Marshall County Community Corrections Director Ward Byers recently informed Advisory Board members about a piece of equipment that is reportedly useful for offenders as well as officials.
Byers provided some details about a kiosk that would be beneficial to low-risk individuals, day-reporters and pre-trial clients for filling out intake sheets and other required paperwork. He said the information would be electronically submitted to either Community Corrections or Probation, depending on which form they’re completing.
He noted that while the equipment can certainly assist with the administrative side of things, it is also possible to make an addition to the kiosk that would allow certain clients to complete another requirement.
Director Byers explained, “Eventually it will have the ability to do a portable breath test through a blue-tooth device so then that can also be recorded into the system.”
He said they’re looking into the option of placing a kiosk in the Marshall County Jail to allow inmates who have been court-ordered to participate in a pre-sentence investigation to complete home detention or pre-trial paper work in a more efficient manner.
Byers stated, “Currently we send paperwork to the jail they fill it out and send it back. Sometimes it comes back late, sometimes it doesn’t come back at all but it would eliminate paper in the jail and eliminate the jail staff from having to transport that paperwork back and forth”
Judge Dean Colvin asked if Byers sees the kiosks going anywhere else, specifically local police departments.
Director Byers responded, “I don’t, I look at it being in the lobby of the Probation Department, lobby of Community Corrections and at the Jail. If it’s a day reporting issue, we may place one in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Department for those Saturay, Sunday and Holiday reports.”
He noted that the reason he’d recommend the Sheriff’s Department is because it’s staffed 24/7.
