Jail Information Collection and
Dissemination Model


2006 COPS Conference



Project Mission 

Funded by a grant provided by the
COPS Office, the National Sheriffs
Association has been charged with
developing 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.


Image of prison yard


Project Goals


1.Collect information in the jail regarding: 

A. Internal jail safety and security issues
B. Criminal activity within the jail 
C. Criminal activity outside of the jail 

2. Route the information to the appropriate internal 
office or external agency for action 

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Objectives 

1. Develop an innovative, jail-based 
information gathering and sharing model 

 Encourage a paradigm shift 
from traditional corrections officer 
to proactive peace keeper to 
prevent crimes, save lives, and 
improve community quality of life 

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Module I

Jail Information Model

 Level I - Data Sources 
 Level II - Information Gatherers 
 Level III - Coding 
 Level IV - Dissemination 

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Level I - Data Sources

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


Image of inmate in hospital
Image of inmate visitor entrance


Key Areas 


Arresting Officer 

Intake Processing 

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Key Areas 

Recreation Yard 
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Inmate Cell
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Housing Unit
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Gathering Jail Information

Housing Officers
(Have the most contact and access to inmates)

Mail
Telephone
Visitors
Cellmates

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Level II - Data Gatherers 

 Corrections Officers 
 Staff 
 Custodians 
 Health Care Workers 
 Contractors

Image of prison guard in cafeteria
Image of guards escorting prisoner


Image of Jail Information Module Referral Form


Level III - Coding

Internal 
 Jail operations 
 Jail crimes 

External 
 Within agency  send to appropriate investigative division (i.e. Homicide)
 Outside of agency  send to appropriate jurisdiction or agency (i.e. local 
police department within the county) 


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External Agencies 

 County Prosecutors Office 
 District Attorney 
 Other Sheriffs Offices 
 Local Police Departments 
 State and Federal Agencies 
 Special Task Forces 



JIM Information Sharing

Image of Jail Information Sharing poster


Level IV - Dissemination


 Normal  To be used for most information, especially when offenses have already 
been committed 

 Red Level  For instances where information must be acted on immediately 
to prevent future offenses from occurring (e.g., bank robbery planned for today) 



Normal Distribution 

 Normal distribution is the typicalclassification for the majority of the
information that will be received. 

 Normal distribution routes the information to the appropriate agency 
within a useful time period. The normal coding will beused for most information collected, 
especially when offenses have alreadybeen committed. 



Red Level Distribution

 Red Level (or Priority) distribution is to be used 
when the information collected must be acted on 
immediately to prevent future offenses fromoccurring, for example, a bank robbery planned
for later in the day. 

 Red Level distribution can also be used for anyoffense 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. 



JIM Coding and Dissemination

Image of Jail Information Module poster


From the Inside to the Outside

How Corrections Officers can help
outside of the walls

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JIM Information provided to

 Patrol officers 
 Investigators 
 Military 
 State and federal agencies 



JIM Feedback 

Jail Information Program Feedback Form

This portion of the form is to be completed by the administrative section or investigative 
agency that has received thejail 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: ________________ 


JIM Work Kit 

 Jail Information Monograph/ COPS Innovations 

 Forms and Templates 

 Training 
 Command Staff, Corrections, Local Law Enforcement 

Posters 

CD-ROM 


JIM Pilot Site Process 

 Project Briefing 

 Jail Familiarization 

 Implementation Issues 

 Evaluation Requirements 


JIM Pilot Sites

 Tulsa County Criminal Justice Center, Tulsa County, Oklahoma 
Image of state of Oklahoma 

 Pierce County Detention and Corrections Center,Pierce County, Washington 
Image of state of Washington

 Bergen County Justice Center, Bergen County, New Jersey 
Image of state of New Jersey



Key Findings


1. Import process and institutionalization into local procedures 

2. Overwhelming the system 

3. Empowerment of Corrections Officers 

4. Feedback is essential



Important Benefits 

1. Saved lives 

2. Prevented future crimes and reduced victimizations 

3. Solved current crimes 

4. Provided closure for families 

5. Jail safety and security improved 




Results: The First Six Months


Internal - Jail Safety and Security 

 Stopped attack against corrections officer
 Stopped attack against inmate 
 Confiscated contraband (weapons, drugs)
 Generated Internal Affairs investigation 
 Arrested program vendor for smuggling 
 Identified jail security issues 
 Identified jail safety issues 
 Properly identified inmate wanted for otherfelonies using false name 



Results: The First Six Months


External  Public Safety

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



The Jail Information Model is a user-
friendly process that can be implemented 
into the current culture of the jail and 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 that each community. 


For More Information


Contact:


Fred Wilson
Director of Training
National Sheriffs Association
800-424-7827
www.sheriffs.org