The Department for Correctional Services – South Australia improves efficiency and lowers costs thanks to records management modernization

A lack of centralized management of records was a risk that needed to be addressed

The Department for Correctional Services is a South Australian government agency that ensures offenders are managed in a safe, secure, and humane environment and provide opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration. This provides a safer community by protecting the public and reducing reoffending.

The Department had an existing records management system, that was used for physical records, with a “print and file” approach. This had the potential to lead to discrepancies in reporting, as information was siloed in paper and electronic formats across locations. It became challenging to locate information in an acceptable time due to low visibility and had the potential to cause inconsistencies.  

“It was a risk for the agency as a whole, which then puts the community at a risk if the incorrect information isn't provided for reporting, particularly in the offender space,” the agency's records manager says.  

An urgent need to move to electronic records management  

Digital First is a commitment by the SA government to proactively transform services using digital technology. In line with this commitment, the agency needed to increase the use of electronic systems, particularly to replace hard copy records.  

The agency initiated a tender process for an electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) that could manage its hardcopy collection and electronic records that met State Government legislation.  

RecordPoint offers a future-proof solution  

RecordPoint offered great flexibility, functionality and met the agency’s price point. The solution was seen as ‘future proof,’ as it could easily be connected to existing information assets and LOBs if required’ the records manager says.  

Rather than migrating data from unstructured network drives, the agency has established a new SharePoint Online (SPO) tenancy and is implementing changes at the process level. The team analyzes processes to replace hard copy files and is building the SPO structure around that. The data on network drives will be assessed using RecordPoint functionality later in the project.

Processing time slashed  

Thanks to RecordPoint and the move to electronic records management, the processing time for files has been drastically reduced.  

“You still have the same number of people that need to touch it, but the processing time has been slashed, absolutely slashed,” the records manager says.  

While previously, processes would grind to a halt waiting for signatures from people who were off site, they can now sign them wherever they are. Additionally, the processes of distributing information, getting approvals, or providing reporting, have all been significantly improved.  

Reduced costs  

In addition to cost savings that come from the reduction in employee time spent looking for information or processing requests, the transition to SharePoint Online and RecordPoint for electronic records management reduces costs in other ways. As the need for hard copy files is reduced the need to purchase consumables such as paper usage for printing, buying file covers and labels, label printers, paying offsite storage, and destruction fees, and the time spent waiting for file movements around the office.  

This is just the beginning of the journey  

One of the key approaches by the agency to provide skills and education to offenders is the Prison Industries section. This aims to reduce reoffending by teaching offenders work skills. This initiative is reflected in the diverse data sources held by the agency. In a recent information asset audit, the agency identified 104 systems from which data needs to be managed, from major information assets such as SharePoint Online to more specific LOBs, such as those monitoring the water content of soil in an orchard, or the running of the Cadell dairy.  

The next task is to review these systems and if required connect them to RecordPoint to ensure all appropriate data is managed, the records manager says, a task made easier by the flexibility of the platform.

‍