Correction environments are challenging and complex, but there are two priorities common across all environments regardless of location – ensuring safety and security.
Our solutions span the criminal justice sector, from Probation Case Management, Custodial Management Systems to Offender Communications. All Unilink products and services are built with the direct input of industry professionals and client feedback ensuring that they are the most up-to-date and user driven solutions available.
Unilink Professional Services
Probation Case Management
Probation Case Management
Unilink has a successful history of developing innovative case management systems with the Probation Service in the UK. Our systems have transformed probation practice through their ease of use, simplified designs, and processes that deliver operational efficiencies through a fully- integrated, unified user experience. Our clean designs, seamless integration and intuitive user-friendly interface have led to significant improvements in user satisfaction levels, in-app communication; whole team approach, and workflow, which engenders a unified organisation and significant savings in staff time, frustration and resourcing. Our systems have been called out for special praise by MPs, the Justice Select Committee and HMIP Inspectors.
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Our decades of experience have enabled Unilink to iteratively improve designs, enrich the user experience and innovate through new technologies. Our solutions are designed to enhance probation practice by integrating different business areas into a core suite of offender management services. Users benefit from intuitive user-friendly dashboards and components that reduce complexity, simplify daily tasks, and push workflow between probation teams and operational partners.
Our software provides probation staff working in Court and management roles with better views of information, promptly and efficiently, which improves the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of information provided to the Court. The interoperability of our design enriches the various search functions, providing compliance & enforcement summaries, traffic light risk level badging, tool tips and searchable contact lists and ‘slide on screen’ document drawers, which together help Court staff and Senior Managers find the information they need, when they need it.
Unilink is at the forefront of designing systems that embed fully- integrated risk assessment and sentence planning tools into case management. These systems can be in-house or third party. This innovation has had a transformative impact on probation practice by streamlining processes, eliminating repetition, reducing the burden on staff, and introducing common sense workflows to practice. The risk and need information are then embedded across the solution so staff across the whole organisation can be aware of any issues and work flexibly, safely and proactively with offenders.
Our solutions support the scheduling, directory and delivery of interventions, from accredited programme groupwork sessions to more complex deliverables like community service. Unilink offers standalone solutions for interventions as well as options to integrate with services across a whole case management system. Our designs simplify complex business operations and logistics whilst offering the flexibility to manage the needs of different providers and service user profiles. Our software simplifies the administration burden by providing staff with simplified operational dashboards and screens that remove the difficulty of managing projects, placements and providers.
Unilink is at the forefront of designing applications and leveraging the IoT to supervise offenders, increase efficiency, and reduce recidivism. Integrating mobile applications with our case management systems has led to transformative changes in practice with enhanced home visiting through the use of the google maps platform, better service user engagement through SMS & email messaging, vast organisational efficiencies through bulk upload, mass mailout options and simplified, user-led design of file and document management services. The ethical use of analytics, business intelligence & AI feature across our product range and there are additional integration opportunities for the optimisation and visualisation of data from remote monitoring, staff to FM services.
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Unilink has a successful history of developing innovative case management systems with the Probation Service in the UK. Our systems have transformed probation practice through their ease of use, simplified designs, and processes that deliver operational efficiencies through a fully- integrated, unified user experience. Our clean designs, seamless integration and intuitive user-friendly interface have led to significant improvements in user satisfaction levels, in-app communication; whole team approach, and workflow, which engenders a unified organisation and significant savings in staff time, frustration and resourcing. Our systems have been called out for special praise by MPs, the Justice Select Committee and HMIP Inspectors.
Scroll
Our decades of experience have enabled Unilink to iteratively improve designs, enrich the user experience and innovate through new technologies. Our solutions are designed to enhance probation practice by integrating different business areas into a core suite of offender management services. Users benefit from intuitive user-friendly dashboards and components that reduce complexity, simplify daily tasks, and push workflow between probation teams and operational partners.
Our software provides probation staff working in Court and management roles with better views of information, promptly and efficiently, which improves the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of information provided to the Court. The interoperability of our design enriches the various search functions, providing compliance & enforcement summaries, traffic light risk level badging, tool tips and searchable contact lists and ‘slide on screen’ document drawers, which together help Court staff and Senior Managers find the information they need, when they need it.
Unilink is at the forefront of designing systems that embed fully- integrated risk assessment and sentence planning tools into case management. These systems can be in-house or third party. This innovation has had a transformative impact on probation practice by streamlining processes, eliminating repetition, reducing the burden on staff, and introducing common sense workflows to practice. The risk and need information are then embedded across the solution so staff across the whole organisation can be aware of any issues and work flexibly, safely and proactively with offenders.
Our solutions support the scheduling, directory and delivery of interventions, from accredited programme groupwork sessions to more complex deliverables like community service. Unilink offers standalone solutions for interventions as well as options to integrate with services across a whole case management system. Our designs simplify complex business operations and logistics whilst offering the flexibility to manage the needs of different providers and service user profiles. Our software simplifies the administration burden by providing staff with simplified operational dashboards and screens that remove the difficulty of managing projects, placements and providers.
