FAQS - Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about CorrectTech. If you have any questions that aren't answered here, please reach out to us at info@correcttech.com

Solutions

Software & Features

Technology

Security

Licensing & Payment

Support & Services

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Solutions

What kind of customers benefit from CorrectTech?

A: We work with a variety of customers including:

  • Residential community corrections
  • Federal BOP RRC's
  • Halfway houses
  • Day reporting centers
  • Work release centers
  • Prison/Jail Reentry
  • Community Reentry/Community Service
  • Juvenile justice systems
  • Community based correctional facilities
  • Probation agencies
  • Pretrial agencies
  • Problem solving courts
  • Intensive residential treatment programs

We have a flexible software system with more than 24 software modules that can be configured to meet the needs of any agency with similar qualities and unique operations.

 

Will CorrectTech work for jails and prisons? 

A: For institutions with a high degree of assessment, programming and interventions, mental health services, case planning and re-entry services, CorrectTech is an excellent automation solution.  

 

How does CorrectTech help community corrections agencies?

A: We provide a software system that completely automates every aspect of a residential or non-residential agency, allowing management and staff to focus on their primary mission – helping offenders succeed in their reentry to the community.

We hold all of the data about an agency’s operation in a single integrated database, avoiding the need to store and retrieve client records in thousands of paper client files. For our customers, the CorrectTech database becomes a gold mine in assessing program compliance and program outcomes – for both referral agency inquiries AND ongoing organizational feedback, learning and improvement. CorrectTech has been built and deployed so agencies can focus their staff’s time on helping clients.

CorrectTech was built by and for community corrections practitioners with EBP driving the purpose and vision for the software. We aim to provide the kind of tool that evidence based practices would suggest is needed to:

  • Significantly improve staff productivity so they can do more “soft skills” activities with their clients
  • Give staff and management information about what works in their own operations and provide for continuous feedback and improvement
  • Simplify the process of fidelity management and audit readiness by incorporating key operations metrics into the data system itself
  • Transform management decision-making from “experience and gut-feeling” to “data-driven and staff-engaged” change

 

How long does it take to get us up and running with CorrectTech?

A: For any new system implementation there is change. The question is – how much time and pain come with that change? For a typical implementation, the technical CorrectTech configuration and set-up takes about 3-4 months. During this time we initiate our comprehensive training process for each feature set once we’ve completed configuration to your agency standards.

Typical Implementation Timeline

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The most time consuming parts of the configuration process usually include:

As part of our goal to make your agency’s transition to our software system as painless as possible, we’ve taken great care to create a comprehensive and interactive staff training process. We’ve created a workbook customized to your agency needs that links to more than 75 training videos with accompanying quizzes and hands-on exercises to help staff learn its new system before going live.

Beginning to end, a new system implementation of the entire suite of modules takes between 4 and 5 months. For smaller projects (see our software packaging for options if you feel like you don’t need all 24 modules), your implementation can take as little as 2-3 months.

 

I keep seeing the word “configuration.” Does that mean you have to hard code our customizations and build this specifically for us?

A: NO. The CorrectTech software architecture was designed for change and flexibility from day one. Our software is not rigid, forcing agencies to follow a pre-programmed way of doing business. Instead, there are hundreds of settings that allow us to determine how each function will operate and gather data for YOUR agency. The software is highly configurable, enabling our project team and customers to work together in an orderly manner to configure and implement the system features needed for each agency business process.

 

Okay, but what about future software releases and updates? Vendors that offer a high degree of configurability like CorrectTech often have a hard time giving ongoing software updates that fit into existing customer installations because of the amount of customization. What about CorrectTech?

A: CorrectTech has doubled the number of software modules available from 12 to 24 in the past two years, each with new or updated features. Every new module has been made available to existing customers as part of their standard annual software maintenance and support. These software upgrades support and provide maintenance to your existing system AND provide new and enhanced features.

Because of the powerful and visionary design of the CorrectTech system, we foresee a continuous stream of new features and capabilities to continue to be delivered to our all of our customers. The way we customize and configure your software means easy maintenance, upgrades support throughout your use of the CorrectTech system.

 

This kind of system seems very expensive.

A: CorrectTech is an excellent value for the dollar. If configured with similar functionality as other vendor alternatives (which normally means fewer modules), pricing is similar.

The difference? CorrectTech provides 100% paperless and fully digital automation across ALL functions. Pricing options include a per-client per-month model or a traditional initial software licensing model so agencies can match their acquisition of a CorrectTech system with their financial resources. We also provide financing options for software licensing over 4, 5, 6 or 7 years. 

 

I can’t figure out anything that CorrectTech cannot do, but if I do, can I order custom work?

