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1995-06-27
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D C M S
*** Detective Case Management System ***
By
Soft Tech Designs
(c) Copyright 1995
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Processor : 80286 or higher
RAM : 640K (2 MB recommended)
Mouse : Recommended
MS-DOS Version : 3.3 or higher
FILES/BUFFERS : Set each to 40 in your config.sys file
Monitor : Color recommended
The Detective Case Management System tracks a detective's caseload,
allowing him to keep track of case status, basic information, and
things to do, as well as providing case statistics. Several powerful
reports and utilities are available and the system is completely
menu-driven and provides mouse support.
CASE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
This program was designed around a specific manual case management
system which is described below.
Report Numbers are in the form YY-XXXXX where YY is the last two
digits of the current year.
The system utilizes status checks for active felony cases. Under
this system, a supervisor must "sign off" on an active felony case
after 30, 60, and 90 days. In addition, the supervisor must sign off
on a final checkoff when the case is closed or inactivated.
Cases may have the following CURRENT STATUS:
- Inactive
- Active
- Closed/Arrest
- Closed/Exceptional
- Closed/Unfounded
- Closed/Other
In addition to the above statuses, cases may have the following
INITIAL STATUS:
- Self-Initiated
- Re-Activated
Cases DISPOSITIONS are closures/inactivations that the detective
makes. Consequently, if a case is closed or inactivated by patrol,
you cannot have a disposition, nor can you claim any arrests. Cases
may have the following DISPOSITIONS:
- Inactivated
- Closed/Arrest
- Closed/No File (The State will not prosecute)
- Closed/Unfounded (The incident did not occur)
- Closed/Exceptional (The case is solved but for reasons beyond the
control of the police, cannot be prosecuted).
- Closed/Other (No crime occurred)
And finally, case classification is divided into Felony, Misdemeanor,
and Other and arrests are divided into felony and misdemeanor.
CASE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM
There are three functions in the case maintenance section of the
program - Add, Edit, and Purge.
--- Add Cases
When you choose to add cases, you are presented with a formatted
screen prompting you for all of the necessary information. Once you
enter the report number, the program will scan the cases to make sure
that the report number is not already on file. If it is, a warning
flashes and you are returned to the main menu. The digits after the
year in the report number will automatically be filled with leading
zeros to make five digits. For example, entering a report number of
95-325 will result in a report number of 95-00325. Blank report
numbers are accepted and may be used for miscellaneous incidents that
do not generate a report number. Once a report number is entered, it
may not be changed.
Once the report number is entered, you will be prompted for the
following information:
Title - The title of the case, such as Robbery, Burglary, etc. The
first letter is automatically capitalized.
Date - The date that you received the case. It automatically
defaults to the current system date. If you re-activate a
case, you will be prompted to change the assignment date to
the current system date.
Class - The classification, either Felony, Misdemeanor, or Other.
This is a multiple choice field. You may select the value
by hitting the first letter, e.g., 'M' for misdemeanor, or by
hitting the space key to toggle through the values.
Location - Where the incident occurred.
Victim Type - Victim classification, either adult or juvenile. This
is a multiple choice field. Once again, you may enter
the first character of the value, e.g., 'A' for adult,
or you may use the space bar to toggle through the
values.
Status
Current - The current status of the case. This is a popup, meaning
that when you select this field, by clicking on it with
the mouse or hitting <ENTER> while it is highlighted, you
will be given a list of possible values. You may then
use your cursor keys or the mouse to select the
appropriate value. Possible values are: Inactive,
Active, Closed/Arrest, Closed/Exceptional,
Closed/Unfounded, Closed/Other.
Initial - The status of the case when you first received it. This
is a popup, meaning that when you select this field, by
clicking on it with the mouse or hitting <ENTER> while it
is highlighted, you will be given a list of possible
values. You may then use your cursor keys or the mouse
to select the appropriate value. Possible values are:
Inactive, Active, Closed/Arrest, Closed/Exceptional,
Closed/Unfounded, Closed/Other, Self-Initiated (meaning
that you generated the original report), and Re-Activated
(meaning that you re-activated the case for continued
followup).
Dispo - The final disposition of the case. You may only claim a
disposition if you closed or inactivated the case.
