Is there any reason why a DA's office should not be able to input and store information about juvenile cases in the same database/program that they use for the adult cases?--only the DA's office has access to the information; it's not online. The only thing I could find in the Family Code about keeping the records separate was 58.007, but it only concerns "law enforcement records."

You don't think a prosecutor is part of law enforcement?

John Bradley
District Attorney
Williamson County, Texas

What I think is relevant and what I would like other prosecutors' input on is what does it mean in the context of that particular section, since in 58.007 (b) they specifically refer to a "prosecuting attorney", but in (c) only to "law enforcement." (Also, there are several definitions of "law enforcement agency" in the CCP that would not include a DA's office or a prosecutor.)

[This message was edited by ed klein on 08-29-02 at .]

Ed, I have a vague memory that we use the same software for our database. (I seem to remember the vendor giving Nacogdoches County as a reference when we were buying.) My solution to this dilemma was to install the software in a different folder on the computers of the people who need access to juvenile data. Then instead of networking it to "jaildata", I think I networked them to something like "juvenile jaildata". That way juvenile records are a little more secure.

Email me if you have questions. Or call me. I'll be in your neck of the woods this weekend.

Stephanie

I don't think it's the best practice - but - with that said, it is what I do. We have a good data management system that we purchased about a year ago. The system tracks all our cases - check collections, adults, juvies, JP court and NISIs. It is capable of giving me a complete print out of an individual - his open checks, speeding ticket, DWI - and juvie cases. I have to remember, if giving that print out to adult probation or some other party, to remove the juvie stuff.

Since we are a small office, I don't worry about the information being known in house - we know it anyway. It is those times we print our version of a criminal history that there could be a problem.

Lisa L. Peterson
Nolan County Attorney