Courts Today December/January

Devember/January 2015 Vol. 12 No. 6

Benefits of Sharing CMS Data

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Choosing the RightInterlock Device

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V O L U M E 1 2 N U M B E R 6

D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5

F E A T U R E S

6 Benefits of Sharing CMS Data

14 Ways to Beat A Drug Test Cheat

20 Choosing an Interlock DeviceWhich IID Is Right for You?

26 Pointed in the Right Direction:Trends in Digital Signage & Other Electronic Devices

31 The Power of InterpretationTechnologies

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4 Courts in the Media

34 Ad Index

D E P A R T M E N T S

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Publisher & Executive EditorThomas S. Kapinos

Assistant PublisherJennifer Kapinos

EditorDonna Rogers

Contributing EditorsMichael Grohs, Bill Schiffner

G.F. Guercio, Kelly Mason

Art DirectorJamie Stroud

Marketing RepresentativesBonnie Dodson(828) 479-7472Ben Skidmore

(972) 587-9064Art Sylvie

(480) 816-3448 Kristie Thymes(972) 782-9841

Peggy Virgadamo(718) 456-7329

is published bi-monthly by:Criminal Justice Media, Inc

PO Box 213Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

310.374.2700

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with alternative & diversion programs

with alternative & diversion programs

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December/January 2015

REIMAGINING COURTS, A NEW BOOK PROMOTES PRACTICAL REFORM IDEASEXCERPT OF THE BOOK:

Imagine that you are a potential litigant with a legal prob-lem. You think you want and need a legal decision from acourt, but you are not sure. To begin the process, you navigateonline to the litigant portal for your jurisdiction. The portal ismaintained by a group of legal services organizations. Muchlike TurboTax, the portal asks you a series of simple questionsto determine the type of legal dispute. On the basis of youranswers, it advises you to either drop the case or to proceedwith one of several possible organizations and process.

The court uses information from the portal about the casecharacteristics to select the appropriate initial channel for casemanagement. If you have already indicated through the portal apreference for the case track, the court initially honors thatrequest, although it may separately assess whether your chosentrack is appropriate. If it disagrees with your choice, it may indi-cate so, but the choice is still under your control.

Within the court, the case is automatically assigned to some-body for the next processing step. We describe it this way becausewho that person is varies dramatically according to the type andstatus of the case. This is the step where it starts to get interesting.

Several commentators have recently suggested that this revo-lution in the legal services industry is a good thing, even though itwill probably cost the bar jobs and revenue from low-skill tasksthat others now perform. Why is that? The answer is that lawyersnow spend much more of their time performing high-skill tasks,which is, after all, what they were trained to do. There may befewer attorneys, but their jobs are more interesting and morelucrative. One pundit termed this phenomenon “practicing at thetop of their license.”

A similar trend occurred over several decades with healthcare and doctors. Doctors used to see all patients for all types ofmaladies. Now services are unbundled in two ways. First limitedhealth care services are provided in a wide variety of local walk-in clinics—some are even available in drug stores—where noappointment or prior relationship is required. Patients can sched-ule same-day appointments, get test results, or request a pre-scription, all on their smartphones. This change broke the oldmodel, where patients had to see family doctors or specialists byappointment and hospitals did everything else.

The book is available in cloth or electronically by visitinghttp://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/ 2334_reg.html.

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CASE MANAGEMENTSYSTEM (CMS) integra-tion or data sharingwith other agenciesensures vital informa-tion reaches across theentire justice systemensconcing not onlycourts but police, pris-ons, probation, parole,prosecutors, and datarecord agencies. CMSproviders addressfunding, privacy con-cerns and an increas-ingly seamless justicesystem with mobileinteraction and cloud

compatibility as these issuesand advancements appear onthe horizon.

“With the maturing of inte-grated justice standards overthe last decade, the days ofhaving to wait for paper tocatch up with complaints, peti-tions, jail bookings, and otherimportant filings and activityare all but over,” says SueHumphreys, director ofIndustry Solutions, CourtViewJustice Solutions Inc. “The abil-ity to share data with outsideagencies—from law enforce-ment to prosecution to correc-tions—lets the courts interact

with justice agencies much morequickly, and even more importantly,much more accurately than everbefore.” Some of the most benefi-cial exchanges she notes includeidentity matching algorithms andverification—which works especiallywell when agencies agree to shareinformation like federal/state/localperson IDs, contact and employ-ment information, known aliasesand relationships, and evenrisk/need assessments that oftencome from pretrial and corrections.

Courts are at the center of manyjustice partners, adds Manoj Jain,vice president, Thomson ReutersCourt Management Solutions,


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BY G.F . GUERCIO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

WidensIntegrating CMS

UsesIntegration or data sharing

with otheragenciesensures

vital information

reachesacross the

entire justice system.

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including law enforcement, proba-tion/parole offices, prosecutor’soffices and mental health profes-sionals, thus “it is vital to have asystem in place that can effectivelyand efficiently share informationacross legal verticals.”

He also cautions, “The issue ofprivacy is always top of mind whenit comes to information sharing inthe courts. At times, courts and jus-tice partners handle very sensitiveinformation that must be protectedfrom the public, and securing inte-gration points and creating rulesthat enable the exchange of infor-mation while protecting privacy iscrucial.”

Michael Kleiman, director ofmarketing for Tyler Technologies’Courts and Justice Division agrees,noting, “It is critical that systemssharing information across agenciesand justice partners have sophisti-cated capabilities for assigning andenforcing security across both dataand documents. Having a flexibleand easy way to manage editing andviewing of information via rightsand roles allows control over whatcan be accessed by only the appro-priate personnel.”

He notes, frequently sharedinformation includes warrants, courthearings, evidence, inmate/partyinformation, and updates oncharges. And he adds on a positivenote: Benefits of an integrated sys-tem include time saved waiting forinformation from another office, andreduction in time and errors re-entering data in different systems.

“One of the most interestingcharacteristics of implementing casemanagement systems is that the sizeof the jurisdiction does not changethe requirements of functionalityrequired from a case managementsystem,” furthers Rex Arnold, presi-dent, Alliance RenewableTechnologies, Inc. For a small juris-diction, a system needs to supportregularly moving between several

different tasks within the system. Alarge jurisdiction with hundreds ofusers will usually have specificdepartments for handling one ortwo functions that are high volume.“There are numerous areas that thisapplies but one that is the mostvolatile is payment processing,” hestates, adding, “A good case man-agement system with financial pro-cessing should be able handle thesesituations in a straightforward way.”

Whether volatile or straightfor-ward, data sharing brings other

issues to the table. “Court adminis-trators should consider several itemswhen sharing information with out-side agencies, one of which is fund-ing,” says Ryan Crowley, vice presi-dent of Sales and Marketing,Pioneer Technology Group. “Thereare often costs associated with shar-ing data, either within the CMS oroutside of it. It’s recommended thatthe court administrator determinethe access level and format theinformation will be viewed in, andset the expectation that if formatchanges are offered, there will be ashared cost.”

