Domestic Violence “Kiosk” Transports Vital Service
Gig Harbor City Hall in Pierce County, Wash., has launched the county’s first kiosk for domestic violence services. The Internet-connected kiosk lets citizens file for protection orders from aggressors or potential aggressors without having to travel to the main county building in Tacoma.
The system’s database will soon be connected with the county’s GIS system, allowing county police officers to access data as well, says Pierce County’s domestic violence coordinator Craig Roberts. Officers will be able to get emailed information about the addresses of victims, abusers, and potential abusers via the GIS system, which will pinpoint the location of the addresses.
Roberts notes that the kiosk’s filing process is similar to online income tax filing, eliminates having to repeatedly enter duplicate information, and ensures that forms are legible by eliminating handwriting. Each completed form is instantly sent to a file in Roberts’ office, where employees evaluate the data and either reject the application and provide reasons for the rejection, or accept it and assemble the required documents.
Roberts says the process takes about the same amount of time as a walk-in request, adding that the three people who have used the tool so far are pleased with the technology.
Choosing the site for the kiosk involved such issues as ease in accessibility and safety.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the County News (03/04) Vol. 36, No. 4, P. 5; Moretti, M. Mindy .
