Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry

Mi-Case and the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry Modernize its Arizona Inmate Management Systems (AIMS) on AWS

Executive Summary

The ACIS (Arizona Correctional Information System) manages all aspects of an inmate from intake through release as well as community corrections. The ACIS project included scoping, development, data migration, quality assurance and report writing. It includes more than 20 modules, SMEs from both Mi-Case and ADCRR, software developers, project managers, business analysts, quality assurance testers, report writers, and database developers. The ADCRR project first went live in December 2019 and after an on time and on budget implementation Mi-Case was awarded a long-term contract in 2020 which was renewed in 2023 through 2026.  

Finding a Way to Deliver a Modern Digital Transformation of their legacy OMS

For years now, as they’ve remained overlooked and underfunded, Corrections agencies have been patching and adapting old technology that was originally implemented in the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s. We refer to these systems as “legacy systems”- systems that are incredibly outdated, yet that have no choice but to maintain in order to support the vital functionalities within the Corrections industry. While these systems may still technically meet the minimum requirements they were designed for, it is not unlike asking an employee to boot up the old computer he found covered in dust in the corner of a storeroom-- the technology is not just out of date, it may be so out of date that more than being unhelpful, it acts as a hindrance to doing their job efficiently.

At its core, an offender management system is meant to track an entire offender’s journey--from intake and classification through their probation or parole--and all the various time served or institution transfers in between. It is much more than a name on a file. There are also offender histories, financial records, case management documentation, and sentence calculation modules that factor into every inmate’s specific classification. Add to that the need for an offender management system to operate according to each state’s different laws and regulations for overseeing inmates, and you will find a complex set of requirements that is ever-changing with each new law or guideline brought into effect.

ACIS has a mission to provide safer communities by implementing court-imposed sentences and removing those who victimize their citizens to appropriately secured environments. Facilitating structured programming designed to develop inmates’ personal responsibility for their successful re-integration to the community through rehabilitative opportunities for change. Upon return of these citizens to their communities, and providing effective supervision designed to result in improved re-entry outcomes which reduce recidivism.

The Department’s responsibilities not only include the incarceration of over 34,000 inmates in prisons located all over the state, but also the supervision of more than 4,000 inmates who have been paroled or statutorily released.

Demands have continued to grow in recent years for Corrections Departments to improve security, offer better programming and treatment for offenders, and better report information. While the corrections department was often provided the financial resources needed for the additional programming and education for offenders, the systems that oversee these processes—was outdated.

ACIS had four key outcomes they needed and Mi-Case delivered.

Customization: There are no “out of the box” OMS solutions available==meaning hidden fees for upgrades and customization is often the norm With Mi-Case, customization is the standard feature with no surprise costs.

Real-time support: When your system isn’t working everyone is affected. Instead of waiting years for updates, Mi-Case provides locally assigned techs who make changes and updates as needed.

Empower our team to make better decisions: Case manager and officers will have the data needed to get officers into the right programs at the right times. Everything needed will be easily found right inside our OMS.

Lower recidivism: Less time is wasted understanding offender histories and more time is given to getting offenders on the right path. Offenders will no longer be stuck in limbo because there wasn’t enough information.  

Implementation

From experience, the leadership team at ACIS knew one of the hardest parts of choosing an OMS is anticipating the implementation. Mi-Case worked with ACIS every step of the way:

1. Design We work with you to determine your needs and the best course of action for your specifications.
2. Tailor Our core software, adapted to the exact specifics of your state's regulatory and management needs.
3. Go live and enjoy ongoing support We support your transition to the new system and provide local techs to ensure lasting success.

Key features that set Mi-Case apart:

Cloud-ready technology: Our OMS is truly cloud ready. Whether that be private, public or a hybrid cloud, Mi-Case can distribute our software framework into any industry standard approach for cloud infrastructure. We can quickly tune the Mi-Case OMS based on system utilization and performance.

Mobile-ready: Mi-Case is a fully mobile ready and capable software.  With the growing reliance of all ages of individuals on smart devices such as smartphones and tablets, mobile is no longer an optional feature.    We have a full suite of applications that empower mobility, ensuring the full power an OMS has to offer can be placed in the hands of any agency professional--no matter where they are.

Sentence Calculation: A sentencing calculation software is only as useful as its ability to calculate to the state’s exact specifications. Our approach involves starting with our core Mi-Case software and working specifically with each state to then make sure the calculation process is programmed to the exact legal and business needs of the state. We have a successful track record of accurately calculating over 600,000 sentences in the states currently enjoying our live OMS software.

Change management training: Having undergone 2 successful live stateside implementations, we have seen first-hand what a complex and emotional process an OMS implementation can be. We come alongside you to paint the picture of how much better it will be once the agencies have learned the new system, demonstrate the potential for lightened workload, and help all employees feel heard and seen, leaving them eager to support the implementation process.

About Mi-Case

We at Mi-Case see the improvement of technology within the corrections industry as an investment in any community’s greater good. We are producing this series to familiarize communities and industry professionals alike on the unlimited potential these modern systems may offer, especially in their ability to evolve and grow with technology as it continues to advance.

The potential modern technology offers the corrections industry is at the heart of why Mi-Case started-- we understand that each offender’s journey does indeed break down to the life and well-being of a single person--and we are dedicated to the mission of how modern OMS technology can create more positive outcomes for these individuals and those who facilitate their journey, worldwide.

AWS services used: AWS EC2, AWS Lambda, AWS Simple Storage Service (S3), AWS Well Architected.