[November 12, 2019]

AB Kiosks From Minnesota-Based Precision Kiosk Technologies Are Reducing Probation Officer Workloads in Indiana

Wanting to reduce and refocus the workloads of its probation officers, Marion County, Indiana, has begun using autonomous AB Kiosks to monitor low-risk non-violent probation clients. The AB Kiosks, which are designed and produced by Minnesota-based Precision Kiosk Technologies, autonomously coordinate and conduct probation check-ins and report the results to County probation officers. To launch the program, the Marion Superior Court Probation Department installed AB Kiosks in government facilities in Lawrence, Wayne, and Warren Townships, and at the County Courthouse in Indianapolis. Those four AB Kiosks will serve clients who are considered to be at a low risk to re-offend - approximately 20% of all those currently ordered by Marion County courts to probation supervision. The goal is to enable the County's 247 probation officers to focus on clients who are in need of regular, direct supervision. The County plans to have up to 4,000 probation clients enrolled in the autonomous check-in program.

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Up to 4,000 Marion County probation clients will use AB Kiosks to conduct their probation check-ins (Photo: Business Wire)

Accrding to Christine Kerl, Chief of Probation for Marion Co., the AB Kiosks will take some of the pressure off the County probation officers, and make it easier for low-risk probation clients to complete their required check-ins. "Like many counties across the U.S., Marion County has too few probation officers monitoring large numbers of probation clients," says Kerl. "We believe that a single probation officer cannot effectively monitor 120 clients, and yet that is the situation that we have in Marion County. By allowing these Kiosks to handle the probation check-ins for the lowest-risk clients, we enable our probation officers to devote greater attention to their higher-risk clients. Our ultimate goal is to reduce the number of clients supervised by a probation officer to 80, which will lead to reduced recidivism, safer communities, less stressful roles for our probation officers, and better probation outcomes for our courts."

Courts and law enforcement use the AB Kiosk to conduct alcohol screening, pre-trial monitoring, and probation check-ins for low-risk offenders. Often located outside the secure area of a jail or courthouse, the AB Kiosk system consists of two integrated and secure components: A stand-alone interactive kiosk, and an easy-to-use client-management software program. Together, they seamlessly handle routine check-in tasks that typically consume a probation officer's time:

• Set client check-in schedules to meet probation requirements
• Notify probation clients via texts and emails to check-in using a Kiosk
• Use biometric fingerprint authentication to confirm the client's identity
• Capture photos and video of each check-in
• Deliver questions to a probation client and upload his or her responses
• Issue a time-stamped receipt to the client
• Notify the probation officer of the completed check-in
• Alert the probation officer when a check-in is missed
• Update the client's records, including any changes in address and employment

By using the AB Kiosk for low-risk clients, probation officers are also able to separate high- and low-risk clients, which prevents negative interactions between these groups. Operating without any direct supervision, the Kiosk can conduct 30 check-ins per hour.

About Precision Kiosk Technologies
Minneapolis-based Precision Kiosk Technologies (PKT) provides secure high-volume probation monitoring and alcohol screening for law enforcement and courts. The company's AB Kiosk reduces the administrative burden of alcohol screening and other court-mandated programs, including probation check-ins, cashless bail, Huber work release, and pre- and post-trial services. To learn more about the AB Kiosk system, please visit www.abkiosk.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191112005194/en/

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