Unilink is at the forefront of designing applications and leveraging the IoT to supervise offenders, increase efficiency, and reduce recidivism. Integrating mobile applications with our case management systems has led to transformative changes in practice with enhanced home visiting through the use of the google maps platform, better service user engagement through SMS & email messaging, vast organisational efficiencies through bulk upload, mass mailout options and simplified, user-led design of file and document management services. The ethical use of analytics, business intelligence & AI feature across our product range and there are additional integration opportunities for the optimisation and visualisation of data from remote monitoring, staff to FM services.
Integrated Offender Case Management: U-Case
Integrated Offender Case Management: U-Case
U-Case is the digital platform for corrections, an innovative, modular, highly configurable Integrated Offender Management System, built on an open, flexible micro-services architecture. U-Case encompasses the entire offender journey, from probation, to prison, to return to the community with a unique seamless offender-centric approach.
It is a solution where involved stakeholders can collaborate to enrich and make best use of a single, shared view on the offender. It provides probation and prison staff real-time access to critical management information in the challenging, demanding and stressful working environment of custodial services.
Modular Design: Correctional ecosystems are complex, U-Case is built on a modular architecture which can be tailored to your individual needs.
Role Based Access Control (RBAC): Fully customizable, U-Case allows only authorized users to view information or perform actions relevant to their role. Every screen within U-Case is RBAC-aware.
Dashboards: Configurable, intuitive dashboards that display tailored information to be displayed based on different types of users and roles.
Modern User Interface: A progressive web application which displays clear, easy to read information and a simple navigation on any device format.
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U-Case guides correctional professionals from their first offender contact pre-sentence through to the completion of the sentence and successful re-entry into the community. From initial assessment of needs and risks, to setting goals and objectives tailored to those needs (classification), the development of detention plans, to the management of community interventions and supervision, and follow-up on the execution of those plans with continuous evaluation and adjustments.
U-Case provides real time access to critical management information and powerful operational support for efficient day-to-day management of offenders focussed on helping both correctional officers and offenders. U-Case automates and streamlines custodial processes to reduce administrative work and free prison staff’s time to spend working directly with offenders.
The transport module facilitates the planning and management of offender transportation from booking, creating vehicle routes, real time monitoring and reporting. The UI can be tailored to the specific needs of those involved – the agency administration and planning staff, control room staff and officers in the vehicle.
U-Case enables management of schedules, curfews, monitoring & interventions. It can accommodate device and system agnostic location tracking and can integrate with any hardware and EM system provider.
U-Case provides a dedicated analytics environment. The increased data being generated from digital solutions compared to a paper-based system provides greater tactical insights and strategic management information, which can support your decision-making processes. This module provides statistical reports and management information, trends analysis, correctional intelligence, and performance management.
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U-Case is the digital platform for corrections, an innovative, modular, highly configurable Integrated Offender Management System, built on an open, flexible micro-services architecture. U-Case encompasses the entire offender journey, from probation, to prison, to return to the community with a unique seamless offender-centric approach.
It is a solution where involved stakeholders can collaborate to enrich and make best use of a single, shared view on the offender. It provides probation and prison staff real-time access to critical management information in the challenging, demanding and stressful working environment of custodial services.
Modular Design: Correctional ecosystems are complex, U-Case is built on a modular architecture which can be tailored to your individual needs.
Role Based Access Control (RBAC): Fully customizable, U-Case allows only authorized users to view information or perform actions relevant to their role. Every screen within U-Case is RBAC-aware.
Dashboards: Configurable, intuitive dashboards that display tailored information to be displayed based on different types of users and roles.
Modern User Interface: A progressive web application which displays clear, easy to read information and a simple navigation on any device format.
Scroll
U-Case guides correctional professionals from their first offender contact pre-sentence through to the completion of the sentence and successful re-entry into the community. From initial assessment of needs and risks, to setting goals and objectives tailored to those needs (classification), the development of detention plans, to the management of community interventions and supervision, and follow-up on the execution of those plans with continuous evaluation and adjustments.
U-Case provides real time access to critical management information and powerful operational support for efficient day-to-day management of offenders focussed on helping both correctional officers and offenders. U-Case automates and streamlines custodial processes to reduce administrative work and free prison staff’s time to spend working directly with offenders.
The transport module facilitates the planning and management of offender transportation from booking, creating vehicle routes, real time monitoring and reporting. The UI can be tailored to the specific needs of those involved – the agency administration and planning staff, control room staff and officers in the vehicle.
U-Case enables management of schedules, curfews, monitoring & interventions. It can accommodate device and system agnostic location tracking and can integrate with any hardware and EM system provider.
U-Case provides a dedicated analytics environment. The increased data being generated from digital solutions compared to a paper-based system provides greater tactical insights and strategic management information, which can support your decision-making processes. This module provides statistical reports and management information, trends analysis, correctional intelligence, and performance management.