“In our experience, the primaryissue is funding,” says Steve Glisky,ImageSoft vice president and gov-ernment practice manager. “Toovercome this, it’s important toengage key stakeholders at the onsetof a major project to create a cohe-sive plan for all information sharing

activities. Having a solid plan andleadership buy-in is crucial to fund-ing integration efforts with outsideagencies and judicial partners.”

Integration and information shar-ing is an essential component of amodern criminal justice system,contends Justice Systems, Inc.’sErnie L. Sego, president/CEO, creat-ing a progressive Integrated JusticeInformation System (IJIS).“Our roleas a partner with the courts is to staysynchronized with both technologi-cal and judicial trends and providesolutions to address those trends forthe courts in the most cost-effectiveway possible. Trends we see on thehorizon and which we will workwith our customers to implement intheir courts include the use ofmobile devices to view and interactwith judicial data, full compatibilityfor cloud-based solutions, and aseamless judicial system with moreintegration among justice-relatedagencies with more real-time datasharing.”

Whether referencing data shar-ing, integration, or interaction: aCMS provides seamless informationstreaming for courts and justiceagencies through the particulardetails that follow below.

Syscon, Inc.: Court Clerk stream-lines court operations providingscanning, indexing, and viewing ofdocuments associated with a case.Flexible interfaces allow transfer ofinformation to/from law enforce-

ment, integrated online payments,telephone reminders, and adjudica-tion information to state agencies tokeep all agencies up to date andaccurate. Court Clerk uses finger-print scanners for authentication





and electronic signing of forms byjudges, clerks, attorneys, and offi-cers. Fingerprint scanners, alongwith signature pads and PDF gener-ation of forms and reports, allow acourt to become virtually paperless.

Justice Systems, Inc.: FullCourtEnterprise can exchange data withany external system and provides a

powerful back-end infrastructure, aninnovative browser-based userinterface, and a comprehensive col-lection of modular tools and appli-cations. Customizable, table-basedarchitecture allows configuration tomeet specific requirements whileautomatically creating/managingunlimited custom documents. Ascheduling system manages all par-ticipants, hearings and courtrooms,simplifying the resolution of con-flicts. The financial system assigns,manages, and collects fines, fees,and court costs, and processes pay-ments. The Service Bus allows dataexchange with external systems andincludes standard informationexchanges including Police RecordManagement Systems, JMS, E-Payments, and more.

ImageSoft: JusticeTech enables acourt to create a digital paper-on-demand environment where paperis no longer the norm. It extends thecourt’s existing Case ManagementSystem to share a common electron-ic case file while providing automat-ed workflows to seamlessly moveinformation through the process,

ensuring collaboration, efficiencyand swift justice. Workflow is a keydifferentiator of JusticeTech and themost significant component to adigital court because of the processefficiencies it creates. Pre-configuredWorkflow Foundations for all courtsand case-specific processes can betailored to automate repetitive tasksand standardize processes acrossmultiple departments.

Tyler Technologies: Odyssey isused by courts in more than 600counties across 21 states simplifyingthe path to a paper-free court as anend-to-end solution. E-Filing isincluded, and works seamlessly sothat electronic documents are auto-matically incorporated into casefiles. Odyssey includes sophisticateddocument management: Efficiencyis improved as electronic workflowsautomatically deliver documents tothe correct queues. Time is savedand errors are reduced when justicepartners easily share data with Jail,Attorney and Supervision modules.

And access to justice is enhancedwith a Web portal that guidesthrough court forms.

Thomson Reuters: CourtManagement Solutions’ C-Track—aleader in appellate and trial CMSsystems, eFiling, document manage-ment and public access portals—isbuilt on platform-independent tech-nology with a back-end design thatallows courts to manage and tailorthe system. Using Configuration

Manager enables courts to definedata dropdown values such as dock-et entry types and subtypes, ticklertypes and case information withouttechnical support, add descriptionfields to specific docket entries andupdate the rules engine. C-Track'sRules Engine also supports jurisdic-tional and user-specific interfacedesigns and layouts through its pro-prietary customer-field generationarchitectural capabilities.

Alliance Renewable Technologies,

Inc.: DuProcess Court CaseManagement system is designed tocapture significant data related tomanaging court cases from their ini-tiation through post dis-position. DuProcess pro-vides a client server desk-top interface for the entryof information into the system, fullyintegrated with Microsoft Word fordocument and forms generation. It isdirectly integrated with imagingcapabilities for scanning and retrievalof case-related documents filed withthe court, providing a web-basedinquiry for remote access. Remoteand desktop access both utilizeDuProcess role-based security for


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access rights to information andfunctions within the system.

CourtView Justice Solutions, Inc.:With dynamic caseflow management(DCM) engine, flexible screenbuilder, and role-driven dashboardsand navigation, JWorks personalizes

case information management. Built-in workflow automatically assignsand routes outstanding to-dos anddeadlines to appropriate queues andis able to notify, escalate, re-route,

and re-assign. Capability goesbeyond caseflow to include personinformation and specific activities likecalendaring, warrants, investigation,financials, docketing, motion track-ing, and document/content manage-ment. JWorks includes anIJIS/Integrator for agency exchanges;eService portals for inquiry, pay-ments, case subscriptions, andeFiling; and a flexible ad-hoc report-ing tool that renders reports includ-ing from within case, person, andactivity records. Responsive designallows access from any device:Android, Apple, Windows fromworkstation/tablet/smartphone.

Pioneer Technology Group:Benchmark allows courts of any typeor size to become paperless. Beinghighly configurable, it gives the abil-ity to customize workflow and maxi-

mize efficiency. Delivering real-time case access to all parties,Benchmark includes integratedimaging, redaction, and secureaccess for external stakeholders.The system’s integrated Judicial

Web Viewer brings a new level offunctionality and online access forjudges. Available nationally, it wasrecently the first/only judicial webtool certified for use in Florida.

Xerox: AgileCourt providesstreamlined case filing, including theability to accept cases electronically.The intuitive calendar interface pro-




vides features that make managingschedules easy, and powerful docu-ment processing features simplifyproduction and management.Documents can be configured forautomatic generation to further

streamline processing automaticallyassociated to the case. Flexible andefficient adjudication processing isan integral part of design from quickand easy violation dispositionthrough configurable entry for judg-

ments, sentences and processingorders. Specially-designed userinterfaces support effective court-room processing and the accountingmodule includes flexible and quickpayment options. Case tracking

For further information….