A: We have designed in highly flexible configuration and administration capabilities so that every customer can experience a unique CorrectTech experience that is right for them. If there is a functional requirement that exceeds our current capability, we incorporate top ideas/needs into our software roadmap for future upgrades – available to all customers.  

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Software & Features

What assessments do you already have in CorrectTech?

A: We currently have the following assessments fully automated in our system with options for assessment summaries (that capture domain and total scores of assessments completed outside of CorrectTech)::

  • ASUS-R
  • ORAS-CST, ORAS-RT, ORAS-SRT
  • WRNA V5A and V6 – Probation and Prerelease
  • LSI-R: Level of Supervision Inventory- Risk/Need Assessment
  • PREA Screening
  • SASSI: Substance Abuse Screening Inventory

Other assessments we've automated:

  • BioPsychoSocial Assessment
  • CCJMHS-A: Colorado Criminal Justice Mental Health Screen – Adult
  • DAR: Dimensions of Anger Reactions
  • DVSI: Domestic Violence
  • Job Readiness
  • SOCS: General Level of Motivation
  • SOTIPS: Sex Offender Treatment Inventory
  • SSI-R: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Screening
  • TCU Criminal Thinking Scales
  • TCU Drug Screen II
  • TABE: Test of Adult Basic Education Assessment
  • Trauma Screening
  • TxWR: Treatment Recommendation Worksheet
  • VASOR: Vermont Assessment of Sex Offender Risk – 2

 

We use other assessments not on that list, some that we developed in-house and some we license. Can we put them in CorrectTech? 

A: Yes! We have an assessment builder that can create every type of question/answer pair, including gathering text. And, we allow your clients to take self-assessments by computer or kiosk. If you have an assessment that cannot be built directly into CorrectTech due to licensing or copyright issues, we create an “Assessment Summary.” Using Assessment Summaries, the results (including subscores) can be part of the electronic file of each client, and then used for relationships to other parts of the case plan (such as Risk Level, Monthly Reports, Discharge Summary).

 

Does CorrectTech calculate earned time?

A: Yes! Many of our agency clients come to us with a separate spreadsheet to calculate earned time credits. Our earned time credit calculator is sophisticated and flexible enough to work with your earned time rules.

 

Should I be worried about creating all of our reports for internal management, external stakeholders and funding organizations?

A: No, you definitely shouldn’t be worried. As part of initial implementation project work, we provide the set of reports you need to run your operation. If you use Microsoft Word, we will show you how to maintain your own merge reports using CorrectTech. If you want, we are happy to continue to maintain them for you.

 

Can CorrectTech help me manage data across the entire client population, by caseload, or by client type, etc.?

A: Of course! The everyday use of CorrectTech for automated client supervision, treatment planning and facility operations captures A LOT of data. Our system enables you to use all of that data to make better-informed decisions at your agency. Our powerful Global Data Manager was designed with you in mind to help make sense of the piles of data. You will be amazed at what the data tells you.

 

Can I get a personalized demo?

A: Yes! One of our customer development specialists customizes each of our demos to your specific needs. Fill out our Request a Demo form on our website or send us an email at info@correcttech.com and we will be happy to discuss your needs and whether CorrectTech is your best option. If it is not your best option, we will tell you.

 

Can I try out your software?

A: If, after a demo you believe CorrectTech to be a good fit, you need to get hands on with CorrectTech, we are happy to give you log-in credentials to our staff training tools and a test system to see how CorrectTech operates for yourself.

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Technology

Is it really paperless?

A: Yes – 100 percent! We know lots of software companies claim they offer a “paperless office,” but we mean it. The term “paperless” is often used to mean scanning and digitally storing “paper” documents. While we provide that capability, that only solves about 10 percent of the challenge. The bigger part of being truly paperless is automatically generating complex reports, such as discharge reports, using every bit of data digitally collected during a client’s placement. Additionally, we make sure that data about every client interaction is organized so data analytics come at no additional cost or time spent doing manual data entry and spreadsheet manipulation.

 

How are electronic signatures handled?

A: Unlike PIN numbers and swipe cards, our fingerprint signatures (provided via our Biometric Validation module) cannot be faked or manipulated. Clients create their own PIN number tied to their fingerprint so only they can log in to our Client Self-Service kiosk, sign documents, and sign in and out of your facility.

Do you sign a lot of documents at your facility? With CorrectTech, clients and staff enter their unique PINs and their fingerprint appears right on the document for electronic filing. No more printing and signing and scanning at all!

 

Is CorrectTech web based or html based application?

A: Html based. Slightly different than "web-based" (but better). We deliver CorrectTech as a desktop application via a client-server software model. We do this for two major reasons: speed and data security.

Browser-based systems are good for non-user-intensive applications and for highly standardized applications that require little to no customization from one agency to the next. Our customer’s network speeds typically don’t allow cloud applications to match the speed of a client server network. For user-intensive applications like case management, your user transaction speed will usually be sub-second – a proven productivity benefit.