Custodial Management System: CMS
Custodial Management System: CMS
Unilink’s Custodial Management System (CMS) is a comprehensive, biometrically enabled management system for custodial environments. Based on a module-based architecture, CMS includes modules for offender management, and Prisoner Self-Service, which increases safety and security.
CMS is flexible and can be customised to your specific needs. It is able to integrate with other systems and is continuously improved and updated. All Unilink solutions are created with the direct input of industry professionals and user feedback ensuring that they are the most up-to-date and user driven solutions available.
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CMS uses biometrics for the enrolment, discharge, and positive identification of all individuals on the system. This significantly increases security, as well as preventing the misallocation of resources and property as a result of human error. With the Biometric Movements module, you can manage offender movements within an establishment, setting up automatic transit routes and timescales.
Our secure visits system uses biometrics to ensure accurate identification of social, official, and legal visitors before, during, and after their visit. This increases the security of the establishment whilst also reducing waiting times and increasing efficiency overall.
This device agnostic solution allows staff to access real time information about offenders and manage them from anywhere on site. When used with a device that has an integrated fingerprint reader, the added biometric functionality further helps to increase the security of the establishment and the safety of both staff and offenders.
CMS has individual modules for canteen shopping and submission of applications. The shop module is configurable, supports cash and cashless payments, and allows for a variety of shopping methods. It allows prison staff to have better oversight and finer control of retail inventory and distribution. The Applications module saves staff time by providing offenders with predefined applications, which can be automatically approved, scheduled and displayed in the offenders’ timetable.
The CMS Scheduling module provides the functionality to manage offenders’ daily schedules, from employment, education to medical appointments. Schedules are fully configurable and can be templated to include default locations, requirements and more. Offenders can receive automatic reminders, and staff can easily add offenders to groups, and entire groups to scheduled activities.
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Unilink’s Custodial Management System (CMS) is a comprehensive, biometrically enabled management system for custodial environments. Based on a module-based architecture, CMS includes modules for offender management, and Prisoner Self-Service, which increases safety and security.
CMS is flexible and can be customised to your specific needs. It is able to integrate with other systems and is continuously improved and updated. All Unilink solutions are created with the direct input of industry professionals and user feedback ensuring that they are the most up-to-date and user driven solutions available.
Scroll
CMS uses biometrics for the enrolment, discharge, and positive identification of all individuals on the system. This significantly increases security, as well as preventing the misallocation of resources and property as a result of human error. With the Biometric Movements module, you can manage offender movements within an establishment, setting up automatic transit routes and timescales.
Our secure visits system uses biometrics to ensure accurate identification of social, official, and legal visitors before, during, and after their visit. This increases the security of the establishment whilst also reducing waiting times and increasing efficiency overall.
This device agnostic solution allows staff to access real time information about offenders and manage them from anywhere on site. When used with a device that has an integrated fingerprint reader, the added biometric functionality further helps to increase the security of the establishment and the safety of both staff and offenders.
CMS has individual modules for canteen shopping and submission of applications. The shop module is configurable, supports cash and cashless payments, and allows for a variety of shopping methods. It allows prison staff to have better oversight and finer control of retail inventory and distribution. The Applications module saves staff time by providing offenders with predefined applications, which can be automatically approved, scheduled and displayed in the offenders’ timetable.
The CMS Scheduling module provides the functionality to manage offenders’ daily schedules, from employment, education to medical appointments. Schedules are fully configurable and can be templated to include default locations, requirements and more. Offenders can receive automatic reminders, and staff can easily add offenders to groups, and entire groups to scheduled activities.
Prisoner Self-Service Platform
Prisoner Self-Service Platform
Technology is fundamental to modern life, from applying for jobs, to booking medical appointments, to shopping, to communicating with friends and family. Offenders need to be prepared to re-enter the digital world in which we now live when their sentence ends or possibly face social isolation.
We are strong believers in the principle of normality in corrections, and empowering offenders to manage their own administrative tasks, communicate with friends and family, and more.
Unilink has created the next generation self-service platform to enable the secure and controlled delivery of digital content and services, tailored to the specific needs of the offender, helping them to engage in change and prepare for reintegration into society.
Independent research has found that introducing Unilink’s self-service technology in custodial environments can provide benefits such as reduced reconvictions, and an offender’s feeling of self-worth and personal control. By introducing offenders to modern technology, it can transform their lives from dependency to self-responsibility, where they can learn new ways of behaving in a supportive rather than a punitive environment.
Over 2,500,000,000 Prisoner Self-Service transactions have been processed to date.
The Self-Service system, modified to include the most appropriate functions for the situation, is also used by detainees in detention and immigration facilities, and by patients in secure hospital environments.
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Unilink’s self-service system transforms prisons by automating and streamlining routine administrative tasks with offenders via self-service kiosks and in-cell devices. It reduces the administrative burden on prison staff whilst giving offenders the responsibility of controlling their own affairs, increasing accountability which is proven to have a rehabilitative impact.
