The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is no small operation. It:
- has over 2,000 employees
- manages 8,000 incarcerated individuals
- oversees 24,000 probationers and parolees.
Project Manager Cassie Lint described her agency’s goals as public safety and “improving our residents’ chances to not come back into our system.”
Cassie’s part in this lofty goal? To make sure the right people have the right data at the right time so they can do their jobs better.
In recent years, Cassie has helped IDOC move from paper-based processes to digital forms and centralized document storage using Laserfiche. Laserfiche is a powerful content management system that helps organizations digitize, organize, and automate their document workflows.
Laserfiche improves data access with better organization and secure, role-based permissions. This means staff can:
- Protect sensitive client information
- Retrieve data efficiently
- Provide an appropriate level of transparency to the public
Controlling Access to Client Files
At IDOC, each client or resident has what’s known as a “central file.” The file contains legal documents, reports, medical history, and more—all information that staff needs to decide how to assist them.
Central files used to be physical folders stuffed with documentation. Staff had to check out the entire folder and search through everything to find what they needed.
Not only was this a cumbersome process, but it also posed compliance risks. Not every staff member needs complete access to all information about a client.
Now, all of this data is housed in Laserfiche.
“We were able to implement security around it,” Cassie said. “So now we have request processes for staff to get access to them and get access to what they need. That reduces the amount of data that they have to wade through to do their job, but also ensures that they have access to only what they need to do their job.”
Minimizing Data Entry Through Integrations
But it’s not just central files that are easier to access—data entered into other systems is more readily available now, too. Laserfiche integrates with many other software systems through APIs, so staff don’t need to transfer information between platforms manually.
For instance, members of the public can use certain Laserfiche forms to update their information. The information is then automatically synced to IDOC’s client management system.
“That saves time, reduces data entry, increases efficiencies, and standardizes data processes,” Cassie said.
Plus, the API can split client information into what’s publicly available and what isn’t. Users must be logged into the IDOC’s network and have the correct permissions to access confidential data.
“Instead of manually entering data, we’re now trying to create those efficiencies for our staff and save them time so they can focus on the important work that we do,” Cassie said.
Simplifying Public Transparency
In recent years, many organizations like IDOC have prioritized making their operations more transparent to the public. One way that Laserfiche has made this easier is using their WebLink—a part of their repository that is publicly available and searchable.
But for safety reasons, not every policy is open to public inspection. Staff used to maintain policies in two places — one publicly available and one not. Any changes to policies would then need to be made in two different places.
This isn’t a problem in Laserfiche. The documents can all be maintained in a central location in the Laserfiche repository.
”We were able to utilize Laserfiche to set the metadata that says ‘this policy is available publicly,’ or ‘this is an internal-only policy,’” Cassie said. “So only staff who are logged on to our network can see it.”
This streamlined approach reduces staff workload. But it also ensures that the public receives the most up-to-date policy information. This builds trust between the agency and the community, as citizens can easily understand the rules or procedures that affect them. It also minimizes the risk of the public acting on incorrect information and reduces potential disputes or complaints.
Efficient document management makes it easy to get the right information to the right person at the right time.
Learn how digitization can help you and your staff spend less time on data management—and more time doing your jobs. Contact MCCi for a personal consultation today!
