Microsoft BizTalk 2004, ASP.Net, and SQL Server 2000 deliver mission
critical information and integration

Published December 2004

Situation

The Causeway Criminal Justice system is used by six different Criminal Justice Organisations all requiring access to accurate, up to date information. The users have to have confidence in the veracity of the data retrieved as important decisions are often based on the information obtained. A list of 27 potential system suppliers was short listed to three. A three-phase plan was implemented that involved process analysis, procurement and implementation. Joint workshops were established that produced models covering existing processes, data requirements, benefits, security and service requirements.

Fujitsu Services teamed up with Hewlett Packard and Microsoft to respond to a tender to provide a managed service to facilitate the sharing and exchange of data. A proof-of-concept exercise was carried out on site over a four month period that allowed the departments to evaluate the technical abilities of the three teams involved in designing and developing the solution. A key requirement was the ability to prove that an integrated end-to-end solution could be developed.

Prior to the introduction of the new system a large proportion of the documentation was paper-based resulting in significant delays in legal processes. This was further aggravated by the inherent slowness of moving paper from one location to another. Information was difficult to find and there was much duplication of effort especially for tasks like filing. The dispersed nature of the filing systems made keeping information up to date difficult and the system did not lend itself to the production of cost effective, accurate statistical analysis.

Solution

An Open Procurement resulted in 27 bidders vying for the business that was short-listed down to three. Funds were provided for prototype systems to be built and evaluated. The joint prototype solution proposed by Fujitsu working with HP and Microsoft was adopted as the final solution.

This solution was built around Microsoft EAI technology that utilises encrypted links to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server central data warehouse. The move from a paper-based to a database solution presented not just technical hurdles but cultural hurdles and changes in work practices.

Each department maintains its own IT system while allowing the data to be shared with the other departments. XML format is the agreed standard for the interchange of data between the departments. A centralised security function is maintained that controls access to the information stored. The next phase will add document flow control based on predetermined business rules.

Benefits: Improved Document Veracity

Information is only recorded once and filed in a central repository, in contrast to the manual system where similar information might have been recorded up to six times by different people in different departments. This inevitably resulted in some divergence of the facts.

Correct information available to all departments
One of the main benefits of a central repository for information is that all authorised users have access to the information stored. This contrasts with the paper based system where information often resided in a department, making access by other departments impractical or very slow.

Fast Access to data
The central repository is connected to a secure wide area network (WAN) that connects all of the Criminal Justice Organisations. Personnel working in these departments can access records in a matter of seconds using the WAN, even when another user is examining the same record at the same time. Thus multiple users may access the same records at the same time.

Statistical Analysis
The centralised recording of information in a consistent manner allows statistical analysis to be conducted into criminal justices trends in Northern Ireland without requiring a disproportionate amount of manual process. The results produced are more accurate as the underlying data has been more carefully recorded.

Eliminate the paper shuffle

Under the manual system information was passed from one department to another through a paper chain that was slow and very costly both in terms of time and physical process.

Reduction in costs
Time is money and the replacement of slow manual process by almost instant electronic access has enabled many savings to be achieved. The volume of filing has been reduced as documents are filed once in the central repository in contrast to being filed in each department under the manual system. Records are available almost instantly and can be accessed by more than one person at a time. Paper usage costs and manual filing costs have been reduced.

Summary

Integrating the work effort of individuals or departments leads to many synergies resulting in group benefits that are much greater than the sum of the individual components. Microsoft's servers and .Net technologies have enabled centralised filing to become a practical reality without any of the associated disadvantages normally found in centralised systems. All authorised persons can access records quickly, filing time is reduced, accuracy is increased and overheads associated with manual filing systems are eliminated.

Integration allows the disparate nature of departments to become one whole information unit enabling greater levels of efficiency, consistency and reduced costs to be achieved. A better service for customers and users outside of the system is delivered more speedily and at reduced costs.

The success of these systems depends on careful planning and usually requires a degree of parallel running.