refers it 
to the jail information officer who codes the information 
before referring it to the appropriate internal or external 
law enforcement agency for action. 

Information Cycle. The poster demonstrates the closed-
loop cycle that begins with the information-gathering 
process, moves to coding, then dissemination, and finally 
to use, feedback, and evaluation before cycling back to 
those who generated the original information. 

E. CD-ROM 

The Jail Information Model Work Kit contains a CD-
ROM with numerous electronic files for use by the jail 
administrator. These files include the Jail Information 
Model Monograph, two PowerPoint presentations, an 
executive and corrections-level self-paced learning 
system, and various forms and templates that can be 
modified and tailored to meet the specific needs of an 
agency. 



V. Jail Information Model Pilot Sites 

A. Organizational Acceptance 

Initial research and interviews with jail administrators 
and practitioners demonstrated to project staffers the need 
to develop a pre-model process. The secure nature of 
jail facilities and the ingrained culture of jail personnel 
determined that to maximize the success of the Jail 
Information Model, management must institute a project 
endorsement and acceptance process before the new 
program can be implemented. During the initial stages 
of the projects implementation, organization leaders and 
jail administrators are asked to actively demonstrate and 
promote their support for this public safety initiative. 
Having law enforcement leaders set a positive tone helps 
to firmly establish the Jail Information Model as one of 
the primary initiatives of the organization. 

B. Pilot Site Process 

The Pilot Site Process encourages and promotes a 
paradigm shift from traditional corrections activities 
to proactive public safety capabilities to solve current 
crimes, prevent future crimes or reduce their impact, save 
lives and property in the jail and the community, and 
improve community quality of life. 

Its flexible design allows this process to be tailored to fit 
the unique needs of rural, suburban, or urban corrections 
facilities. In each of these environments, the size and 
scope of the process can be adapted to the individual 
facilitys characteristics. For example, while the position 
of jail information officer may be filled by a single 
jail supervisor in a small or rural facility, large urban 
locations may have multiple individuals in that role who 
serve as a jail information team. Whatever the size of 
the organization, the role of the jail information officer or 
team and the responsibilities remain consistent, regardless 
of the specific modifications made to the model. 

The Pilot Site Process was developed specifically for 
and used at each of the three Jail Information Model 
pilot sites. The process consists of four phases: project 
briefing, jail familiarization, implementation issues, and 
evaluation requirements. 



1. Project Briefing 

The first phase of the pilot site visit provides an overall 
project briefing to the pilot site sheriff and jail command 
staff who will implement the initiative. During this 
briefing, pilot site staff learn the various aspects of 
the Jail Information Model including project design, 
model development and utilization, communications, 
interviewing methodology, and project requirements. 

2. Jail Familiarization 

During the second phase, project coordinators receive a 
comprehensive tour of the facility and review specific 
site-based information, policies, and current procedures 
that may have to be reviewed to implement the program. 
During this portion of the site visit, project personnel 
review specific aspects of the facility, its personnel, 
and operations that may enhance or detract from the 
project so that these concerns or opportunities may be 
appropriately addressed in the next phase. 

3. Implementation Issues 

The third phase of the site visit is reserved for formally 
addressing implementation issues within the facility. The 
issues range from designating information-collection 
points within the jail to staffing an information collection 
supervisor. They also include all logistical concerns such 
as modifying the forms, establishing the documentation 
process and review procedures, as well as the information 
dissemination procedures both internal and external to 
the jail. 

4. Evaluation Requirements 

In the fourth phase, each pilot site must complete 
specific project evaluation forms and send them to the 
project coordinators for review. Each site was given 
sample forms and individuals, usually supervisors, were 
tasked with completing the required information about 
the projects progress and sending the forms to the 
appropriate project staff members. 



C. Pilot Site Selection 

Each facility selected to implement and test the Jail 
Information Model had certain unique characteristics 
that distinguished it from other facilities and enhanced 
its value as a pilot site. Each site was selected by staff 
of the National Sheriffs Association in cooperation with 
the COPS Office staff, and designed to meet the specific 
needs of the project. 

The three pilot site county jails are in: Tulsa, Oklahoma; 
Tacoma, Washington; and Bergen County, New Jersey. 

These sites provide both large- and medium-size jails 
and have some specific operational characteristics that 
are of significant value to this project. 