Prison staff can manage, process and respond to any offender request quickly and easily using CMS, the “backbone” of self-service. Reducing the administrative burden frees up prison staff time, meaning more time can be spent with offenders, which reduces frustration, and increases the mental well-being of both inmates and staff.
Secure browsing of trusted or white-listed websites gives offenders digital skills and learning opportunities to help prepare them for a role in society.
Delivering offender education enables offenders to get familiar with the digital normal they will experience when they return into society. Prisoner Self-Service can integrate with existing or new learning management systems according to specific needs.
Prisoner Self-service enables access to eBook libraries, games and supports full streaming of multimedia content such as music, TV and movie-channels from external providers or internet-based resources. Available content, allowed access time and other applicable restrictions can be configured according to particular security regulations. Parameters can be applied to a specific individual or group, and all activity is logged and can be monitored.
The self-service solution is device agnostic – it can be accessed with in-cell devices such as tablets or laptops, or on biometrically enabled, wing-based kiosks, specifically designed to withstand heavy attack.
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Technology is fundamental to modern life, from applying for jobs, to booking medical appointments, to shopping, to communicating with friends and family. Offenders need to be prepared to re-enter the digital world in which we now live when their sentence ends or possibly face social isolation.
We are strong believers in the principle of normality in corrections, and empowering offenders to manage their own administrative tasks, communicate with friends and family, and more.
Unilink has created the next generation self-service platform to enable the secure and controlled delivery of digital content and services, tailored to the specific needs of the offender, helping them to engage in change and prepare for reintegration into society.
Independent research has found that introducing Unilink’s self-service technology in custodial environments can provide benefits such as reduced reconvictions, and an offender’s feeling of self-worth and personal control. By introducing offenders to modern technology, it can transform their lives from dependency to self-responsibility, where they can learn new ways of behaving in a supportive rather than a punitive environment.
Over 2,500,000,000 Prisoner Self-Service transactions have been processed to date.
The Self-Service system, modified to include the most appropriate functions for the situation, is also used by detainees in detention and immigration facilities, and by patients in secure hospital environments.
Scroll
Unilink’s self-service system transforms prisons by automating and streamlining routine administrative tasks with offenders via self-service kiosks and in-cell devices. It reduces the administrative burden on prison staff whilst giving offenders the responsibility of controlling their own affairs, increasing accountability which is proven to have a rehabilitative impact.
Prison staff can manage, process and respond to any offender request quickly and easily using CMS, the “backbone” of self-service. Reducing the administrative burden frees up prison staff time, meaning more time can be spent with offenders, which reduces frustration, and increases the mental well-being of both inmates and staff.
Secure browsing of trusted or white-listed websites gives offenders digital skills and learning opportunities to help prepare them for a role in society.
Delivering offender education enables offenders to get familiar with the digital normal they will experience when they return into society. Prisoner Self-Service can integrate with existing or new learning management systems according to specific needs.
Prisoner Self-service enables access to eBook libraries, games and supports full streaming of multimedia content such as music, TV and movie-channels from external providers or internet-based resources. Available content, allowed access time and other applicable restrictions can be configured according to particular security regulations. Parameters can be applied to a specific individual or group, and all activity is logged and can be monitored.
The self-service solution is device agnostic – it can be accessed with in-cell devices such as tablets or laptops, or on biometrically enabled, wing-based kiosks, specifically designed to withstand heavy attack.
Offender Communications: U-Comms
Offender Communications: U-Comms
Staying in touch with friends and family helps to maintain personal relationships and contributes to the mental wellbeing of offenders and loved ones. MOJ (UK’s Ministry of Justice) research has shown that an offender which successfully sustains a family relationship is 39 per cent less likely to reoffend than one who does not. Many offenders are held far from home often making it difficult for loved ones to visit due to the travel time, transport issues and costs involved.
Unilink provides affordable text, voice and video-based communication, specifically designed for use in custodial institutions. Covering over 600,000 registered users: friends and family, offenders, detainees, patients, probation services and lawyers all use these services to keep in touch. These services are currently available in all UK prisons and Australia.
The service has advantages for all. It is easy to use and affordable to friends and family. Offenders maintain relationships with their contacts, leading to an improved mental wellbeing. Establishments see a great decrease in the administrative burden of paper correspondence, increased security and the service is free for establishments to set up and use.
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Provides a fast, secure, and affordable alternative to posting letters. Friends, family, and professionals can use the two-way e-message to communicate with detained individuals. This helps to maintain relationships and prevent family breakdowns. E-message also eliminates potential for drug smuggling through drug impregnated paper and saves staff time in checking and auditing the post. All e-content is scanned electronically for banned words and phrases to detect suspicious activity.
Friends and family can send money quickly and easily to offenders with the secure, affordable online payment service. Offering full traceability of senders, it reduces cash, cheques and postal order handling and processing onsite. Prisons receive payments directly to their bank account reducing the opportunity for fraud and error.
