CORMAP It

The future for corrections will take advantage of the warehouse of information maintained in a prison and use the principles of geographical information systems (GIS) to link mapping and spatial analysis to the data, thereby conducting crime mapping in prisons. A joint project between the National Institute of Justice’s, National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)-Southeast and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) is developing a prototype called CORMAP which integrates computer-aided design (CAD) technologies offering a needed third dimension to overcome the multiple levels in many prisons. It then combines GIS and CAD technologies which allows each cell to be displayed on a computer screen as a separate, identifiable living unit. Corrections mapping is useful in situations where contagious diseases are a problem, as well as in helping prison officials’ deal with the tremendous amount of inmate movement. However, several roadblocks must be overcome before a correctional facility can fully implement and use a mapping and analysis system. Once overcome, the advantages of implementing a mapping and analysis system will be significant.