SC Judicial Department Receives Funding for Statewide Database

Today, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) offered the following remarks in response to the South Carolina Judiciary receiving a $3,200,000 grant from the U.S. Justice Department that will fund a court-based criminal justice information system in South Carolina."This is great news for South Carolina," said Rep. Wilson. "Justice officials will now be able to access vital case information quickly and easily through a statewide information system."The grant became available under the Crime Identification Technology Act (CITA) and funds the South Carolina Judicial Department's (SCJD) project named "Technology Becoming Inherent in the South Carolina Courts and Criminal Justice Operations."The project's goal is to develop a statewide court case management system for the state Circuit and Magistrate Courts and successfully deploy it in Greenville, Pickens and Richland counties, which are acting as the pilot counties. The system, which is available only to the courts, law enforcement, corrections and other criminal justice agencies, is forecasted to be completely operational in all counties in June 2003.Support and training infrastructures will also be developed for a statewide deployment through a judicial system call center and to prepare a network connectivity infrastructure in all counties."I commend Chief Justice Jean Toal for her work and vision in bringing efficient technology into our judicial system," said Rep. Wilson. "As an attorney for over 25 years and a 17-year-member of the Judiciary Committee in the State Senate, I know that the Palmetto State will continue leading the way in ensuring that our justice system is both fair and just."###