Tulsa, Oklahoma 
Tulsa County Criminal Justice Center 

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sheriff Stanley Glanz recently 
reacquired management of the county jail from a private 
jail management firm that operated the 1,440-bed, direct-
supervision facility for 5 years. 

The Tulsa County Criminal Justice Center has an average 
daily population of 1,230, with a jail staffed by some 304 
certified corrections officers. All three classifications of 
prisonersminimum, medium, and maximum security
are housed in the facility along with federal prisoners 
provided by the local U.S. Marshals Office. 

It is rare that project coordinators have an opportunity 
to work with a brand new jail, but for this project the 
team members met with the Tulsa County Jail Transition 
Team as it designed the entire jail process from booking 
and receiving of inmates, through classification, 
transportation, and release. 

This unique situation gave project coordinators an 
opportunity to examine information check points 
throughout the facility and implement procedures to 
allow for the collection and dissemination of targeted 
information from the day sheriffs employees took over 
the facility. 



Tacoma, Washington
Pierce County Detention and Corrections Center

The Pierce County Detention and Corrections Center is 
a medium/maximum custody facility consisting of two 
jail units, the Old Jail and the New Jail, confining 
more than 1,300 inmates. The Old Jail is a combination 
of both direct and indirect supervision, while the New 
Jail is direct supervision only. Located in downtown 
Tacoma, Washington, the center serves both the courts 
and the criminal justice system. 

For several years before 9/11, Sheriff Paul Pastor had 
been seeking information on a jail intelligence system, 
but after homeland security issues engulfed his agency 
the efforts were placed on hold. When approached by 
project coordinators about using the Jail Information 
Model, Sheriff Pastor felt that the time was right and 
allowed coordinators full access to the facility and 
personnel to implement and test the model. 

What was unique about the situation was that the sheriff, 
his jail commander, and the patrol bureau commander 
fully accepted and endorsed the project before it was 
implemented. As the Jail Information Model was being 
tailored to meet the specific needs of Pierce County 
and various individuals were being consulted about 
the project and its implications, the union representing 
the corrections officers objected. Although their job 
descriptions called for the immediate reporting of 
activities that could endanger the jail, its staff, or 
population, union representatives felt that completing 
a form and turning it in for review was an additional 
job responsibility and one for which the corrections 
officers should be compensated with additional money or 
benefits. 

The sheriff countered the unions opposition by 
reaffirming that this new paradigm, if successfully 
implemented, would bring greater job satisfaction to the 
employees, build bonds between corrections and both 
internal and external law enforcement, and therefore 
provide opportunities both for individuals and the 
organization in the future that do not currently exist. 


 
Sheriff Pastors primary focus in the implementation 
of this project was drugs and specifically 
methamphetamines. His jurisdiction has been seeing a 
significant increase in meth labs and related production, 
distribution, and possession offenses. In addition, the 
sheriff is concerned about the recent influx of gangs from 
California and their negative impact on his community. 

Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County Justice Center 

Bergen Countys population stands at roughly 884,000 
people in a county approximately 239 square miles in 
size. The Bergen County Sheriffs Office consists of 
more than 500 personnel including 268 officers who 
work in the Bergen County Jail. The jail is a 1,140 bed 
facility with an average daily occupancy of 90 percent or 
940. It is a direct supervision facility. 

The Bergen County sheriff is tasked with maintaining 
order and security at the Bergen County Justice Center, 
providing for the care and custody of inmates and 
detainees at the Bergen County Jail, and assisting the 
countys local police forces by providing advanced 
forensic procedures through its Bureau of Criminal 
Investigation. In addition, the sheriffs office is 
responsible for process serving, writs, court orders, 
foreclosures, and court executions. 

Bergen County, New Jersey is across the Hudson River 
from New York City; therefore, many of the urban 
issues such as gangs, drugs, and weapons trafficking 
experienced in the metropolitan area also have an impact 
on Bergen County. 

At the onset of the program, the sheriff identified three 
primary areas where he wanted his officers to focus 
their information-collection efforts: drugs, gangs, and 
terrorist activities. In his jurisdiction, drug issues are the 
predominant concerns of the community. A growing gang 
presence (including members of MS13) has increased 
the countys level of awareness, and the Jail Information 
Model project is being developed in partnership with 
his gang units expansion. Finally, because the Bergen 
County jail houses a significant number of federal 
inmates and the county is adjacent to New York City, the 
sheriff is concerned about current and future terrorism-
related issues. 



