The Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS) is rapidly advancing the electronic database project designated the Interstate Compact Offender Tracking System (ICOTS). In the spring of 2007, ICAOS signed a contract with Appriss, Inc. and quickly got to work on developing the system. Milestones already reached in the ICOTS project are the sign-off of the Functional Specifications Document, which drives how the system is developed and designed, and the first code release, which includes developing the application environment and the system’s core functionality. Scheduled for early 2008 is the second code release and third milestone which incorporates the actual functioning business modules including the Transfer Request, Request for Reporting Instructions, etc.
In the fall of 2007, the National Office conducted meetings with each state to assess their readiness. Included in these discussions were state’s plans for implementation as well as legacy migration, integration and training to ensure all states are ready for the summer 2008 launch. These meetings were critical for the Technology Committee and the ICOTS Project Team as well as every member state. Topics discussed at these meetings included:
- Computer hardware and software requirements for the compact office and the field
- User Identification
- Training plans and responsibilities
- User administration responsibilities
- Business process impact
- Computer application and hardware support
- Legacy data migration
- Interfacing ICOTS Data with in-house applications
Although the rules of the Interstate Compact will not be substantially affected by the implementation of ICOTS, the actual workflow and business processes of the Compact will change. Of course, the level of impact will vary across each state depending on their current system. Throughout the next several months and leading up to implementation, states should be preparing for and determining how the new electronic workflow and business processes will impact their state.
The National Office will be available to provide guidance to states in every stage of this process and looks forward to a successful launch of the ICOTS system.
ICOTS Training Resources
The National Office has developed a number of Training Resources for use by states to train end users on the ICOTS application. The materials include leader training, process tutorials, reference materials and recorded demonstrations and trainings.
ICOTS Flash Videos
The National Office has released ICOTS Flash Training Videos for use by states and end users as high-level tutorials. The topics and processes covered in the videos are: Overview of ICOTS, Transfer Request, Transfer Request Reply, Offender Violation, and Offender Violation Response.