Virtual/Video Visits allows offenders to connect with their family via a video call where physical visits are not possible. This service is used in Scottish prisons where a significant barrier to physical visits is the distance of the prison from their homes, the lack of transport and the costs involved in getting to the prison. The service has been particularly valued during the COVID pandemic, where all Scottish prisons adopted video sessions.
Unilink’s VOIP telephony solution, designed specifically for custodial institutions, enables offenders to make affordable calls to their permitted recipients. The call administration portal enables complete account management and monitoring of calls with built in analytics and security monitoring features for intelligence and compliance purposes.
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Staying in touch with friends and family helps to maintain personal relationships and contributes to the mental wellbeing of offenders and loved ones. MOJ (UK’s Ministry of Justice) research has shown that an offender which successfully sustains a family relationship is 39 per cent less likely to reoffend than one who does not. Many offenders are held far from home often making it difficult for loved ones to visit due to the travel time, transport issues and costs involved.
Unilink provides affordable text, voice and video-based communication, specifically designed for use in custodial institutions. Covering over 600,000 registered users: friends and family, offenders, detainees, patients, probation services and lawyers all use these services to keep in touch. These services are currently available in all UK prisons and Australia.
The service has advantages for all. It is easy to use and affordable to friends and family. Offenders maintain relationships with their contacts, leading to an improved mental wellbeing. Establishments see a great decrease in the administrative burden of paper correspondence, increased security and the service is free for establishments to set up and use.
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Provides a fast, secure, and affordable alternative to posting letters. Friends, family, and professionals can use the two-way e-message to communicate with detained individuals. This helps to maintain relationships and prevent family breakdowns. E-message also eliminates potential for drug smuggling through drug impregnated paper and saves staff time in checking and auditing the post. All e-content is scanned electronically for banned words and phrases to detect suspicious activity.
Friends and family can send money quickly and easily to offenders with the secure, affordable online payment service. Offering full traceability of senders, it reduces cash, cheques and postal order handling and processing onsite. Prisons receive payments directly to their bank account reducing the opportunity for fraud and error.
Virtual/Video Visits allows offenders to connect with their family via a video call where physical visits are not possible. This service is used in Scottish prisons where a significant barrier to physical visits is the distance of the prison from their homes, the lack of transport and the costs involved in getting to the prison. The service has been particularly valued during the COVID pandemic, where all Scottish prisons adopted video sessions.
Unilink’s VOIP telephony solution, designed specifically for custodial institutions, enables offenders to make affordable calls to their permitted recipients. The call administration portal enables complete account management and monitoring of calls with built in analytics and security monitoring features for intelligence and compliance purposes.
Security & Integrations
Security & Integrations
Security is central to everything we do at Unilink. We go to great lengths, including security Pen testing (Penetration testing) by CHECK and CREST accredited organisations to ensure our solutions are suitably secure for the required environment. Where we integrate with other providers such as legacy systems, we ensure our solutions are robust and secure.
We are world leaders in biometrically enabled secure systems. We use the highest quality biometric devices, supplied by world leaders Idemia, which means not only security, reliability, and speed but also maximum device life. This results in affordable and robust systems that our clients and end users love! As you would expect, Unilink is ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials accredited.
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Security is central to everything we do at Unilink. We go to great lengths, including security Pen testing (Penetration testing) by CHECK and CREST accredited organisations to ensure our solutions are suitably secure for the required environment. Where we integrate with other providers such as legacy systems, we ensure our solutions are robust and secure.
We are world leaders in biometrically enabled secure systems. We use the highest quality biometric devices, supplied by world leaders Idemia, which means not only security, reliability, and speed but also maximum device life. This results in affordable and robust systems that our clients and end users love! As you would expect, Unilink is ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials accredited.
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Insight: Business Intelligence
Insight: Business Intelligence
With Insight, Unilink has developed a dedicated analytics environment designed to provide more tactical insights and strategic management information, responding to managerial reporting needs and specific intelligence questions to support decision making processes.
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Our experts work with clients to analyse, define and document the specific business needs, then build these into the environment in the form of automated extractions of a set of reports that can be published in the clients’ preferred format.
The insights environment can also be used, where there is sufficient data and experienced analysts available, to support more advanced analytics such as trend analysis and forecasting.
Unilink can also set up the insights environment for analysis and reporting on behaviour and risks of individuals to support early responses and preventative measures. Based on a pre-defined criteria (provided by the client) early warnings and specific notifications can be generated to alarm prison staff (e.g. for potential suicide risk).
To enable insight in how the organisation is doing and optimise business processes, the performance management environment can be set up and used to measure the efficiency of specific processes and monitor specific performance indicators.
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With Insight, Unilink has developed a dedicated analytics environment designed to provide more tactical insights and strategic management information, responding to managerial reporting needs and specific intelligence questions to support decision making processes.