Syscon, Inc.: 1.205.758.2000, 1.800.797.2661, [email protected], www.syscononline.com

Justice Systems, Inc.: 1.505.883.3987, [email protected], www.justicesystems.com

ImageSoft, Inc.: 1.249. 948.8100, www.imagesoftinc.comTyler Technologies : 1.800.431.5776, www.tylertech.comThomson Reuters: 1.651.687.7799, legalsolutions.com/court-management Alliance Renewable Technologies, Inc.: 1.832.268.7801, 1.855.387.7623, www.courtalliance.comCourtView Justice Solutions Inc.: 1.800.406.4333, www.courtview.com, [email protected] Pioneer Technology Group: 1.800.280.5281, www.ptghome.comXerox Justice Solutions: 1.800.772.0597, [email protected] Technologies, Inc.: 1.877.587.8927, www.newdawn.com, www.ecourt.com




goes beyond adjudication withtracking of probation conditions,

programs/services, community ser-vice, and drug testing.

Journal Technologies, Inc.: Themerger of three long-standing com-panies—New Dawn Technologies,SUSTAIN Technologies and ISDCorporation—develops and imple-ments cloud-based software forcourts. The solutions process cases,manage all document types, integratewith other platforms to share data,and provide public access portals fore-filing, e-payments, and sharing

other public information. Solutionsare configurable to meet the specificneeds of courts of all jurisdictions.Globally, more than 20,000 justiceprofessionals rely on JournalTechnologies’ software solutions. CT




BY MICHAEL GROHS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

DRUG TESTSare among the most importantaspects of drug courts, and no oneinvolved can deny the ingenuity ofthose determined to underminethem. An entire industry is out therebased on doing just that. Typing thewords “cheating drug tests” into asearch engine will yield nearly half amillion hits.

Dilution and substitution are the

most common methods. No oneknows how many cheating attemptsactually occur, but psychiatristDwight Zach Smith, MD notes thatin 2010, about 130 million drug testswere taken. In his study presentedat the American Academy ofAddiction Psychiatry’s 21st AnnualMeeting & Symposium, at which hediscussed 24 accounts of test cir-cumvention, he reported the studyfound that 58% of people used dilu-

tion to try to circumvent the test andachieved the desired false-positiveresult in more than 70% of cases.The results were even higher forsubstitution. The 25% of people try-ing that method realized a 100%success rate. A third category isadulteration, in which the personadds household products such asbleach to interfere with the test. Ofthe 17% of responses to the survey,75% realized success.

CHEATING ADRUG TEST ISAN INDUSTRYIN ITSELF—HERE AREWAYS TOFIGHT BACK.

Barriers to Drug Court

Testing

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Drug courts have to deal withthese complications every day, andbecause of synthetic drugs, that taskhas become even far more involved.

There are three pillars to success-ful testing, says Jason Herzog, CEOof Richmond, Va.-based Avertest:random scheduling, the collectionprocess, and the testing procedures.Avertest, an independent provider ofdrug and alcohol detection to DrugCourts, was established more than20 years ago. The first client was aDrug Court in California, which setthe path for the organization.Herzog stresses that testing must betruly random and include weekendsand holidays rather than being basedon probation or court schedules. Theclients must be aware that the prob-ability of being tested is equal everyday. They cannot know how many

tests they will be receiving. If a clientbecomes aware that he or she will betested 10 times a month and hasbeen tested 10 times that month, thedoor to relapse is opened. An envi-ronment should be created in whichparticipants expect 10 tests…but itmight be 12. Evidence also showsthat testing should hold constantand only slow when the client hasshowed continued success withreduced levels of treatment andsupervision. “If they think theymight not be tested for a week,we’ve lost them,” he says.

The second pillar, continuesHerzog, is the collection process,which must be directly observed by asame-gender, trained, and certifiedcollector. While the situation maycause embarrassment for both peo-ple involved, it is important that a

direct line-of-site observation beconducted in a dignified andrespectful manner. With Avertest, hepoints out, there are examinations toensure that the client is not usingany of the myriad devices (tubes,bags, false genitalia) to circumventthe test. The company, says Herzog,has crates and crates of devices theyhave confiscated over the years. Theclient must also wash his or herhands to prevent the introduction ofan adulterant. It is important, hestresses, that the observer be 100%in control of the situation. The cupshould not be handed to the clientuntil urination has begun, and itmust be handed back before it hasstopped. As invasive as it may seem,Herzog points out, it is not uncom-mon for a client to thank the observ-er once the program has been com-

Dilution and substitution are the most commonmethods of cheating a drug test. Synthetic drugsand their evolving nature have also become ahuge obstacle to Drug Court testing.

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pleted for not allowing them to fail.The third pillar is the testing

itself. Herzog notes it is imperativeto have a skilled laboratory operatorwith at least a master’s degree intoxicology and preferably a PhD.Another critical aspect on the testingend is the timeliness of results. If ittakes a week or two, the client couldspiral out of control. That time delaywould also mean that it is too latefor the court to take action, whichshould be taken immediately; notnecessarily to jail, but to a substanceabuse counselor for intervention. Itis also important to have flexibilityin testing. Not everyone is the same.If a client has an opiate addiction,courts should test for the full panelof opiates—standard as well as syn-thetic, with the option of being ableto introduce something such as acocaine test.

A growing barrierAn evolving and serious barrier

has been increasingly challengingcourts in their drug testing efforts:the proliferation of synthetic/design-er drugs. Synthetics have been agame of cat-and- mouse since thebeginning. Once a test has beendeveloped that can detect one com-pound, a chemist will make minormodifications to the compound andcreate another that cannot. In 2013,two compounds accounted for 80%of all synthetics. Now those twobarely exist, though they are stillpart of the test. Now the top twocompounds comprise about 40% ofall synthetics, and the top 15 makeup 80%, which makes testing amuch more complicated endeavor.

Paul Cary, director of the

Toxicology Laboratory at theUniversity of Missouri, refers to theproliferation of designer drugs as an“epidemic.” The drugs, which aremostly manufactured in China andare completely unregulated, were agame changer starting in 2006, andthe speed at which they hit the U.S.blindsided law enforcement and thecourts, which means Drug Courtswill need to take into considerationcertain protocols and considerationswhen it comes to detecting them.These products have made mostdrug tests obsolete. For one, the useof designer drugs is fueled by theInternet, to which 3 billion peoplearound the world have access. Theyare also promoted as being legal andlabeled “not for human consump-tion.” Cary described a list of 69synthetic compounds in lab-baseddrug testing as being “a nightmare.”




This is a huge problem for DrugCourts and raises many questions.How can a Drug Court test for drugsthat cannot be detected?

