Predicting Trouble Spots Within Prisons
NIJ-funded researchers are developing the Correctional Operational Trend Analysis System (COTAS) to predict potential trouble spots within prisons. Knowing ahead of time where trouble might arise lets managers assign extra staff or take other actions that can prevent violence and other problems.
The software development team is creating a system to map and manage information that lets all levels of managers monitor cross-functional operations quickly. COTAS is being designed so it can identify trends, patterns, and areas of concerns within specific individual institutions and statewide.
COTAS will have the ability to display events based on violent and non-violent historical indexes of data that is used to format predictive levels of inmate behavior and facility security conditions. The engineers are developing a Graphical User Interface so managers can interact with the computer's pictures, symbols and charts and make proactive decisions that will minimize or prevent criminal activity in the facility.
COTAS is being developed by the Florida Department of Corrections. Once it is complete, NIJ will evaluate it in the field. Results of the evaluation should be available in late 2013.
The COTAS dashboard provides simple graphical indicators of key measures.
