The Arizona Judicial Branch in Maricopa County is a leader in the development of innovative programs that enhance judicial processes and efficiency. This year, the Arizona Judicial Branch in Maricopa County was honored with nine NaCo Achievement awards in various categories. The Maricopa County Department of Adult Probation was awarded five NACo awards for their automated process to deliver reports to department leaders and program managers. This system makes data more accessible to staff and leaders, and has had a positive effect on the community.
The Maricopa County Department of Adult Probation oversees more than 46,000 individuals involved in justice. The Jail Tablet Hearing and SMART Cart program is a joint effort between the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Judicial Technology Services and the Criminal Department of the Arizona Superior Court in Maricopa County. This project will reduce the cost and resources needed to prosecute arbitration cases in Maricopa County, as returned mail and subsequent investigation are expected to be reduced as the information used by the court becomes more accurate. Both programs are offered through Adult Probation, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and community partners. The specialized Community Reintegration Unit of the Maricopa County Department of Adult Probation provides oversight and transition planning to people involved in justice who are in custody. This groundbreaking program allows a variety of criminal court hearings to be held virtually through an interactive audio-visual system for eligible defendants in one of Maricopa County's six prison facilities. The Arizona Judiciary in Maricopa County is comprised of the Superior Court, adult probation and juvenile probation, which includes juvenile detention.
The implementation of these award-winning programs not only improves judicial processes and efficiency, but also has an impact on a community forever changed by a health crisis. In addition, this project improved the justice system in Maricopa County, as staff can prosecute more cases by having more eligible arbitrators to appoint. Maricopa County is adopting 15-day guidelines from the president and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to curb the spread of coronavirus in the United States, which will affect the way we do business. The Arizona Judicial Branch in Maricopa County has been recognized for its efforts to improve judicial processes and efficiency with nine NaCo Achievement awards this year. The development of these award-winning programs has had a positive impact on the community, as well as on the justice system in Maricopa County.