Not all labs are created equal.The method used for measuringsynthetic drugs is liquid chromatog-raphy-tandem mass spectrometry(LC/MS/MS). Says Cary, as withother types of drug testing, urine isthe preferred specimen. The cost ofLC/MS/MS, though, is significantand available only through laborato-ries, but the majority of syntheticstimulants, such as cocaine andamphetamine do not react with cur-rent drug screens. Companies aredeveloping immunoassay-basedscreening methods, but at the pre-sent time information on the effec-tiveness is limited. Cary points outthat Drug Courts need to know thatscientifically, the method is consid-ered reliable, but cutoff levels havenot been standardized, and there isno reliable information on the win-dow of detection. Drug Court per-sonnel have been asking questions

regarding the challenges of testingfor designer drugs.

Questions Posed byDrug Courts

Is there language that can act asmore of a blanket and cover all syn-thetic drugs rather than on a com-pound-by-compound basis? SaysCary, there is hope; however, “we arenot yet there.” There are so manycompounds, and that raises the ques-tion if the language in a law describedthat if a product has certain traits andlooks like this or that and is madeillegal, then other products that looklike this or that will be made illegal aswell, so if it looks like a duck, acts likea duck, and walks like a duck,Minnesota could lose its state birdwhen the loon becomes illegal.

What is the half-life of cannibi-noids? That, says Cary, is the $64,000question. One of the issues is that itwould be unethical to give subjectstests to find out, so if a vender statesthat he or she knows how long a

synthetic drug can be detected…theyreally don’t. “There is no definitivedetection window. We can’t test it,and there are too many.”

What should be done if someonetests positive, but it comes backnegative? Sanctions, he says, wouldbe inappropriate, but that does notmean no action should be taken. Itmay mean increasing home visits,increasing screening, or ramping upintervention.

What steps can Drug Courts taketo respond to the designer drugchallenge? Cary points out thatthere are several. The first, as withaddiction itself, the key is toacknowledge the problem. DrugCourts need to understand the com-plexity and evolution of designerdrugs and be aware of the chal-lenges such as legal complicationsand failings and barriers to screen-ing for them.

They also need to ban them.Despite the fact that the products aretechnically “legal,” Courts must takemeasures to ban substances sold

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There are three pillars to successfultesting, says Avertest: random

scheduling, the collection process,and the testing procedures.




under false pretenses. That policyshould also be put in writing. Bestpractice research has found that out-comes are far better when courtsclearly state the policies and proce-

dures in their handbook. Participantsare more likely to react well to apunitive judgment if they were givenadvanced notice on how that judg-ment will be determined.

Although testing for these drugshas its shortcomings, abstinencemonitoring has proven effective.Testing all participants is expensive,so Drug Courts might considerselecting certain subsets of partici-pants. Whether the testing is ran-domized or targeted, detecting thesubstances can be successful. Courtsmight also consider an amnestyperiod for clients who self-reportuse. That approach has shown ther-apeutic outcomes and potentialabstinence from future use.

Community supervision mightbe the most important part.Probation and police officers, courtpersonnel, and caseworkers could

prove to be the critical componentto designer drugs. Drug tests do notneed to be urine or oral-based tests.Most programs require a participantto waive his or her FourthAmendment rights while enrolledin the program. Rather than relyingon testing fluids, officers shouldexpand the search beyond the stan-dard areas but also the participant’svehicle, the Internet cache, cellphones, photos, shipping materialto see where a product originated,and social media sites. It is the com-munity supervisors who might fillthe void that testing cannot.

Cary stresses one more rule thatshould be followed, and that is thefidelity to the Drug Court modelthat has evolved so well and provenso effective since 1989. “We knowhow to do this. We know how tocombat addiction.” CT

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BY BILL SCHIFFNER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Selecting the right ignition inter-lock product and provider canbe a crucial decision. While igni-

tion interlock devices are easier touse today, a poor choice in an igni-tion interlock provider can have anumber of wide-reaching implica-tions. Individuals mandated to havean IID installed in their vehicle haveoften already faced significant costsrelated to legal fees, time from work,court time, etc. Thus, it is extremelyimportant to know how to select theright ignition interlock provider andproduct.

“Successful completion of anignition interlock program will assistin remediating persons that cannotseparate drinking from driving.Choose a service provider that will

make the interlock program easy tofollow from start to finish—one thatoffers a device that is simple to use,provides comprehensive trainingand offers ‘round-the-clock’ cus-tomer support,” recommends AdamComeau, executive vice president atALCOLOCK USA.

“Because alcohol offenders arenot all alike, courts face challengespairing alcohol clients with the rightmonitoring tool to meet theirassessed risks and needs. It isessential for courts to work with atechnology provider that can offer afull, integrated range of alcoholmonitoring technologies to allowthem to easily tailor their alcoholprograms,” adds Kathleen Brown,SCRAM Systems’ director of public

relations and marketing. “SCRAMSystems is the one of the fewproviders of integrated options inalcohol monitoring, with productsto supervise a range of clients.Products such as the SCRAM CAMand SCRAM Remote Breath areproven technologies that are help-ing courts address the inherentchallenges of alcohol monitoringand achieve better outcomes,” sheexplains.

There are a number of factorsthat should be considered forprovider and product selection if theuser wants a positive, uneventfulexperience. One of the most impor-tant things to look for when select-ing an ignition interlock provider, iswhether or not they are state certi-

Ignition InterlockDevicesChoosing the wrong IID product—and serviceprovider—can have wide-reaching implications.

The Determinator’s computer records all test and pertinentdriving data; this information is downloadable and printable.

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fied. Not all interlock serviceproviders have this state certifica-tion, and without it they can’t do thework on the user’s car to fulfill acourt mandate.

The provider, at minimum,should have a high number ofinstallation locations that are conve-niently located across the U.S. thatprovide quick installation with prop-erly trained personnel so the usercan quickly get back on the road. Inaddition, and most importantly, theyshould offer advanced technologyproducts that use fuel cell technolo-gy to ensure reading accuracy andreliability.

Here’s a sampling of some of themost innovative ignition interlocksystems and other drug and alcoholtesting devices on the market thatare helping make a difference inDrug Courts across the country.

Breathalyzer SystemThe Dräger Interlock 7000 is an

in-car breathalyzer system that rein-vents the traditional ignition inter-lock device to incorporate enhanceduser features and monitoring capa-bilities. A culmination of over 60years in breath alcohol, and 20 years

in ignition interlock technology, theDräger Interlock 7000 includes areportedly highly-advanced bypassprotection and is said to offer thefastest warm-up time in the industry.

www.draeger.com, 1.866.385.5900

Fuel Cell TechnologyProducts

The Intoxalock Legacy andLegacy Plus utilize fuel cell technol-ogy that ensures the highest level ofaccuracy and precision when calcu-lating your Breath Alcohol

Concentra t ion(BrAC), says thec o m p a n y .I n t o x a l o c kLegacy is backedby industry-lead-ing reliability,accessibility, cus-tomer serviceand technology.It is easy to use;simply press onebutton to activate

and submit a breath sample. TheLegacy Plus takes that technologyand incorporates a high-resolution

LOOK FOR THESE UPCOMING SHOWS!

