The Unilink Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of Beaumont Colson, BCL, best known for providing the UK national probation case management system, nDelius, with 18,000 users. Other customers include MTC-Novo who run the London and Thames Valley Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC), the Home Office and the States of Jersey and Guernsey. BCL has 45 staff and is located in Newcastle (upon Tyne) which will continue to be its base of operations.
By joining Unilink Group, BCL is adding the probation and community corrections software applications to Unilink’s corrections focussed product portfolio. The skills and experience of BCL in probation and community corrections software, precisely compliment those of Unilink Software in prison management, self-service software and inmate communications.
Combining BCL’s and Unilink’s best of breed products and expert teams with unparalleled experience and knowledge of corrections, enables the combined operation to meet the growing need for end-to-end integrated offender case management and self-service systems. The combined strength from both companies, will enable Unilink to respond to requests and requirements for such integrated systems from Justice Departments internationally, as well as offer and supply products to existing customers in both, prison and community corrections.
Francis Toye the CEO and founder commented, “from the very first we have found enthusiasm and energy from the team in BCL that matches our own. The fit between these two innovative organisations and the logic of the tie-up is irrefutable. I am delighted that BCL is joining the Unilink Group today”.
Paul Ryder, BCL’s technical director added, “the combination of Unilink’s and BCL’s skill sets will support the evolution of a generation of new products, extend our reach and allow us to provide enhanced service to existing customers and to new ones”.
The combined Group will employ approximately 120 staff and have a sales turnover of £12-13m from systems across the UK, EU and Australia. The Unilink Group has trebled in size over the past four years but continues to be a UK based SME with operations in Australia, the Netherlands and North America, as well as the UK.
The Unilink Group now consists of four companies operating in the Criminal Justice Sector:
Unilink Software, providing biometrically enabled Custodial Management Software and prisoner self-service
BCL, providing Offender Case Management software applications to probation and community corrections
Unilink Technology Services, providing Communication Services that connect the “outside world” with incarcerated offenders
Acante, specialised in design and manufacturing of self-service devices for use in corrections
Subsidiaries in Australia, The Netherlands and North America
About Beaumont Colson Ltd – BCL
BCL, now part of the Unilink Group, has over 20 years of experience of working with providers of probation services in England and Wales and developing Offender Case Management (OCMS) products that optimise business
As the need for flexible solutions that enable remote working, with instant access to up-to-date information became vital, BCL met the demand by developing CMS – now 4th Generation, utilising the latest web technology to implement a mobile, progressive web application to deliver a secure, accessible, multi-platform user experience across mobile, tablet and laptop/desktop devices.
The development of Delius, a bespoke case management system, was started in 1996 and subsequently rolled out to all National Probation Trusts in England and Wales – nDelius, with currently 18,000 users. BCL is still supporting the MoJ’s Digital Studio on nDelius maintenance and redevelopment. States of Jersey and Guernsey use BCL’s Probation Case Management – Daisy CMS, with extensions to Family Courts, customs, local Police. Recently deployed was the independent probation software suite – OMNIA, for MTC-Novo – CRC.
About Unilink
Unilink is the world leader in prisoner self-service, offender management and inmate communications, with over 20 years’ experience in the justice sector. Underpinned by biometrics, the applications integrate seamlessly to deliver security, efficiency and value.
Unilink’s software applications are used by over 80 establishments with almost 70,000 prisoners, in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Austria and have processed over 1,500,000,000 self-service transactions to date. Unilink’s software applications make running prisons more efficient by automating processes and reducing paper handling, that frees prison officers’ time and enhances security, but they also help prisoner rehabilitation.
Independent academic research by the University of York shows that the software contributes towards rehabilitation and reduces the chances of reoffending. Unilink is proud of these achievements and strives to deliver and contribute more. Working with prisons is challenging but it is Unilink’s mission to help prisons and justice work. Unilink also tries to help prisoners and our kiosks are now manufactured by prisoners in the UK and in Adelaide, Australia providing prisoners with employment, new skills and a help in future to gain employment.
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