Consequently, if the initial status was closed or
if both the current status and the initial status is
inactive, this field will default to 'None' and you will
not be able to change it. This is a popup, meaning that
when you select this field, by clicking on it with the
mouse or hitting <ENTER> while it is highlighted, you
will be given a list of possible values. You may then
use your cursor keys or the mouse to select the
appropriate value. Possible values are: Inactivated,
Closed/Arrest, Closed/No File (The State will not
prosecute), Closed/Unfounded (The incident did not
occur), Closed/Exceptional (The case is solved but for
reasons beyond the control of the police, cannot be
prosecuted), Closed/Other (No crime occurred).
Disposition Date - The date that the disposition was made. When you
are able to select a disposition, this field will
automatically be filled with the current system
date.
Arrests by DET - The number of arrests that the detective made on
this case. You will only be able to enter data here
if you claimed a 'Closed/Arrest' disposition.
Victims/Suspects - The name, race, sex and DOB of your victims and
suspects. When typing the last and first names,
the first character is automatically capitalized.
Race is a multiple choice field so you may either
type the first character or hit the space bar to
toggle through the available options. Available
Race options are (W)hite, (B)lack, (H)ispanic,
(A)sian, (I)ndian, (O)ther. Sex is also a
multiple choice field with options of (M)ale or
(F)emale.
Status Checks - Enter the dates that your supervisor signs off on the
30, 60, or 90 day status check or on the final
signoff.
Comment - Two lines of comments. You may enter whatever you wish in
these fields, such as why it is inactive or a very brief
synopsis of the case.
--- Edit Cases
When you select 'Edit Cases' off of the main menu, you will be
presented with a 'Case Selection Filter' screen. This will allow you
to view/edit all cases (the default), closed cases, inactive cases,
or active cases. Hitting <CTRL><ENTER> is the same as cursoring down
to the <Continue> button and selecting it.
Next you are presented with a search screen which appears the same as
the case entry/edit screen. However, you will only be able to enter
values for the report number, title, date, victim name, and suspect
name. The program will search whichever field you enter a value for.
If the case is located, it will be displayed, otherwise you will be
taken to the bottom of the file. The file will be ordered by
whichever field you searched. Pressing <PgDn> when you first enter
this screen will order the file by report number and place you at the
top of the file.
Once you are in the edit mode and a case is displayed, you will see a
menu at the bottom of the screen. The menu will allow you to move to
the next or previous case, edit the currently displayed case, search
for other cases, add a case, delete or print this case, or edit the
to-do list.
Each case has its own to-do list which you may edit by selecting "to-
do" on the edit menu. Once you are in the to-do editing screen, you
will see a list of the to-do's in priority order and buttons which
allow you to add, edit, or delete to-do's. To edit or delete a to-
do, select it using the mouse or cursor then select the appropriate
button. When you add a to-do, you may assign a priority between 0
and 9 with 0 being the highest priority. The default is 5.
--- Purge Cases
Although there is no necessity that you ever delete any cases, you
may choose to purge old cases to free up disk space or make the
system more manageable. Only cases which are closed will be removed.
You may specify a date range. Any case which was closed between the
dates will be permanently removed from the system.
REPORTS SYSTEM
There are currently four very powerful reports available in this
system.
The Case Listing will display the selected case, either to the screen
or to the printer. The print selection screen will allow you to
select which types of cases you want to display, where you want them
displayed, and in what format you would like them displayed. First,
you may select, by checking the appropriate boxes, which cases you
wish to display based on current status. You may then specify a
cutoff date for current status. Placing a date in this field will
select only those cases which were originated after that date. Next,
you may choose cases with certain dispositions, again by checking the
appropriate boxes. You may then enter a cutoff date, so that only
cases which were closed after that date will be displayed. You may
choose to display felony, misdemeanor or other cases or any
combination. You may elect to have the listing displayed on the
screen or printed. If it is displayed on the screen, you will have
the option of sending it to the printer after viewing it without
having to re-select all of the options. Finally, you may elect to
see a full listing, which will show all case information, including
the to-do list; an abbreviated listing, which will not show the to-
do's or the status check information, or a line listing which will
display basic case information on one line.
The TO-DO listing will print a report of your case to-do's. You may
elect which priorities to report, with the default being 0 to 9,
i.e., all to-do's. The to-do's will be listed in order by case and
within priority order within cases. For each case, the basic case
information will be displayed.
The Status Check report will allow you to display either active
felony cases which are due for a status check or felony cases which
have been closed/inactivated but which have not yet had a final
signoff. If you choose to display cases which are due for a status
check, you may specify an offset from the system date on which to
search. For example, specifying 5 days as an offset will report all
cases due for a status check within the next 5 days.