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camera to meet local and staterequirements.

www.intoxalock.com, 1.888.283.5899

Meets All StateRequirements

Instant Interlock certified the BracAudit Lock-1 Device using an inde-pendent lab to meet the newNHTSA 2013 specifications.Camera, GPS/GPRS, circumvention

prevention andreport cus-tomization, aresome of manycustomizablefeatures avail-able to meetspecific locallaw require-ments. Thedevice has aneasy-to-readcolor screenand easy-to-

use functionality. Dual fuel cell sen-sor technology helps ensure againstfalse positives.

www.instantinterlock.com,1.800.957.0036

Compact Mobile UnitThe Guardian AMS 2000 features

a compact design that is slightlylarger than a standard cell phone. Itoffers reliable data logging andenhanced anti-circumvention detec-tion. The unit also offers USB con-nection capability, which allows foreffortless downloading of events,without having to connect the baseunit in the vehicle. Additionally,participants may call a toll-freenumber to access technical and ser-vice personnel.

www.guardianinterlock.com,1.800.499.0994

Interactive HandsetThe ALCOLOCK LR ignition

interlock is simple to use and virtu-ally impossible to circumvent. Itfeatures an intuitive, interactive

handset to pro-vide testingi n s t r u c t i o n sand collectbreath samples.Two indepen-dent electro-chemical sen-sors to enhancethe reliabilityand accuracy ofthe measure-ment conductbreath alcohola n a l y s i s .Biometric mon-itoring and

camera imaging ensure that the cor-rect person is performing everybreath test.

http://alcolockusa.com, 1.888.937.9646

Customizable Tests for Each State

The Low CostInterlock TAB-720 is designedto meet all feder-al qualificationsfor accuracy andp e r f o r m a n c e .Random testingand early recallfor violations arecompletely con-figurable and canbe tailored forany state. TheLCI automatedcalibration sys-tem utilizes a dry gas standard toobtain the most accurate calibrationspossible. Secure data encryption andautomated uploads prevent datatampering at the service level.

www.lowcostinterlock.com,1.800.352.4872

Automotive AlcoholDetection System

The Determinator is an ignitioninterlock device that analyzes bloodalcohol content and determines if a

driver is within a legal limit to getbehind the wheel. The system’scomputer records all test and perti-nent driving data. This informationis downloadable and printable. Anyattempt at tampering with the unitregisters in this data log as well.http://www.stopdwi.com, 1.800.STOP.DWI

Portable SystemThe Alco Alert Series 5000 igni-

tion interlock device has been certi-fied by an independent laboratory tobe fully compliantwith the NHTSA. Itfeatures NexGenfuel cell withcounter measureproofing. It offerseasy-to-read court-friendly Camera ID,GPS tracking andreport customiza-tion. It has deviceread-out controlPass/Fail or BACoptions. In addi-tion, the company offers 24/7nationwide service and does all thepaperwork and DMV authorizations.

www.alcoalertinterlock.com,1-888-NO-DWUIS

Wireless Handset & Camera System

The WC900 offers a wirelesshandset and camera with a 2.4-inchtrue color touch screen display. Thecamera takes full cockpit picturesduring every breath test and hasdata storage of over 30,000 images.Temperature and humidity sensorsare used to determine humanbreath. Advanced multiple anti-cir-cumvention techniques along withpatented rolling retest feature that




allows individuals to warm up theirvehicle without being penalized.

www.bestlabsinc.com, 1.877.237.1541

Affordable Alternative to In-vehicle Units

The SmartStart IN-HOMunit is said to bean affordablealternative forthe offenderwho does nothave a vehicleyet needs someform of alcoholmonitoring. It isdevice equippedwith a cameraallowing for pos-itive photo iden-tification. ThisSmart Start

product has an affordable pricepoint versus similar competitordevices, says the company. From thequick and accurate reportingprocess, customizable testing win-dows and cost effective pricing, theIN-HOM is the ideal device forthose who need alcohol monitoringbut do not have access to a vehicle.www.smartstartinc.com, 1.800.880.3394

Tamper-Resistant DeviceThe Alcolock (Series III) Breath

Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device(BAIID) is an accurate and program-mable tamper-resistant vehicle igni-tion interlock. It features a personalsecurity code that must be enteredon the keyboard. Blood alcohol con-tent (BAC) is accurately measuredfrom a 4-second breath sample. Athree-place digital display (0.000%-0.200%) shows % of BAC with




“Pass” or “Fail” indicator.www.autosenseintl.com, 1.800.325.2657

Automated Breath Alcohol Test

MobileBreath automates breathtesting. With a 30-second, enrollee-administered BA screen, it willdetect down to .001 BAC. Resultscan be emailed or text messaged toan administrator or case manager

instantly. It is said to be the onlymobile system that uses face andvoice biometrics to validate anenrollee’s identity on each requiredtest. The system transmits BreathAlcohol level and identity data usingcellular technology.

www.streetimetechnologies.com,1.877.727.7764

Web-Based Call Systemcall2test is a web-based, call-in

system for drug and alcohol testingand probation reporting. It can be

configured in less than 60 seconds,is fully automated, and can be used

by courts of any size. By utilizingexisting Interactive Voice Responsetechnologies, call2test is able to pro-vide service at a low cost per offend-er, the firm reports.

call2test.com, 1.888.972.9166

Flexible Breath TestingSCRAM Remote Breath is flexible

option in breath testing. It is the firsthandheld, wireless, portable breathalcohol tester that includes govern-ment-grade facial recognition, high-resolution photos, BrAC results, anda GPS location with every test.Automated facial matching reducesmanual photo review by 90-95%,while random, scheduled, and on-demanding testing provides moreflexibility to monitor clients, reportsthe maker.

www.alcoholmonitoring.com,1.800.557.0861

24/7 Sobriety ProgramIntoximeters is highly involved in

the 24/7 Sobriety Program, a lawenforcement concept that many U.S.

states have begun adopting toreduce recidivism associated withdrunk driving. It mandates offendersobriety through testing for drugsand alcohol and allows offenders toremain functioning members of

society if they abstain from alcoholand/or drug use.

www.24x7sober.com, 1.314.429.4000

Target-tracking Camera System

The LifeSafer FC100 IgnitionInterlock offers an exclusive patent-pending target-tracking camera sys-tem. It offers real-time reporting ofviolations and vehicle location.Indicator light signals handset-to-camera link, enable test to begin. Itcan be separately mounted near therearview mirror without obstructingdriver’s view.

www.lifesafer.com, 1.800.634.3077

Portable Home AlcoholMonitoring

Intoxalock Home eLERT is builton 20 years of alcohol monitoringexperience. It offers the reliability,accuracy and advanced features oftheir ignition interlock devices, butin a portable and discrete homemodel. Home eLERT offers photoimaging, GPS and real-time report-ing that can help individuals test andverify their sobriety conveniently.

www.intoxalock.com, 1.888.283.5899

SCRAM Remote Breath





BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR

There’s nothing worse thanhaving to take off from workto go the courthouse and thenfinding yourself lost in thelabyrinth of the justice com-plex or on an endless line,wasting valuable time in aim-less pursuit instead of takingcare of the business you cameto the courthouse for in thefirst place.