D. Pilot Site Training and Jail Information 
Model Implementation 

Tulsa County 

To begin implementation of the Jail Information Model 
in his jurisdiction, Sheriff Stanley Glanz hired a former 
Tulsa Police Department investigator to serve as his jail 
information officer. He is responsible for the primary 
data collection, verification, coding, and dissemination 
of information collected in the jail. Through his 
background and experience, he has multiple contacts 
with jurisdictions throughout the county and in the 
surrounding areas. 

Within weeks after taking over the jail from a private 
contract corrections company, the Tulsa Sheriffs 
Office implemented the Jail Information Model and 
disseminated information referral forms throughout the 
facility. After the conclusion of training provided by 
National Sheriffs Association staff, the Tulsa County 
Criminal Justice Center supervisors began working with 
staff members to provide training to corrections officers 
and other staff throughout the facility. 

Transition issues associated with reclaiming their jail 
gave Tulsa County staff members a unique opportunity 
to institutionalize the Jail Information Model into their 
facility from the very beginning. Corrections officers 
were hired, trained, and advised to begin using this model 
to collect and route information to the jail information 
officer. Tulsa has had outstanding success because of the 
sheriffs commitment and his vision in hiring a full-time 
employee to follow-up on information generated. 

Within the first six months of implementation, a triple 
homicide was solved, along with a sexual assault and 
the arrest of an escapee and four persons for harboring a 
fugitive. Threats against a local judge were uncovered; an 
internal affairs investigation was launched and resulted 
in the removal of an employee; and a jail smuggling 
operation ceased. Tulsa County discovered multiple 
instances of contraband, including drugs and weapons, 
and discovered information leading to the closure of 
several homicide cases. In one of the Jail Information 
Models most celebrated success stories, the information 
generated led to the discovery of a homicide victim, the 
arrest of her killer, the closing of a major drug lab, and 
seizure of multiple automatic weapons and the arrest of 
several individuals for a wide variety of offenses. 



Pierce County 

To begin the Jail Information Model project, National 
Sheriffs Association staff conducted the project briefing 
and jail familiarization portions of the project before 
meeting with operational staff to conduct the initial 
training session. At the first training, the jail commander 
and her supervisory staff were present to receive the 
information, discuss implementation issues, and begin 
the process. Approximately two dozen key individuals 
attended the scheduled training. 

Since the initial training, Pierce County officials 
have continued the training process with selected jail 
personnel. The Jail Information Model has also been 
implemented and referral forms have been tailored to 
meet the needs of the facility and its employees. 

One obstacle that Pierce County is facing is that jail 
officials want full-time corrections officers who can 
follow up on important information and on major 
offenses that are occurring in the county, but the current 
budget prohibits additional staffing at this time. National 
Sheriffs Association staff members, while recognizing 
the budget limitations, have reinforced to county officials 
that the Jail Information Model can be implemented 
properly without additional staffing, and valuable 
information can be developed if corrections officers are 
dedicated to the project. Information was developed 
almost immediately after the Jail Information Model was 
implemented, with the most dramatic results involving 
an inmate gang. To become a member of the gang, an 
inmate has to be held on a murder charge. At least three 
major players have already been identified and it appears 
that a rather large homicide caseload is in the making. 

In addition to the gang case, Pierce County officials 
stopped a potential jail conflict by isolating members of 
a white supremacist group after uncovering information 
about a planned attack, and removed several gang 
members who were being targeted by fellow inmates. 

Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor also points to the 
identification of a homicide suspect, the arrest of a serial 
robbery suspect, the identification of a suspect in a high-
profile local shooting, and the arrest of a serial rapist 
who had been terrorizing the county as other important 
successful milestones recorded within the first 6 months 
of the Jail Information Model initiative. 



Bergen County 

Upon completion of the project briefing and jail 
familiarization, Bergen County officials assigned more 
than 215 corrections officers to take the Jail Information 
Model course provided by National Sheriffs Association 
staff facilitators. Six 2-hour training blocks were 
provided to the designated corrections officers, medical 
staff, the mental health professional, and other employees 
during a 2-day period. 