The Case Stats report will provide a complete report of case
statistics, including assignments, closures, and arrests, all broken
down by classification (felony, misdemeanor, other). The report
allows you to specify a date range for which to report the
statistics. The default date range will print stats from the
beginning of the current month to the current system date.
UTILITIES
You may back up, restore, and reindex the system files. When you
back up the files, the system files are copied to backups within
the same directory. Any previous backups will be overwritten. It
is a good idea to periodically back up your files to protect
against unforeseen failures. WARNING: This is not meant to be a
substitution to normal system backups, in which all files are
backed up to a floppy disk or tape drive. It is very important
that you continue to back up your data to a floppy or tape drive
periodically to prevent data loss. The backup system in this
program backs the files up into the same directory so a disk
failure would still result in data loss. This backup is only
intended to prevent data loss due to operator errors.
Restoring the files replaces your current system files with the
backup files. You should use great caution when doing this as your
system will be returned to the way it was when you last backed up
your files. You will be told when the system was last backed up.
Reindex permanently removes any cases that have been flagged for
deletion. Prior to deleting any cases you will be asked to confirm
that you want them deleted. If you say no, they are returned to the
system. This function is automatically selected every time you exit
the system.
The system calculator allows you to easily make calculations. You
may paste the results of these calculations to the clipboard for
future use by hitting <CTRL><C>. Later, while editing a data field,
hit <CTRL><V> and the value is pasted into the field. The calculator
may be invoked while editing a field by hitting <ALT><C>.
The system calendar/diary allows you to make notes of upcoming events
and appointments or to keep a diary by date. Once in the calendar,
you may move forward or backward by using the cursor keys or by using
the controls on the bottom of the calendar. To move into the diary,
hit the TAB key and to return to the calendar, hit the Back Tab key.
Selecting 'Diary' from the menu at the top of the screen will allow
you to clear diary entries and move around on the calendar. The
calendar may be invoked while editing a field by hitting <CTRL><D>.
There is a help system on the utilities menu which provides most of
the information presented here. You may choose to display
information on any of the three main systems.
'About DCMS' will display registration information in unregistered
versions. In a registered version, it will display the version
number, serial number, and information on obtaining technical
support.
PROGRAM STARTUP
When DCMS is run for the first time, you are asked to enter the system
name. This name will display on all reports and screens and may never
be changed. Therefore, be very careful when entering a name. If you
have a registered version, contact me and I will be happy to make any
necessary changes. Possible suggestions for names are, of course your
name, as well as the unit, squad, or division you work in.
In subsequent runs of this program, you will be greeted by two
screens detailing registration information. The second screen will
list the installation date and your temporary serial number. You
will also be able to enter a permanent serial number, which will be
provided when you register this software, and print the registration
form. Once the program is registered, the registration screens will
no longer be displayed.
When the program begins, the main menu is displayed. This menu
allows you to select one of the three main systems, Cases, Reports,
and Utilities, or to exit. At the bottom of the screen is a display
telling you how many Active, Inactive, and Closed cases are on file.
If any active felony cases are due for a status check, an alert window
will pop up at the start of the program and tell you how many cases
are due. You may use the Status Check Report to list which cases
are due.
NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM
Navigating through the system is extremely easy and intuitive.
Everything is accomplished through easy-to-use menus which appear
as a menu bar at the bottom of the screen, with the exception of
the main menu bar which appears at the top of the screen. A menu
option is chosen in one of three ways:
1) You may click on it with your mouse
2) You may use your cursor keys to highlight it then hit <ENTER>.
3) If one of the options is encased in brackets, such as
'<E>dit', you can hit the bracketed letter ('E' in this
example).
The control menu appears at the bottom of the case edit screen and
allows you to navigate through the database. The control menu has the
following options:
<N>ext - Moves to the next record in the database.
<P>rev - Moves to the previous record in the database.
<E>dit - Edits the currently displayed record.
<S>rch - Searches the database.
<D>el - Deletes the current record or restores it if it has
already been deleted.
<A>dd - Adds a record to the database.
<P>rt - Prints the current record to the screen or printer.
<T>oDo - Accesses the To-Do List.
<Q>uit - Returns to the previous menu, usually the main menu.
When editing/adding a record or entering data into a search field,
you may select the field with the mouse or with the cursor. Using
the mouse, just click on the field then type in your information.