With modern up-to-the-minutesignage and electronic pay sta-tions/kiosks, it can keep yourpatron’s foot traffic stepping lively,help them take payments or fines inan organized manner and/or informthem on the fly of any immanentdangers, not to mention saving staffimmense time.

However, it is easy for the addi-tion of large screen electronic dis-

plays, enclo-sures, floorstands, kiosks,etc. to quicklyincrease costs ifnot discussedthoroughly andnot strategicallyaligned with thec o u r t h o u s e ’ sgoals, notes Josh Budd, president andCEO of AdGators, a full service digitalsignage company. Challenges inselecting technology rank on the topof court administrators challenges.And in addition, placement,cable/power management, security,and footprint are very challenging incourthouses especially if they are anolder courthouse, he says. “This willbe interesting to watch play out in2015.”

What are some of the trends in

products? Will smartphonesbe permitted in courthousesor will that go the way of theCD? Will visitors be able tomake payments on kioskson a routine basis? And willtechnology be able to integrate withother courthouse data sharing inopen source (OS), cloud-based(Saas) electronics? We spoke withsome industry players and develop-ers as well as obtaining some feed-back from court customers to seewhat they believe is important in

These trends in digital signage and electronics cankeep p

atron

s of th

e cou

rt well in

form

ed an

d m

ovin

g sm

oo

thly.

Pointed in theRightDirection

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planning a solution for a court. Hereare their responses.

When the Clark County’sRecorder’s Office in Las Vegas chosea kiosk from local provider Slabb,Inc. because of its ability to providea customized hardware solution thatwould allow users to request certi-fied copies of marriage certificates–which happens quite often at the“Wedding Capital of the World”—they were surprised at the ease inwhich they were fulfilling theCounty’s goal of providing a betterservice to customers in a more effi-cient way. In the first seven months,over 1,000 transactions were com-pleted at the kiosk, Slabb’s X6model, eliminating the need forthese customers to engage countypersonnel for this repetitive task—saving over 350 hours of staff time.“The marriage certificate kiosk hasbeen a great success,” says a Countyspokesperson. “The number oftransactions that have been done on

the kiosk have already surpassed thecost of software development, costof kiosk hardware, cost of installa-tion and deployment.” Just 18months after the initial deployment,they say the solution has paid foritself.

Into the future, The Clark CountyRecorder IT team is looking to builda recording kiosk. They report thisdevice will enable customers torecord documents like homesteads,deeds, deeds of trust, etc. with theRecorder’s Office without having tocome into their main office location.

TrendsInteractive signage is one area

courthouse personnel are showingan increased interest, says MaddieAlexander, director of Judicial Saleswith Infax, Inc., the developer of avariety of modules for courthouseswithin the umbrella of theCourtSight Suite, which is specifi-cally designed for courthouse

wayfinding. One module calledDocketCall automates the daily cal-endars and displays the informationin real-time on monitors throughoutthe courthouse.

It can be interactive on largemonitors or kiosks and allowpatrons to check in after verifyingtheir information. Interactive sig-nage can be wall mounted or floormounted and Infax creates theattention grabbing software to letvisitors know they have an indepen-dent option, notes Alexander.

While The CourtSight Suite offersinteractive wayfinding maps thatassist court visitors to find specificdirections to the right floor, office orcourtroom, a new product currentlybeing introduced by Infax is calledJailCall. This solution gives correc-tional facility personnel the ability toprovide up-to-date prisoner infor-mation electronically. With JailCall,personnel are informed on prison-er’s bond information, next appear-




ance date, arraignment schedules,and even a current docket of who isset to appear in court that day.

Within the retail and corporateenvironment, signage is a bit morecutting edge, says AdGators’ Budd.“Size, brightness, resolution/4k, andinteractive touch/multi-touch, mobileinteractivity, and video walls seem tobe industry discussions and purchas-ing trends. The disadvantage is thatthese trends tend to be expensive,and more and more justice centersare banning mobile from enteringthe facility,” heopines. In keepingwith practicality, hesays, “We are focusedon what we callDigital Signage as aSolution (DsaaS) andVisitor Engagementproducts. We arefocused on the corevalue of replacingpaper dockets, reduc-ing staff interruptions,and quickly checkingvisitors into the court-house via touchscreen kiosks—allwhile keeping thingssimple and cost effec-tive.”

AdGators productsinclude DocketVision, Conciergeand CHECKin.Docket Vision is an open source(OS), cloud-based (SaaS) digital sig-nage solution that allows courthous-es and justice centers the ability todisplay dockets or calendars andwayfinding to visitors electronicallyvia LED/LCD displays. DocketVision integrates with existing casemanagement systems and includesdirectional mapping, weather radar /forecast, emergency information andcheck-in policies.

Concierge is its visual Help Desksolution allowing justice centers theability to electronically display

way f ind ingand direc-tional map-ping such ase l e v a t o r s ,r e s t r o o m s ,and emer-gency exists,fire extin-guishers etc.C o n c i e r g ealso allows

the ability to display public notices,announcements whether text orvideo, rss feeds, hearings, assistanceand room information, event ormeeting information, and crimestopper information.

Another cool feature, if the court-house allows mobile devices, a visi-tor can scan a QR code from theConcierge display that directs themto the court website where they cancheck in.

CHECKin is its courthouse kiosksolution allowing visitors to typetheir name on the onboard key-

board, search their case location andcheck in. Once the visitor is checkedin, the solution posts the data backinto the case management databaseto remove this particular case fromthe display to continue reducing thequantity of names scrolling on thedisplay. This small footprint solutionranges from a 22-inch touch moni-tor down to a 10.5 Galaxy orSurface.

In 2015 CHECKin’s design willalso allow for on-premise visitors toeither check in via their mobile deviceor the kiosk, which, regardless of themethod, will update the DocketVision database and displays.