National Sheriffs Association facilitators rotated teaching 
assignments among all three shifts to keep overtime and 
training costs to a minimum in this highly unionized 
state. The sheriff negotiated with union officials on 
schedule flexibility to make the specialized training 
available. In addition, he rearranged scheduled training of 
more than 100 officers to make the training possible. 

To further ensure the success of the Jail Information 
Model, a formal structure was developed to aid in the 
flow of information within the jail. A staff of more than 
200 trained corrections officers were assigned to report 
to 25 supervisors for this project. These area supervisors 
are responsible for validating the original information. 
Once information is validated, the supervisors will report 
information to five designated team leaders who will 
work closely with the jail information officer. 

The Bergen County jail information officer will be the 
primary conduit for all jail information that is collected 
and validated, and will be responsible for all internal and 
eternal information dissemination. The jail information 
officer will also be responsible for coding all information 
into internal, external, and red-level information and will 
serve as the liaison with the Bergen County command 
staff including the jail warden, undersheriff, and sheriff. 

Immediately upon inception of the training and 
implementation of the Jail Information Model in Bergen 
County, officials began generating important new 
information. Within the first week of this initiative, 
information was developed and shared with the County 
Prosecutors Office, the Patterson Police Department and 
several other municipal agencies regarding a weapons 
distribution network located and operating in the northern 
New Jersey area. Investigators have learned that more 
than 65 weapons were being traded within the network 
and possibly being made available to multiple parties. 



Addition information developed within the jail led 
investigators to a narcotics ring operating out of a series 
of nightclubs in Bergen County. It appeared that drugs 
were transported from New York City and were sold to 
individuals in various New Jersey nightclubs. Bergen 
County officials are aggressively following up on both of 
these cases as well as continuing to work on additional 
information obtained through the Jail Information Model. 

Corrections officers have been providing a tremendous 
amount of information on both internal and external 
criminal activities. Internal information received about 
a planned attack on a corrections officer in the mental 
health unit led to the inmates removal before the attack 
occurred. Internal information about a planned assault 
on two inmates resulted in their removal to a secure unit 
and an ongoing investigation regarding the potential 
attackers. 

External information provided by corrections officers 
has led to the arrest of several individuals involved 
in an armed robbery ring, the apprehension of a third 
individual in an auto parts theft ring, the re-opening of an 
investigation of a 2002 homicide, and the apprehension 
of an individual in Boston who was planning a gang 
shooting and is responsible for a pair of homicides in that 
city. 

E. Summary of Pilot Site Results: 
The First 6 Months 

The following are some of the successes resulting from 
the use of the Jail Information Model at the three pilot 
sites. 

Internal: Jail Safety and Security 

 Prevented an attack on a corrections officer 
 Prevented an attack on an inmate 
 Confiscated contraband (weapons, drugs)
 Generated an Internal Affairs investigation
 Arrested a program vendor for smuggling
 Identified jail security issues
 Identified jail safety issues
 Properly identified an inmate wanted for other 
felonies while using false name



External: Public Safety 

 Investigated threats against a judge
 Solved multiple homicides (local and out of state)
 Solved gang homicides
 Arrested a serial robbery suspect
 Arrested a serial rapist suspect
 Solved an auto theft ring case
 Solved an identity theft ring case
 Solved a sexual assault case 
 Arrested a child molester 
 Identified a homicide ring
 Solved a high-profile shooting case
 Arrested an escapee and others for harboring a 
fugitive 
 Seized multiple methamphetamine labs and weapons 

F. Key Findings from the Pilot Sites 

1. Import process and institutionalize into local 
procedures. Jail administrators were pleased with 
being able to import the Jail Information Model into 
their facilities and institutionalize the process with their 
own local policies and procedures. By allowing them 
the ability to customize the process to fit their specific 
circumstances, they developed a personal stake in the 
process and made it their own instead of implementing 
some off-the shelf program. 

2. Overwhelming the system. Depending on how the 
Jail Information Model was used in a specific facility, 
some administrators were overwhelmed with information, 
especially regarding crimes such as narcotics. At one 
pilot site, an additional information officer had to be 
brought in to handle the increased workload because 
six to eight referrals a week were being validated and 
disseminated to local law enforcement who, in turn, were 
making arrests and filing cases against offenders. At one 
pilot site, Jail Information Model information officers 
were closing more cases and solving more crimes than 
their counterparts in the investigative section. 


