The system is currently operational at the Estrella jail in downtown Phoenix. Each setup includes a full-motion video link, using high-resolution cameras and a 17 inch screen at each video station. Estrella hosts about 6,000 visits a month on the new system. Bernosky hopes to eventually expand the system to defense attorneys’ offices to allow them more efficient access to their clients.

Life Sentence

Bernosky hopes the county decides to make the ICJIS organization permanent, especially since the programs it’s putting in place will require ongoing maintenance. In the meantime, he continues to treat the agencies as valued customers. "We’re a facilitator," he says. "We have to feel their pain."

The ICJIS has used about $6 million of the $25 million earmarked for its integration efforts so far. It’s currently in the first of three phases: integrating the county justice system data, which is scheduled to run through 2005. The second phase will involve building external interfaces to local, state and federal systems. And in the third phase, the ICJIS plans to expand the network infrastructure to allow public access to criminal justice system information. The latter two phases have not yet been budgeted, funded or approved.

As people continue to flock to Maricopa County, attracted by its warm weather and easy access to a round of golf, there’s little doubt that police, lawyers and judges will remain busy and more of Maricopa’s seedier residents will be doing time. In the meantime, Bernosky and the rest of the ICJIS team will continue weaving systems together to ensure the people working in the criminal justice agencies can get their information more reliably and efficiently.