Integrated criminal justice systems: designing effective systems for inter-organizational action

In this paper we provide a summary of the poster presented at the 2005 Digital Government Conference. Our research is motivated by the twin goals of (1) developing a set of principles the support the design of inter-organizational information systems and (2) guidance to organizational leaders for how to adapt their organizations to leverage these systems. We focus on integrated criminal justice systems because of the value such principles will have for both homeland security and the effective uses of information and communications technologies to support governmental action. Here we highlight the nature and current state of the field relative to integrated criminal justice (ICJ) systems. In doing this we raise three design considerations relative to the operational pressures that users of ICJ face. First, the need to simplify system/user interaction and improve the system’s reliability. Second, to better account for norms of policing behavior in the design of these systems. Third, to take advantage of the role of dispatch in the design and use of ICJ.