Scroll
Our experts work with clients to analyse, define and document the specific business needs, then build these into the environment in the form of automated extractions of a set of reports that can be published in the clients’ preferred format.
The insights environment can also be used, where there is sufficient data and experienced analysts available, to support more advanced analytics such as trend analysis and forecasting.
Unilink can also set up the insights environment for analysis and reporting on behaviour and risks of individuals to support early responses and preventative measures. Based on a pre-defined criteria (provided by the client) early warnings and specific notifications can be generated to alarm prison staff (e.g. for potential suicide risk).
To enable insight in how the organisation is doing and optimise business processes, the performance management environment can be set up and used to measure the efficiency of specific processes and monitor specific performance indicators.
Probation Case Management
Unilink has a successful history of developing innovative case management systems with the Probation Service in the UK. Our systems have transformed probation practice through their ease of use, simplified designs, and processes that deliver operational efficiencies through a fully- integrated, unified user experience. Our clean designs, seamless integration and intuitive user-friendly interface have led to significant improvements in user satisfaction levels, in-app communication; whole team approach, and workflow, which engenders a unified organisation and significant savings in staff time, frustration and resourcing. Our systems have been called out for special praise by MPs, the Justice Select Committee and HMIP Inspectors.
Our decades of experience have enabled Unilink to iteratively improve designs, enrich the user experience and innovate through new technologies. Our solutions are designed to enhance probation practice by integrating different business areas into a core suite of offender management services. Users benefit from intuitive user-friendly dashboards and components that reduce complexity, simplify daily tasks, and push workflow between probation teams and operational partners.
Our software provides probation staff working in Court and management roles with better views of information, promptly and efficiently, which improves the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of information provided to the Court. The interoperability of our design enriches the various search functions, providing compliance & enforcement summaries, traffic light risk level badging, tool tips and searchable contact lists and ‘slide on screen’ document drawers, which together help Court staff and Senior Managers find the information they need, when they need it.
Unilink is at the forefront of designing systems that embed fully- integrated risk assessment and sentence planning tools into case management. These systems can be in-house or third party. This innovation has had a transformative impact on probation practice by streamlining processes, eliminating repetition, reducing the burden on staff, and introducing common sense workflows to practice. The risk and need information are then embedded across the solution so staff across the whole organisation can be aware of any issues and work flexibly, safely and proactively with offenders.
Our solutions support the scheduling, directory and delivery of interventions, from accredited programme groupwork sessions to more complex deliverables like community service. Unilink offers standalone solutions for interventions as well as options to integrate with services across a whole case management system. Our designs simplify complex business operations and logistics whilst offering the flexibility to manage the needs of different providers and service user profiles. Our software simplifies the administration burden by providing staff with simplified operational dashboards and screens that remove the difficulty of managing projects, placements and providers.
Unilink is at the forefront of designing applications and leveraging the IoT to supervise offenders, increase efficiency, and reduce recidivism. Integrating mobile applications with our case management systems has led to transformative changes in practice with enhanced home visiting through the use of the google maps platform, better service user engagement through SMS & email messaging, vast organisational efficiencies through bulk upload, mass mailout options and simplified, user-led design of file and document management services. The ethical use of analytics, business intelligence & AI feature across our product range and there are additional integration opportunities for the optimisation and visualisation of data from remote monitoring, staff to FM services.
Integrated Offender Case Management: U-Case
U-Case is the digital platform for corrections, an innovative, modular, highly configurable Integrated Offender Management System, built on an open, flexible micro-services architecture. U-Case encompasses the entire offender journey, from probation, to prison, to return to the community with a unique seamless offender-centric approach.
It is a solution where involved stakeholders can collaborate to enrich and make best use of a single, shared view on the offender. It provides probation and prison staff real-time access to critical management information in the challenging, demanding and stressful working environment of custodial services.
Modular Design: Correctional ecosystems are complex, U-Case is built on a modular architecture which can be tailored to your individual needs.
Role Based Access Control (RBAC): Fully customizable, U-Case allows only authorized users to view information or perform actions relevant to their role. Every screen within U-Case is RBAC-aware.
Dashboards: Configurable, intuitive dashboards that display tailored information to be displayed based on different types of users and roles.
Modern User Interface: A progressive web application which displays clear, easy to read information and a simple navigation on any device format.
U-Case guides correctional professionals from their first offender contact pre-sentence through to the completion of the sentence and successful re-entry into the community. From initial assessment of needs and risks, to setting goals and objectives tailored to those needs (classification), the development of detention plans, to the management of community interventions and supervision, and follow-up on the execution of those plans with continuous evaluation and adjustments.
U-Case provides real time access to critical management information and powerful operational support for efficient day-to-day management of offenders focussed on helping both correctional officers and offenders. U-Case automates and streamlines custodial processes to reduce administrative work and free prison staff’s time to spend working directly with offenders.
