SAS Canada is the leader in helping businesses leverage their data to solve their greatest barriers to success. This company provides the tools and expertise necessary to unlock the value of their customers’ data, enabling them to make better decisions faster. As the government grapples with a large deficit and growing debt, the employment of data management and analytics tools for public data can aid in restoring the fiscal balance by increasing efficiency in government spending and improving outcomes for citizens.
It is for all of these reasons that SAS Canada is the focus of this week’s Emerging Stronger profile.
The Challenge
In the context of a large deficit and growing debt, the Government of Ontario is facing increasing pressure to be more fiscally responsible. However, changing demographics, slower global growth, and heightened citizen expectations suggest that it will experience even greater spending pressure in the future. Addressing this challenge requires transformational action in the way the government operates.
The Solution
Government has access to a vast amount of data, and the proper management of this data can be used to improve the lives of citizens, enhance accountability, increase the effectiveness of programs, and save government money. Appropriate analytics and data management systems are key in unlocking the value of data in a given organization. Many governments have successfully been able to utilize private sector solutions to achieve this objective.
For example, in North Carolina, increasing volumes of criminal justice data and outdated information systems were creating inefficiencies for law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. In order to bolster the safety of citizens, the state of North Carolina partnered with SAS to harness the full capability of their data and address some of their challenges.
Together, they built the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services (CJLEADS), a web-based and on-demand application that uses data virtualization to accumulate and integrate criminal offender data. By doing so, CJLEADS replaced the out-dated process of collecting historical criminal data from multiple sources. The application now provides courts, law enforcement, and probation and parole agencies with complete information on a criminal offender. It allows North Carolina criminal justice professionals to employ reliable and up-to-date information in their efforts to reduce crime and manage finite resources more proficiently.
The Result
The use of CJLEADS has allowed officials in the criminal justice system to realize a number of efficiencies in the delivery of security services. The integration of data has allowed officials to identify, track, and apprehend offenders with increased ease. For instance, criminal justice professionals are able to see outstanding warrants of arrest, recent criminal activity, or upcoming court appearances for an individual even during a routine traffic check. This streamlined approach to criminal monitoring allows officials to save time and resources, while obtaining better results.
The improved effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice professionals has both enhanced citizen safety and saved North Carolina $12 million.
With the right tools, the Government of Ontario could leverage the power of its data to achieve similar improvements to efficiency and outcomes.
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Ontario's Path from Recovery to Growth
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