2005 News

June 15, 2005
Bucks Boasts Advanced Jail Management System

The Bucks County Department of Corrections (DOC) is armed with an innovative tool to capture and share information within the county prison system, local and state police and other criminal justice agencies.

The new Jail Management System, or JMS, is a comprehensive, customized information program -- and the most advanced system of its kind in the state, said Bucks County Chief Operating Officer David Sanko.

"It is the only system in the state functioning at a county level," Sanko said. "The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania has already toured our program and is looking to use our model in other counties. The most important component is the inter-operability of the program. It also is a major step away from our reliance on the mainframe computer," he added.

Harris Gubernick, director of the county DOC, described the system as an important component of a justice hub that allows for effective information sharing. "This is a much more flexible system and will revolutionize the way we do business. The entire law enforcement community across the board will be a more effective public safety organization because of JMS," Gubernick said.

"As a law enforcement community, we were not good at sharing information prior to September 11. Now, we are more aware of the need to share and assess relevant information within the criminal justice system," he added.

With the basic operating system in place, Gubernick said the system can grow and be customized to meet the needs of the 130 users throughout the county.

JMS is a collaborative effort between the Department of Corrections and the county's Information Services Division. The DOC initiative received the full support of the Bucks County Commissioners about two years ago.