Many in corrections have heard about the latest in computer technology but because their agencies don't have the funds to supply them with the equipment, they don't have a chance to truly understand it. The Corrections Connection interviewed several leaders in corrections and drew on its own experience to provide a primer to bring you up to speed and help you apply this technology.

Q: What is the difference between the Internet, an Intranet and an Extranet?

A: According to Internet Author Stephen Jenkins (http://homepages.enterprise.net/jenko/Glossary/G.htm), The Internet is a world wide computer network through which you can send a letter, chat to people electronically or search for information on almost any subject you care to think of. Quite simply it is a 'network of computer networks'. It originated in the 1960's in the USA where the US defence was conscious of having its computer network destroyed if the central computer was damaged. So, a network was designed around the principle of 'unreliable computers' - if one was destroyed or failed the remaining computers could still function. Each computer in the network acknowledges the existence of all of the others. 
An Intranet is an internal network of computers that can be used by anyone who is directly connected to the agency's computer network. Similarly, an Extranet is an Intranet with the added feature that the information contained within may be accessed externally by outside agencies and/or individuals. 

Q: What is a List Serv?

A: It stands for List Server. This is a program that allows you to subscribe to a mailing list which then distributes emails to the members on a particular subject. No human intervention is needed; it works on its own. 

Q: What is a Bulletin Board or Discussion Tree?

A: A bulletin board is just what you might think. It is a place where browsers may post notices such as announcements or questions and other browsers may read and respond to those notices. Depending upon on the system, responses may be posted on the bulletin board for everyone to review or privately emailed to the person who asked the original question. When questions and responses are posted together online it creates was is called a Discussion Tree or Discussion Group. Browsers inside a discussion group may respond to the original question or any of the secondary responses. It's a fun and free way to get the answers to the questions you have and network with your peers, especially if the bulletin board or discussion group is targeted towards a specific audience.

Q: What is a Search Engine?

A:One of the most essential tools on the Internet, search engines help you find websites that relate to a particular subject, the email address of someone you know, articles posted to a news group or even organizations in corrections and criminal justice. Most of the information provided by search engines is categorized so the search can be considerably refined before you even begin and you may search for items by using key word descriptions. The search engines are basically huge databases. Although there are over 200 search engines and indexes online, here are a few of the most popular ones to try out . . .Excite, HotBot, Infoseek, Webcrawler, Yahoo, Lycos and Alta Vista.

Q: How Do I Limit My Search In a Search Engine?

A: Here are a few tips from The Corrections Connection research team for narrowing your searches: 

First, when searching multiple words such as 'juvenile justice', you should place them inside quotation marks. This will ensure that only those sites that contain both these words are retrieved. If you search without the quotes you are asking the computer to find all occurrences of either juvenile or justice, but not both together.

Second, many search engines (HotBot and Alta Vista) and online indexes (Yahoo) allow you to narrow your searches in small increments. For instance, you may start with a one or two word query and then once those results are retrieved, you may enter a new key word(s) and search only those results retrieved in the first search. You may continue to do this until you have narrowed your results down from 10,000 to 4,000 to 1,000 to 100 and so on. 

Finally, you may want to try using the subject headings provided by the search engine or index. Often these will bring you right to what you need instead of having to guess with key words. You may also select a specific heading and then conduct a key word search inside that subject only. 

Q: How Can I Use These Tools To Assist Me In My Job?

A: 'Sharing information, discussing common problems, celebrating best practices and asking questions can save you time, money and a lot of headaches,' says Jack Greene, Director of Professional Development for the American Correctional Association. 'List Servs, search engines, bulletin boards, intranets and extranets enable corrections practitioners to network with one another in ways that were never before possible,' says Greene who has been using many of these tools for the last 2 years.

Q: Can I Conduct Legal Research Online?

A: This was the number one question at the recent Juvenile Justice Forum sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention and the American Correctional Association in Long Beach California. The short answer is yes. The long answer is . . . 'it takes some time to find what you need,' says Laura Noonan, President of The Corrections Connection.

Here are some super places to start:

· Find Law (findlaw.com)

· Internet Law Library (http://law.house.gov/)

· All Law (alllaw.com)

· American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Watch (http://www.abanet.org/crimjust/juvjus/home.html)

· American Bar Association (abanet.org)

Q: Are any of these tools, specifically for Corrections Practitioners?

A: Yes. There are many wonderful web resources, but some of the largest ones include, The Corrections Connection, The National Criminal Justice Resource Service, The National Institute of Justice, The American Correctional Association, The American Jail Association, The National Law Enforcement and Technology Center and The National Association of Correctional Administrators.

Most of these sites contain bulletin boards, discussion forums, listservs, news briefs and helpful web links. The NIJ and NCJRS sites for example both contains listservs that browsers may subscribe to and receive daily information on a variety of justice issues. The Corrections Connection contains 30 bulletin boards, a Corrections Think Tank where browsers may debate important issues and career posting boards where browsers may view jo openings and/or resumes.

There are also private Intranets you may be able to access. One of the earliest Intranet arrivals on the scene was The National Association of Correctional Administrators which has been operating a private Intranet for correctional administrators for some time now. Although we were not able to reach the association for comment, the Corrections Connection has received positive feedback regarding the system. Last summer, the American Correctional Association introduced Datalaunch, a Private Intranet for all corrections practitioners.

Q: What is Datalaunch?

A: DataLaunch is an innovative Internet software application, designed by Screened Images Multimedia, which allows users to send, receive, post, archive and research data and interface with other practitioners from one single interface. 

Everything you normally post online; Everything you now send via email; Conferences, workshops, programs, courses and other events you register for by mail can all be done through DataLaunch. You can request research assistance, share information on bulletin boards, post questions to other users and request product information, membership, publication and other information inside a password-protected program reserved exclusively for corrections practitioners.

'Programs like Datalaunch enable practitioners to share information globally 365 days a year,' says Greene, 'so we 're not re-inventing the wheel all the time.'

'And because it is protected by a firewall, practitioners have the privacy to discuss matters with their peers only and not an audience mixed with students, reporters, legislators, attorneys and other general Internet browsers,' he said.

Q: How Can I Get A Password To Use Datalaunch?

If you are a corrections practitioner and would like to access Datalaunch, you should contact Jeff Washington, Deputy Director of the American Correctional Association. The phone number is 1-800-222-5646. You may also send your request by email (jeffw@aca.org). Every corrections agency has an assigned organization code which will enable all employees to access the system. Once inside, you may create your own user name and password and begin sending and receiving information.