The Applications, Research & Technology Unit (ART Unit) is responsible for development and support of the information technology needs of the Department of Juvenile Justice Services (DJJS).  Through a partnership with the Clark County Information Technology (IT) Department, the ART Unit and the IT Department maintain and support the entire DJJS infrastructure, including networks, applications and equipment.  The ART Unit is responsible for capturing and generating data which is used for statistical, performance and management reporting.  In addition, the ART Unit provides training and support for departmental and supplemental software applications.

Background Information

In 1995, Clark County began a business process re-engineering effort known as Project 2000.  The goal of this massive endeavor was to streamline and automate the business practices at the Department of Family and Youth Services.  This project charted a course for the agency to follow in an effort to improve services through better management of staff, services, budget allocations and information technology.  The Department of Family and Youth Services has since been divided  into two separate entities.  The Department of Juvenile Justice Services serves the community by addressing the needs of juvenile offenders and their families, while the Department of Family Services works with cases involving child welfare, foster care, adoption, abuse and neglect.

In addition to a blueprint for improved processes and better utilization of staff and resources, a major accomplishment of Project 2000 was the development of a new, robust automated case management application.  The FamilyTRACS application was implemented in 1998 and continues to be updated on a regular basis.  FamilyTRACS is an acronym for Family Tracking, Reporting and Automated Case Support.  Once Project 2000 reached its original goals, it was formally ended and the ART Unit was established.

FamilyTRACS is a comprehensive, family focused case management application.  It is designed to collect and store for both case management and reporting purposes.  Prior to August 2003, it was used to collect  information on families whether they found themselves dealing with juvenile justice issues, child welfare issues, or a combination of both.  At that time, the Department of Family Services made the decision to begin using the State of Nevada UNITY application as their case management system.  They still continue to use FamilyTRACS for historical information purposes.

The ART Unit is responsible for making any necessary modifications to the application.  Additional functionality is developed on a frequent and regular basis to meet the changing needs of DJJS.  In addition to DJJS staff, FamilyTRACS is utilized by multiple agencies for an array of purposes.  From on-line community provider referrals to case processing by the District Attorney's Office, FamilyTRACS provides a vast array of functionality for numerous organizations and agencies.

The case management capabilities of FamilyTRACS are vital to servicing clients and families.  From an agency perspective, the information that can be generated from FamilyTRACS is just as important for decision making purposes.  Because of the information collected in FamilyTRACS, DJJS has evolved into a data driven organization.  We provide statistical data to a multitude of agencies for numerous purposes.  As an implementation site for the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), we are required to produce statistical information to the Annie E. Casey Foundation on a frequent and regular basis.  The objectives of JDAI are to reduce the number of children unnecessarily or inappropriately detained; to minimize the number of youth who fail to appear in court or re-offend pending adjudication; to redirect public funds toward successful reform strategies; and to improve conditions of confinement.