The transport module facilitates the planning and management of offender transportation from booking, creating vehicle routes, real time monitoring and reporting. The UI can be tailored to the specific needs of those involved – the agency administration and planning staff, control room staff and officers in the vehicle.
U-Case enables management of schedules, curfews, monitoring & interventions. It can accommodate device and system agnostic location tracking and can integrate with any hardware and EM system provider.
U-Case provides a dedicated analytics environment. The increased data being generated from digital solutions compared to a paper-based system provides greater tactical insights and strategic management information, which can support your decision-making processes. This module provides statistical reports and management information, trends analysis, correctional intelligence, and performance management.
Custodial Management System: CMS
Unilink’s Custodial Management System (CMS) is a comprehensive, biometrically enabled management system for custodial environments. Based on a module-based architecture, CMS includes modules for offender management, and Prisoner Self-Service, which increases safety and security.
CMS is flexible and can be customised to your specific needs. It is able to integrate with other systems and is continuously improved and updated. All Unilink solutions are created with the direct input of industry professionals and user feedback ensuring that they are the most up-to-date and user driven solutions available.
- Biometric Identification and movements
- Secure Visits Management
- CMS on the Move
- Shop/Applications
- Scheduling
CMS uses biometrics for the enrolment, discharge, and positive identification of all individuals on the system. This significantly increases security, as well as preventing the misallocation of resources and property as a result of human error. With the Biometric Movements module, you can manage offender movements within an establishment, setting up automatic transit routes and timescales.
Our secure visits system uses biometrics to ensure accurate identification of social, official, and legal visitors before, during, and after their visit. This increases the security of the establishment whilst also reducing waiting times and increasing efficiency overall.
This device agnostic solution allows staff to access real time information about offenders and manage them from anywhere on site. When used with a device that has an integrated fingerprint reader, the added biometric functionality further helps to increase the security of the establishment and the safety of both staff and offenders.
CMS has individual modules for canteen shopping and submission of applications. The shop module is configurable, supports cash and cashless payments, and allows for a variety of shopping methods. It allows prison staff to have better oversight and finer control of retail inventory and distribution. The Applications module saves staff time by providing offenders with predefined applications, which can be automatically approved, scheduled and displayed in the offenders’ timetable.
The CMS Scheduling module provides the functionality to manage offenders’ daily schedules, from employment, education to medical appointments. Schedules are fully configurable and can be templated to include default locations, requirements and more. Offenders can receive automatic reminders, and staff can easily add offenders to groups, and entire groups to scheduled activities.
Prisoner Self-Service Platform
Technology is fundamental to modern life, from applying for jobs, to booking medical appointments, to shopping, to communicating with friends and family. Offenders need to be prepared to re-enter the digital world in which we now live when their sentence ends or possibly face social isolation.
We are strong believers in the principle of normality in corrections, and empowering offenders to manage their own administrative tasks, communicate with friends and family, and more.
Unilink has created the next generation self-service platform to enable the secure and controlled delivery of digital content and services, tailored to the specific needs of the offender, helping them to engage in change and prepare for reintegration into society.
Independent research has found that introducing Unilink’s self-service technology in custodial environments can provide benefits such as reduced reconvictions, and an offender’s feeling of self-worth and personal control. By introducing offenders to modern technology, it can transform their lives from dependency to self-responsibility, where they can learn new ways of behaving in a supportive rather than a punitive environment.
Over 2,500,000,000 Prisoner Self-Service transactions have been processed to date.
The Self-Service system, modified to include the most appropriate functions for the situation, is also used by detainees in detention and immigration facilities, and by patients in secure hospital environments.
- Prisoner Self-Service
- Secure Internet Access
- Education & 3rd Party Services
- Multi-media, Content Management
- Self-service Devices
Unilink’s self-service system transforms prisons by automating and streamlining routine administrative tasks with offenders via self-service kiosks and in-cell devices. It reduces the administrative burden on prison staff whilst giving offenders the responsibility of controlling their own affairs, increasing accountability which is proven to have a rehabilitative impact.
Prison staff can manage, process and respond to any offender request quickly and easily using CMS, the “backbone” of self-service. Reducing the administrative burden frees up prison staff time, meaning more time can be spent with offenders, which reduces frustration, and increases the mental well-being of both inmates and staff.
Secure browsing of trusted or white-listed websites gives offenders digital skills and learning opportunities to help prepare them for a role in society.
Delivering offender education enables offenders to get familiar with the digital normal they will experience when they return into society. Prisoner Self-Service can integrate with existing or new learning management systems according to specific needs.
Prisoner Self-service enables access to eBook libraries, games and supports full streaming of multimedia content such as music, TV and movie-channels from external providers or internet-based resources. Available content, allowed access time and other applicable restrictions can be configured according to particular security regulations. Parameters can be applied to a specific individual or group, and all activity is logged and can be monitored.
The self-service solution is device agnostic – it can be accessed with in-cell devices such as tablets or laptops, or on biometrically enabled, wing-based kiosks, specifically designed to withstand heavy attack.