3. Empowering the corrections officers. Once 
implementation began there was surprisingly minimal 
resistance by line officers who were being tasked with 
collecting the information. Most believed it was already 
a primary component of their jobs and they were now 
simply recording it for others. 

4. Feedback is essential. In the pilot sites where 
feedback was given to the jail information officer and to 
the corrections officers who originally generated the data, 
acceptance and use of the Jail Information Model was 
the highest. In facilities that also rewarded employees 
with commendations, the number of employees actively 
providing information remained high throughout the pilot 
period. 

G. Key Benefits of the Jail Information 
Model 

1. Saved lives. Lives of law enforcement officers, 
citizens, and inmates were saved by preventing offenses 
from being committed. This occurred through a variety of 
methods including warning potential victims, removing 
potential victims from harm, and arresting offenders 
before they committed another crime. 

2. Prevented future crimes and reduced victimizations. 
Offenders wanted for current crimes were arrested and 
incarcerated before they could commit more crimes. 

3. Solved current crimes. Numerous offenses were 
solved by using information provided by the Jail 
Information Model including sexual assaults, robberies, 
thefts, forgeries, shootings, and homicides. 

4. Provided closure for families. Some families were 
able to have closure because homicides were solved and, 
in some cases, the victims recovered. 

5. Improved jail safety and security. Not only were the 
lives of corrections officers and inmates saved because of 
the Jail Information Model, but other safety and security 
issues were uncovered such as internal smuggling rings, 
contraband involving weapons and drugs, and previously 
unknown inmate communications systems. 


 
VI. The Future 

The Jail Information Model was designed to be a user-
friendly process that can be implemented into the current 
culture of a jail; therefore, this initiative can be easily 
replicated by law enforcement organizations throughout 
the country. There is no need for additional staff, training 
is limited, and the entire process can be customized to 
meet the specific needs of each community. 

This flexible model provides a formal process for 
collecting and disseminating information, yet allows for 
customization to best serve jail administrators and the law 
enforcement agencies that use the corrections facilities. 
By using the Jail Information Work Kit as a guideline for 
implementing the process, nearly any jail facility in the 
country can benefit from this innovative law enforcement 
initiative. 

Project developers believe that this model can be exported 
and implemented successfully in nearly every jail in the 
United States, providing valuable information, solving 
crimes, preventing offenses from occurring, and generally 
making communities safer for all citizens. 

For More Information 

For more information on Jail Information Model training 
contact: 

Fred G. Wilson 

Director of TrainingNational Sheriffs Association 
1450 Duke Street 
Alexandria, VA 22314-3490 

Office: 800.424.7827 
Fax: 703.838.5349 
E-mail: sheriffstraining@comcast.net
Website: www.sheriffs.org 



About the Author 

John Matthews serves as the executive director of the 
Community Safety Institute (CSI), and is an assistant 
chief constable for Dallas County, Texas (Precinct 1). 
He is the developer of the COPS Office Jail Information 
Model, CSIs Creating a Safer School (CASS) program, 
the STAR toolkit (a homeland security/disaster 
preparedness community resources assessment tool) for 
the COPS Office, the Neighborhood Watch Toolkit for 
the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and several weapons 
of mass destruction programs for the Office of Domestic 
Preparedness. 

With bachelors and masters degrees in administrative 
management and an Advanced Law Enforcement 
Certificate, Matthews is nationally recognized for his 
work in both public safety management and school safety. 
He has developed dozens of national training programs 
for the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, 
Department of the Interior, and Department of Homeland 
Security. 

Matthews is an award-winning author who has written 
scores of law enforcement and safety articles for national 
magazines. His book, The Eyeball Killer, published by 
Pinnacle Books, is a true crime thriller and was selected 
as a True Crime Book of the Month. Two of his latest 
publications are Creating A Safer School and Countering 
Terrorism: Protecting Our Schools and Communities. 


www.cops.usdoj.gov 
For More InForMatIon 

U.S. Department of Justice 
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 
1100 Vermont Avenue, N.W. 
Washington, DC 20530 

To obtain details on COPS programs, call the 
COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770 
Visit COPS Online at the address listed below. 

November 2006 e10063135