Information Technology Division
The Information Technology Division (ITD) provides the District Attorney's Office with technology tools and services. Under the leadership of Chief Information Officer Ron Moskowitz, the 27 employees of ITD are responsible for the design, development, implementation, and support of all information technology hardware, software, business applications, and websites as well as support for the prosecution in the courtroom and community outreach efforts. In addition, ITD provides direct support to the City Attorney’s Office in their use of the District Attorney’s case management system for criminal prosecution.
IT Strategic Projects
In 2011, ITD developed an IT Strategic Plan that identified and prioritized IT projects strategic to the DA Office. As a result of the plan, ITD initiated the eDiscovery project that enables both the Public Defender’s Office and private defense attorneys to retrieve discovery documents electronically therefore reducing paper costs and improving service quality. Other strategic projects include Case Entry Cost Reduction, AB109, Paralegal Process Automation, and Investigative Productivity Improvement.
Network, Support, & Application Development
The Network team is responsible for supporting the organization’s data network and servers where information and applications are stored and accessed such as data files, email, the DA Case Management System, and the new eDiscovery system. The data network links 10 DA offices and more than 1,400 desktops, laptops, and printers to more than 150 virtual servers and to other networks including the County of San Diego, ARJIS, Sheriff, and the Internet. During 2011, the team continued to upgrade all server hardware and software. In addition, a new storage network and network devices were implemented to keep up with the organization’s increasing demand for files and data. This is providing additional levels of performance, capacity, availability, and security for the information technology infrastructure. These upgrades will provide a solid foundation to support the implementation of new systems, applications, and technologies over the next few years. In 2012, the team will be begin to implement and provide high speed WiFi wireless access to all branches and increased secured remote access to applications and data.
The Support team provides technical support to all DA employees via phone, email, Self-Service Portal or on-site service. During 2011, the IT Division resolved more than 7800 calls for assistance through its Service Desk. An upgrade of all desktop and laptop’s operating system was completed for improved performance, reliability, and security. The Support team also completed the implementation of a new Service Desk system to improve productivity and customer satisfaction. An Enterprise scanning document analysis has started that would support eDiscovery in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner reducing time to process, costs of copying, handling and printing physical documents. Additionally, in an effort to improve the computing capabilities and services, our teams continues to test emerging technologies including mobile devices, multimedia, and productivity software.
The Application Development team is responsible for the development, management, and on-going support of new computer systems to support both criminal case investigations and processing and the office’s general business activities such as personnel, payroll, training, travel, and budget management. The group’s primary goal is on continuously improving the capabilities of its adult and juvenile case management systems and continues to play an instrumental part in the implementation and support of the DA’s Case Management System (CMS) for the City Attorney. The Application Group is continually working on AB109 that enables us to capture when defendants are put on Mandatory Supervision or sentenced to serve prison time in local custody. It also includes tracking those that were on probation and due to a violation were switched to MS or local custody. It has been designed to provide this functionality for when Formal Parole violators become part of the new law in July 2013 as well. The Applications Group also continued to provide ongoing support to the SB618 Recidivism program by creating new, mandated state and local reports. For the upcoming year, intends to implement the eDiscovery system to provide criminal case discovery to defense counsel electronically.
The Application Development team also manages content and design on the DA’s public website, which receives thousands of views each week from around the world and has received the first place award for Best in Public Service or Consumer Advocacy by the San Diego Press Club for six consecutive years. In addition, the Web Team also manages the DA’s intranet and a growing portfolio of browser based applications and is researching portal based solutions to serve our external customers more effectively. One of the new browser based applications for 2011 allows victims to subscribe to a case and be notified electronically of subsequent court hearing in accordance with Marcy’s Law. Another browser based application in testing is the DA’s Case Management System (CMS) for the courtroom which will allow case data to be accessed through laptops and tablets.