As for data security, any system that does not have a public facing web address is naturally more secure. With increased scrutiny from state and federal governments on how corrections data is protected and managed, a client server solution provides a simpler and lower cost approach to data security and risk management.

That’s not to say you have to be in the same building as the CorrectTech data system to access your data. You can access CorrectTech remotely.

Read the next questions for more on accessing your CorrectTech system remotely.

 

Can I remotely connect via the web to my CorrectTech system?

A: Yes.

CorrectTech is unique in that whether you host it, or we host it (at IBM Cloud), you can provide remote access to the system via a web browser for your staff.  One of the benefits of CorrectTech is that regardless of browser and associated plug-ins, the software looks and operates exactly the same.  For example, when we run a software demonstration, you will see our team logging in via a browser to one of our applications on our IBM Cloud virtual server farm.

What is different about CorrectTech is that it is NOT a multi-tenant system.  This provides you greater control over your data and ultimately gives you the option of running CorrectTech on your own hosting center (your own, Amazon, IBM…) – few web-based applications give you this option out of the box.

There are two primary reasons customers use remote access:

1. Remote access to on-premise server (generally for a Single facility implementation) - for management and staff on the road or working from home and enabling regular program partners (such as therapists, community service organizations, and researchers) to share and collaborate on the same information platform

2. Managed service hosted application (generally for Multi-facility implementation) – for organizations wishing to host all CorrectTech data for all facilities in a single data center, and to provide access from geographically remote facilities to CorrectTech inside a data center

In both cases, your staff uses an Internet connection and third-party remote access software that emulates the Windows desktop application on your remote computer. In all cases, all of your agency data AND program configuration files are stored in the central integrated database for speed, security and ease of data management.

 

Can you customize for my needs?

A: Yes. We are very configurable. Every module, every screen, every data field, every report, every document, every workflow, every checklist, everything is configurable.

For example, we can make any tabs/icons or buttons you do not use invisible AND we can rename many fields to suit your program terminology.

In addition to individual modules and their features being highly configurable, our modules work together to create a custom fit solution to meet every agency’s needs WITHOUT custom programming. You tell us what parts and pieces of CorrectTech you need, and we’ll make it happen.

 

Do I have to purchase a license or can I just do Software as a Service (SaaS)?

A: We have heard this is an important need for agencies that cannot or do not run their own computer servers. We offer CorrectTech software on a monthly or annual software license fee.

We are willing to help set-up your CorrectTech system in a commercial data center and help put in place remote access management processes to ensure high availability. We believe it is in every agency’s best interest to own total control of their client data, as many federal and state contracts require a high degree of data control and management. Pure SaaS systems do not provide this level of assurance and protection without a highly sophisticated (and quite expensive) security management operation. 

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Security

Does CorrectTech provide solution for my operations and front desk?

A: Yes, CorrectTech provides an integrated solution for front desk automation, including managing sign-out/in of facility, visitors, required monitors, medications, intake and discharge processing, beds and house counts, facility logs, PREA processing and management, incident management, and more. Every bit of information used for security and operations is shared, according to appropriate permissions, with the rest of the organization.

 

Can I control employee permissions?

A: Yes, you can set permissions based on agency role or on a person-by-person basis. In addition to user-based permissions, we provide granular read or write permissions to enable such things as medical, mental health or PREA case notes and/or documents that only certain users can see.

 

Do you have a built-in randomizer for monitors?

A: Yes! You can set a default for your agency’s required monitors for each client population with options to override the default for any individual client on a need by need basis. Using these settings, random monitors are scheduled for you on a daily basis! If you need additional monitors done in the moment, you can schedule them as needed. Also, if you have rules for clients returning to a facility to always receive a PAT or a BA, those monitors will also be scheduled automatically upon their return.

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Licensing and Payment

How much does it cost?

A: As you look at our system, it is key to look at both cost AND value – we have good news on both fronts. Our software license fee starts at about $10,000 to $15,000 for small agencies (3-5 staff, basic platform and minimal configuration). Depending on the modules you want, the levels of configuration you need for each set of features and total client count, the bottom line pricing is highly customized to meet the exact needs of your agency.

With the productivity gains you will see, for every dollar you spend, you can expect to save $7 - $10. We can price for upfront licensing, per client fee/month pricing or annual payments. Our pricing can be flexible to meet your unique agency needs.

 

Can I start small and upgrade later?

A: Yes! Every customer implementation receives the full software suite, with only the modules you’ve chosen activated with a license key. Once your agency gets up and running with an initial CorrectTech configuration, it is a straightforward process to simply activate additional software modules and configure the added features. We have this ability because the CorrectTech software platform is a unified architecture, where all features and modules work together on a common single database, using a shared client record-keeping system.