With the cursor, use your up and down arrow keys or your tab and
back tab keys to move through the fields. When the <Continue> and
the <Abort> buttons are displayed, you may hit <CTRL><ENTER> to select
<Continue> and <ESCAPE> to abort. When you hit escape in an edit
screen, you will be prompted before canceling all changes.
When entering data, you may toggle between insert and overwrite
mode by hitting your insert key. A block cursor indicates that you
are in overwrite mode, i.e., everything you type will overwrite
what's already there. A line cursor indicates that you are in
insert mode, i.e., the new characters will be inserted into the
field. Hitting <CTRL><Y> in a field will delete the entire field.
DELETING RECORDS
When you mark a case as deleted, by using the DEL button, a
message indicating that the case has been deleted will flash at
the top of the screen. The case will remain on file but will be
so flagged until you exit the program or select REINDEX from the
utilities menu. At that time it will be permanently removed from
the system. This allows you to undelete the case if you choose
to before exiting the system. To undelete the case, just select
the DEL button again.
SYSTEM FILES
The DCMS system should include the following files:
Cases - Case File
ToDo - The file of ToDos
CaseBack - Backup of the case file
ToDoBack - Backup of the todo file
DCMSUser - User information File
FoxUser - System Configuration File
Register.DOC - Registration Form
DCMS.DOC - This manual
DCMS.EXE - The program
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Although I ran exhaustive tests on this software and
conscientiously scrutinized every line of code (and that's a lot),
there may be the inevitable bug. If you discover any errors, no
matter how minor, please notify me and I will correct the problem
immediately. I would also appreciate any suggestions for additions
and improvements to this system.
For either registered or unregistered users, I will provide limited
free technical support and I will correct any errors in a timely
manner. Once registered, any upgrades which correct a bug in the
program are free and other upgrades are at a greatly reduced rate
or possibly free. I am very conscientious and vow that any errors
will be corrected immediately and I will send you the latest
version with the correction.
I will also provide customization for a nominal fee. Please
contact me with any requests; I am reasonably priced.
To contact me, either send a letter to:
Chuck Esposito
2612 13th Ct
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
or send an E-Mail message to:
chuckespo@aol.com
or
76361.1547@compuserve.com
If you include your phone number and a convenient time to call, I
will call to address your problem, otherwise I will contact you via
US Mail, FAX, or E-Mail. If you are reporting a problem, please be
as specific as possible, including exact error messages and exactly
what you were doing when the error occurred. I may ask that you
Zip up your system and send it to me for analysis.
DISCLAIMER
Now for the legal stuff which I guess I have to include:
Users of DCMS must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
DCMS (Detective Case Management System) is supplied as is. The author
disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without
limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for
any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct
or consequential, which may result from the use of DCMS.
REGISTRATION
This program is intended as a demonstration which may be evaluated
for sixty days. It is fully functional and has all of the features
of the registered version. Please feel free to freely distribute
this program to anyone who may find it useful.
This program will run for sixty (60) days from the time that you
first run it. At the end of this time, you must either register it
or discontinue using it. During the last 15 days of the evaluation
period, a message will pop up during program initialization telling
you how many days are left.
If you have not registered at the end of the evaluation period, the
program will cease to run. Your data will remain intact in the
event that you decide to register sometime after the expiration of
the evaluation period. A caveat for those who are skilled in
computers: Do not try to circumvent the registration process; I
have built in several safeguards to prevent this and it could
result in the program becoming inoperative. In the event that you
render the program inoperative by tampering with the files, I will
gladly restore it for you as long as you register it and pay a
small "fine."
To register, just complete the registration form which is provided
in the file REGISTER.DOC or print the registration form off of the
introductory registration screen. Please be sure to include your
temporary serial number as I cannot register you without it. Send the
form, along with a check or money order for $25, to the address listed
on the form (and also above) and I will contact you within 5 days of
receipt with a permanent registration number. Florida residents
must add 7% sales tax. The next time you run the program, enter
this permanent serial number in the registration screen and you
will be registered. The program will continue to run indefinitely
and you will never again have to look at those two very boring
registration screens. Once you are registered, I will contact you
with any upgrade information.
MODIFICATIONS
I realize that not all localities and departments use the same case
management structure. I will be happy to make modifications for
registered users for a nominal fee. Please contact me with any
requests and I will provide a quote for the modifications.
***** END