Although cutting edge uniqueidentification methods such as bio-metric or facial recognition are widelyavailable, says Cory Sloan, seniorconsultant, Court & GovernmentAccounts with Phoenix Kiosk, hesays courts really concentrate on themore ordinary. “…Courts are moreinterested in the reliable and practicalfunction of the kiosk through more

Phoenix Kioskhardware stylesinclude theLocco, Piitch(shown withtouchscreen),Sliivr as well ascustom documentscanning solu-tions.

Infax DocketCallscreen display





widely accepted technology such asbasic bar code scanning.” One of theprimary types of technology they arespecifying are document scanningsolutions that can securely andspeedily automate office tasks byscanning confidential documentsinto a secure network for authorizedpersons to share and review.

In addition to custom documentscanning, Phoenix Kiosk applica-tions include juror screening andcheck-in (can include screeninginterviews) and wayfinding. Animproved document scanning solu-tion is planned to be released withinthe first quarter of 2015, Sloan adds.

Xerox provides both wayfaringsignage and jury kiosks as part of itsAgileJury Jury Management Systemsolution, notes Phil Hatton, vicepresident, Justice Solutions Manager,Parking and Justice Solutions, XeroxGovernment Systems, LLC.Wayfaring signage directs jurors tojury assembly rooms as well as court-rooms. Its kiosk solution allowsjurors to check in at the court, updatejuror biographical information andanswer qualification questions, printjuror badges, payment checks, andattendance letters.

He furthers, “Our customers arelooking for compact units that willeasily conform to existing court-house layouts. As it relates to kiosks,customers are looking at both fullsize units as well as compact wallmounted units.”

They are also looking at otherXerox alternatives including receiv-ing wayfaring information viasmartphones or to check in viatablet technology.

Hatton notes that “One item thatseparates us from our competition isour ability to offer juror paymentthrough the kiosk using our brandedMasterCard® Way2Go® debitcard.” Cards can be loaded in thekiosk and at juror checkout, heexplains, and the card can be distrib-uted through the kiosk to the juror.

PositiveFeedback

Kiosks, while theydon’t provide thehuman touch, theycan offer supplemen-tal assistance to offercheck-in, wayfindingor payment options,and says Slabb’sWilson, the cost is jus-tified: “Kiosks costabout 6% as much as

a pensioned employee.”States Bob James, Criminal Court

Administrator, Superior Court ofArizona in Maricopa County in anemail: “Our information kiosks

[from Xerox] are located in the lobbyof our main criminal courthouse.When a line develops for staff assis-tance, the kiosks are a great resourceto which we can direct people.”

Another customer, DavidSchlothauer, director, InformationTechnology, Facilities and Securitywith the Superior Court ofCalifornia, County of Nevada, pro-vides customer feedback from one oftheir AdGators installs. Says smallclaims litigant Scott Pryor in a post:“…Since the court does not have adedicated Small Claims courtroom,it is very efficient for me to get myinformation from the digital calen-dar right in the lobby when I walkin. This service allows me to godirectly to the proper courtroomwithout the hassle of standing inline at the counter waiting for a clerkto look it up. I imagine the clericalstaff likes it too, less people in linemeans less stress on them. This is areal time saver, thanks!!” CT

With this kiosk fromSlabb that produces cer-tified marriage certifi-cates, the Clark CountyRecorder’s Office in LasVegas saved over 350hours of staff time in thefirst six months.

AdGators Concierge QR Check-in directsvisitors to the court web page.




Courts have been bound

by limited options: interpreter prox-imity, limited language/dialect/cul-tural integrity, restrictive resourcesand deficient acoustics. Now diverseoptions explode open the courtroomdoors to readily-available inter-preters and multiple languages—even those of limited diffusion—byphone, video and related technolo-gies, and for in-court sessions:refined equipment to clarify andaugment the processes.

Concurrently, legislation pertain-

ing to language interpretation hasbecome more stringent, requiringequal access to justice despite coun-try of origin or disability. Initially,under Title VI of the Civil Rights Actof 1964, government entities wereprohibited from discriminating basedon race, color, and national origin.Then in 2000, President Clintonsigned Executive Order 13166“Improving Access to Services forPersons with Limited EnglishProficiency,” (LEP) and again in2002, the Department of Justice gaveadditional guidelines to requirements

of Title VI for providing meaningfulaccess to LEP individuals.

With the increasing ingress ofimmigrants and persons of other cul-tural diversity at an estimated 1 mil-lion a year, the country’s justice sys-tem is still mandated to provide ade-quate language services on national,state and local levels. To fulfill thoseneeds, the multitude of technologyplatforms supported have become inactuality, a necessity, allowing inter-preters to not only work on-site whenneeded, but to be available, literallyany place, any time.

BY G.F . GUERCIO

INTERPRET4The power of interpretation has increased exponentially:

Advanced technology empowers courts with capability, availability, accessibility and affordability.

LanguageLine Solutions 1Solution Phone is a dual handset that facilitates access to a telephone interpreter in face-to-face encounters with a Limited English Proficient (LEP) client.

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“As communities continue todiversify, language service needs canno longer be sourced from the localgeographic area, therefore on-demand interpreting services havebecome an acute resource in orderto accommodate those in need,”says Kristin Quinlan, CEO ofCertified Languages International.

“In the case of many states, thereare literally hundreds of courts andmagistrates serving the population,and with such a large jurisdiction itis physically impossible for the courtsystem to service the diverse popu-lation of limited English speakerswith in-person interpreters.

“Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)is one of the newest trends in ourindustry. It utilizes smart devicetechnology to offer the same qualityof telephone interpreting services ina live video format. With on-demand interpreting you haveinstant access to interpreters in hun-dreds of languages that more thanlikely would not be available in thegiven physical geographical locationof the court.”

Whether a court has a well-devel-oped language access plan or haslimited resources, today courts havemore flexible solutions to more effi-ciently serve the public, says DaveBethea, vice president of Marketingand Sales Operations, LanguageLineSolutions. He details some of thesolutions available: a flexible hybridof telephone interpreting in whichinbound calls are supported frombeginning to end in the language ofthe LEP caller; VRI which combines

the speed of telephone interpretingwith the visual benefit of video; andLanguageLine’s dual handset phonethat accesses a telephone interpreterin face-to-face encounters with anLEP individual. Bethea says theseoptions allow courts to apply tech-nologies to reduce costs and improveefficiencies and ensure compliancewith language access mandates.

He notes LanguageLineSolutions is undergoing a techno-logical transformation to expandoptions and platforms even more.“At the core of this change is a sin-gle integrated IT platform that willtransform the way the companydelivers language access solutions.Interpreters will have the ability todeliver multiple language solutionsin a world that increasingly usestechnology that merges telephonywith other media including video,chat and texting. The company hasseen enormous change in the mar-ket over the last three decades andis building a platform that offersgreater flexibility in delivering thelanguage access solutions courts willneed tomorrow.”