 

Do I have to pay for updates? 

A: No – you do not pay for software updates for as long as you have an active Software Maintenance and Support Agreement. Depending on what level service contract you have, you will pay standard professional service fees for portions of the work required to upgrade your system with the new software release. Of course, the work required to configure and update new software modules will require professional services from our implementation services team.

 

Do you have a “limited warranty” that makes me pay for bug fixes after a period of time? 

A: No, as long as you have an active Software Maintenance and Support Agreement, bug fixes are included in our regular software update cycles.

 

What’s implementation/installation cost and how much time does it take?

A: For a basic implementation at a single location agency with 100 residential clients (this includes the Foundation package of CorrectTech features for a residential community corrections agency), the project will take around 3-4 months and cost $15,000 - $18,000. These fees include onsite visits, staff training and go-live support. Beyond that, it depends on the project requirements, number of sites, etc. Most multi-site projects benefit from a single configuration effort for a “master site” and replicating it across the other sites.

 

Do you provide ongoing annual support and maintenance?

A: Our Annual Software Support and Maintenance fees range from 15% to 20% of the total software licensing fee, depending on which package an agency selects. The maintenance and licensing can be combined into a per client/month or annual fee mentioned above if that is desired.

  • Bronze Package (15% of the licensing fee): We include all standard software support and maintenance services including: customer support, bug fixes and rights to new releases of the licensed software
  • Silver Package (20% of the licensing fee): In addition to everything included in the Bronze package, we maintain a full copy of an agency’s CorrectTech configuration in our cloud server farm. This allows us to work together in testing bug fixes, new features and new releases in the context of your agency’s specific configuration before migrating an updated system to production. Without the Silver package, we require that a customer maintain its own test server on the agency’s server network.

How to pick: We like to provide our customers with options. For the lowest contracted cost, Bronze is a great value, and is consistent with what other vendors will provide. The Silver package provides a lot of value for low additional fees.

 

Can I pick only the features I need?

A: Yes, we have more than 24 comprehensive modules. You can select the modules you need for your organization and we will set up your configuration to include only those. Additionally, within some modules, we have Basic, Advanced and Premium configuration options to match your specific requirements. For example, a Basic module license fee is 50% of the Premium fee. We’ve developed a set of standard packages that can help guide you toward finding the right set of modules and features you need. Check out our standard packages here.

 

Do you sell outside the U.S.?

Yes. Contact us to discuss your needs at info@correcttech.com

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Support & Services

Can you incorporate my agency’s documents with our unique requirements into the system?

A: Yes – for all of our customers, our implementation process starts with your existing documents. We want to incorporate your existing processes and documents into your CorrectTech experience. Combining the document generation features of our Document Center with our Data Wizard, we can create ANY document you need AND fill in data electronically. No paper, remember?

 

Is training included in implementation?

A: Yes. Staff training begins during implementation. We customize a staff training workbook to your agency needs. It links to the right selection of more than 75 training videos with accompanying quizzes and hands-on exercises to help staff learn its new system before going live. Training continues until you go 100% live after which we continue live web-based training and an onsite training/support session.

The staff training workbook is also useful as a training tool for all new staff. The workbook, video library, quizzes and more are all available via an online customer care portal.

 

How do you handle your customer support?

A: Our in-house customer support team handles all product support and understands our software and the related technology components. We are also versed in networking, database, servers, back-ups, firewalls, and more.

When customers have inquiries on usage, training needs, or a potential bug, tickets are created via our customer care portal. Every ticket contains issue descriptions, requested documentation, screenshots, and the messages to and from all parties involved. The tickets remain online and are available for review and follow-up to help us collaborate with our customers in a time-efficient and effective manner.

 

Can we migrate my current data into CorrectTech?

A: Yes. To accomplish this, we start with a client data record layout from your system along with sample data to look for data anomalies. We then collaborate to determine what the data mapping from your legacy system to the CorrectTech system. We then create the data transformation scripts and run them against a representative data sample in a test system, review with agency client data experts and adjust the scripts as needed.  Once we have a signed off data transformation script, we can take the export of legacy client records and within a few hours have the entire data set imported into agency CorrectTech systems.

Can I make feature requests that actually stand a chance of getting implemented? 

A: Absolutely! We are constantly implementing feature requests from our customers. Our best ideas start with our customers.

 

Do you do consultations or other trainings?

CorrectTech values the strength of evidence-based practices (EBP) and as such has developed EBP partnerships with leading industry consultants Brad Bogue, Matt Moore and Tom O’Connor.

As part of our dedication to EBP, we offer our Operational Assessment.

We also speak and train on community corrections issues, frequently at industry conferences. If you’d like to discuss your needs, click on the Contact Us tab.

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Our blog is a great place to stay up to date on all things community corrections!

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