Offender Communications: U-Comms
Staying in touch with friends and family helps to maintain personal relationships and contributes to the mental wellbeing of offenders and loved ones. MOJ (UK’s Ministry of Justice) research has shown that an offender which successfully sustains a family relationship is 39 per cent less likely to reoffend than one who does not. Many offenders are held far from home often making it difficult for loved ones to visit due to the travel time, transport issues and costs involved.
Unilink provides affordable text, voice and video-based communication, specifically designed for use in custodial institutions. Covering over 600,000 registered users: friends and family, offenders, detainees, patients, probation services and lawyers all use these services to keep in touch. These services are currently available in all UK prisons and Australia.
The service has advantages for all. It is easy to use and affordable to friends and family. Offenders maintain relationships with their contacts, leading to an improved mental wellbeing. Establishments see a great decrease in the administrative burden of paper correspondence, increased security and the service is free for establishments to set up and use.
Provides a fast, secure, and affordable alternative to posting letters. Friends, family, and professionals can use the two-way e-message to communicate with detained individuals. This helps to maintain relationships and prevent family breakdowns. E-message also eliminates potential for drug smuggling through drug impregnated paper and saves staff time in checking and auditing the post. All e-content is scanned electronically for banned words and phrases to detect suspicious activity.
Friends and family can send money quickly and easily to offenders with the secure, affordable online payment service. Offering full traceability of senders, it reduces cash, cheques and postal order handling and processing onsite. Prisons receive payments directly to their bank account reducing the opportunity for fraud and error.
Virtual/Video Visits allows offenders to connect with their family via a video call where physical visits are not possible. This service is used in Scottish prisons where a significant barrier to physical visits is the distance of the prison from their homes, the lack of transport and the costs involved in getting to the prison. The service has been particularly valued during the COVID pandemic, where all Scottish prisons adopted video sessions.
Unilink’s VOIP telephony solution, designed specifically for custodial institutions, enables offenders to make affordable calls to their permitted recipients. The call administration portal enables complete account management and monitoring of calls with built in analytics and security monitoring features for intelligence and compliance purposes.
Security & Integrations
Security is central to everything we do at Unilink. We go to great lengths, including security Pen testing (Penetration testing) by CHECK and CREST accredited organisations to ensure our solutions are suitably secure for the required environment. Where we integrate with other providers such as legacy systems, we ensure our solutions are robust and secure.
We are world leaders in biometrically enabled secure systems. We use the highest quality biometric devices, supplied by world leaders Idemia, which means not only security, reliability, and speed but also maximum device life. This results in affordable and robust systems that our clients and end users love! As you would expect, Unilink is ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials accredited.
Insight: Business Intelligence
With Insight, Unilink has developed a dedicated analytics environment designed to provide more tactical insights and strategic management information, responding to managerial reporting needs and specific intelligence questions to support decision making processes.
- Statistical Reports and Management Information
- Trends Analysis
- Correctional intelligence
- Performance Management
Our experts work with clients to analyse, define and document the specific business needs, then build these into the environment in the form of automated extractions of a set of reports that can be published in the clients’ preferred format.
The insights environment can also be used, where there is sufficient data and experienced analysts available, to support more advanced analytics such as trend analysis and forecasting.
Unilink can also set up the insights environment for analysis and reporting on behaviour and risks of individuals to support early responses and preventative measures. Based on a pre-defined criteria (provided by the client) early warnings and specific notifications can be generated to alarm prison staff (e.g. for potential suicide risk).
To enable insight in how the organisation is doing and optimise business processes, the performance management environment can be set up and used to measure the efficiency of specific processes and monitor specific performance indicators.
Interested in our solutions?
If you want to know more about our solutions or services let’s start a conversation so we can understand your specific needs and how we can help.
Contact UsWhat our Clients say…
“Unilink's experience in the criminal justice sector and their integrated suite of products, proven to help rehabilitate prisoners, is the perfect match for us to support our digital transformation strategy”
Jan-Erik Sandlie - Deputy Director General from The Norwegian Correctional Service
“It was great to deal with a company that actually delivered things…”
Dept for Correctional Services, - South Australia
“I have worked in IT for 34 years and, notwithstanding all the unavoidable delays, this is the smoothest project I have worked on. Staff are happy, inmates are happy, it’s been very successful”
Project Manager, NIPS ICT Services, - Department of Justice NI
“Unilink provided us with a Probation case management and management information system which was developed and delivered on a tight time scale and on budget. Throughout the process and subsequently the Unilink team have taken care to involve, understand and incorporate the needs of the product’s end users and ensure that it is compatible with ICT systems elsewhere in the Criminal Justice System.”
Brian Heath, - Board Member Confederation of European Probation
Omnia made a significant difference to the productivity of professionals because it was designed by the users for the users”
David Hood, - MTC Novo
“ It is like jumping from the 1860’s Pony Express to the 2017’s smartphone.”
Prisoner SM, - HMP Northumberland