The Vision:
Develop a single, automated system that meets the offender information needs of all system users; serves as the telecommunications, hardware, and software platform for all future systems development; and enables data to be easily shared with other agencies.

O-TRACK was conceived more than a decade ago to replace overworked and under-developed legacy software. The goal was to develop a "User Defined" system that would meet the need for offender information, an all around uniform platform for future systems and enable agencies to share this information. Just some of the criteria to measure success were to replace the obsolete software and hardware and become Y2K compliant, provide real-time information capturing data only once with department wide standardization, and to eliminate paper files.

In 1990 a needs analysis was created, then in 1992 and 1993 other states were canvassed to find an existing system that would meet the criteria. When a system was not found, it was determined what hardware platform, database, and software requirements would be needed. In 1994 Informix was hired to work with existing Department staff to create the Offender Obligation System (OOS). In1995, after the Request for Proposal (RFP) process was completed, a contract with Informix was negotiated to create the Offender Tracking System known as O-TRACK. In January of 1996 a Joint Application Development (JAD) session was held with users and in June of that same year the first module was installed. Work continues on the system today.

Funding for the system proved to be challenging. With only $400,000.00 per year funded by the Legislature and the contract awarded for $3,751,000.00 over a three-year period, other avenues for funding were needed. The Utah Department of Corrections hoped for internal funding of $600,000.00 per year. However, with an ever-increasing prison population this did not happen and the Legislature did not approve the additional staff requested to keep the project healthy. With creative financing, Utah paid $4,720,000.00. One solution to the funding crisis was to work in other states. A portion of the system was taken to Alaska and New Mexico as well as other state later on. Design sessions were held and negotiations made.

Once the system started to be installed the challenge of training staff had to be addressed. With the system being a "User Defined" project, those that attended the JAD sessions to create the system became the trainers along with BIT technical expertise.

The department supports 2200 plus staff in Corrections as well as staff in city police department, sheriff's offices, DEA, FBI, and other state agencies.