The courts’ needs in the legal

process is of concern to MiriamLudlow, Business Development,TeleLanguage. “The cost of the legalproceeding is significant at all levels.Because of the importance ofrespecting processes and individ-ual’s rights we do not have the luxu-ry of ‘getting by.’ Technology sup-ports the court systems by providingimmediate and effective services atall times and in all places.” Becauseof that, “the need for telephoneinterpretation and VRI cannot beemphasized enough in today’s envi-ronment.”

She adds that foreign languagesneeds vary from place to placeacross the country based on concen-tration areas. “By accessing VRI andtelephonic interpretation the courtscan meet mandated requirementssuch as due process timelines inalmost any language. Furthermorethis is an important benefit to thoserural and remote areas where eventhe top foreign languages are hardto find.”

Noting the hard-to-find aspects,Sarah Gamble, director of contracts,CTS LanguageLink says, “We alsostrive to provide quality interpreta-tion and translation services that arespecific to our clients’ target audi-ence in terms of regional dialect,culture and demographics,” andadds: “This can be a problem whenit is a language of lesser diffusionand there is limited or no court cer-tified interpreters.”

Because the solution is a simplesoftware download that can be uti-lized on existing Microsoft Windows

For more information: LanguageLine Solutions — 800.752.6096, www.languageline.comOn Demand Interpretation Services — 440.350.0887,

www.ondemandinterpreters.comCTS LanguageLink — 800.208.2620, www.ctslanguagelink.comCertified Languages Intl. — 800.225.5254, www.certifiedlanguages.comTeleLanguage — 888.983.5352, www.telelanguage.comEnersound — 800.644.5090, www.enersound.com.

LanguageLine Solutionsvideo remote interpret-ing (VRI) called LanguageUc is available on multi-ple platforms.




based computers, it is an easyimplementation process for courtsnew to using VRI. “For our solutionyou only need a computer with ahigh speed internet connection,webcam, and microphone.” As foran additional technology-based ser-vice, CTS LanguageLink imple-mented a secure web-based ClientPortal that enables clients to moni-tor usage in real time, view andexport usage reports and invoicesand provide feedback. “You canalso request on-site assignmentsthrough our client portal and viewthe status of your requests,” saysGamble.

To add to services options, onecompany includes a different type ofbilling configuration. “Since younever know how many LEPs you aregoing to get in a year—how manywill break the law—and you have nocontrol over who is arrested and whatlanguage they speak, we offer aninnovative billing system,” notesColleen O'Toole, founder of OnDemand Interpretation Services LLC.

“We forensically investigate howmuch courts have used in the pastand go to subscription-based pricingto save money.” She notes it workslike a cell phone bill, “You budgetinterpreter fees each month basedon your history, but like a cell phoneyou have rollover minutes for whatyou don’t use. Let’s say you had fiveMongol-speaking individuals in anaccident with 5 kilos of heroin. Anyrollover time could be used for theadditional services needed in thiscase. And for convenience, you canuse our services with a cell phone oripad and therefore, bring it in thejail, the office, or right down to thecourts as needed.”

O’Toole also notes the companywill do what it can to help courtskeep justice accessible to all. “We gointo courts, especially small courts,and work with them as needed;even filing, training. The ability toprovide access to justice is some-

Legislation Pertaining toLanguage Interpretation

• Civil Rights Act of 1964(Title VI): Government, pri-vate, and non-profit entitiesthat receive federal fundingmust comply with Title VIand the Title VI implement-ing regulations, which pro-hibits discrimination on thebasis of race, color, andnational origin in programsthat receive federal financialassistance. To comply withthe Title VI prohibitionagainst national origin dis-crimination, Federal-fund-ing recipients must take rea-sonable steps to ensuremeaningful access to theirprograms.

• August, 11, 2000:President Clinton signedExecutive Order 13166,“Improving Access to Servicesfor Persons with LimitedEnglish Proficiency,” whichdirected federal agencies topublish guidance on howtheir recipients can provideaccess to Limited EnglishProficient (LEP) persons.

• June 18, 2002: TheDepartment of Justice issuedfinal guidance to federalfund recipients regarding therequirement under Title VIand the Title VI regulationsto take reasonable steps toprovide meaningful access toLEP individuals.

Enersound provides simultaneous interpretation systems, portablesound, microphones, earphones, cases and translation booths to

improve audio capabilities for court interpreters.




times as easy as having officers startickets indicating you may need aninterpreter. Once you realize that, allyou have to do is set up your laptopor use your phone, and you can getaccess to an interpreter in 30 sec-onds. Our team will walk the courtthrough the process. We work tomaintain the integrity of equalaccess to justice.

She notes interpretation servicesis now a 20 billion-dollar marketand growing 20 percent a year. “It’sa giant sandbox; there’s plenty ofroom for every type: remote and in-person interpreting.”

For the area of the sandboxreserved for in-person interpreting,technology again leads the way.Equipment that provides clarity andcapability improves the proceedingsfor not only the LEP but the court aswell. “Enersound simultaneousinterpretation equipment assistscourt interpreters working at bothstate and federal courts so that theycan overcome language barriers inthe courts. At the same time, thecourts ensure they are providingindividuals with limited English pro-ficiency access to the courts, whichis a core function of the courts,” saysMonica Guelman, VP Sales &Marketing at Enersound.

For the legal system she recom-mends FM (Frequency Modulation)Analog Technology. “There are sev-eral features that make this technol-ogy ideal for simultaneous interpre-

tation: It’s easy set-up, lower costand minimal required system com-ponents.” The frequency band isapproved by the FCC for languageinterpretation and is out of therange of radio stations, wirelessmicrophones, tablets, etc., minimiz-ing possible interference. FM sys-tems can pass through walls, andrequire one transmitter per lan-guage. They are portable and light-weight and can be stored and trans-ported in carrying cases.

“When it comes to services in thecourt, interpreters usually use battery-operated FM wireless transmitterswith microphones, and they interpretwhat’s being said in real time in thesimultaneous mode,” she says,including a Miami-based freelanceinterpreter, Linda Dunlap, in the mix.

In court, speaking to three plain-tiffs in simultaneous mode, Dunlapwas expected to modulate her voiceas to not interfere with the proceed-ings or disturb the attorney. Dunlapsays, “That experience convincedme that equipment wasn't optional,it was mandatory for court.”

The court’s own mandatory lan-guage requirements will continue tokeep the doors open to meaningfulaccess to justice for all individualsregardless of abilities and languageproficiency. Whether in-person, byphone, video, or a new platform,technology will lead the way toimproved interpretation services,and therefore, justice for all. CT

Certified LanguagesInternational provides theoption of Video RemoteInterpreting (VRI) with a tablet.

CTS LanguageLink pro-vides over-the-phone,

video remote, and on-siteinterpretation services in

over 240 languages.

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