ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The implementation of My Justice Portal has proven beneficial not only for inmates, but also for public defenders.

Through a secure tablet, inmates can send and receive messages and video chat with their attorneys. Attorneys can electronically share important legal documents giving inmates the opportunity to sign.

Mike Manning, CEO of My Justice Portal, said the platform is saving time and money for both the county and taxpayers.

“It makes it easier for inmates to get more time with their public defenders and helps move court cases along,” Manning said. “It’s a combination of different areas where we’re seeing cost savings that will likely become even more evident over time.”

After a six-month testing phase, results showed significant changes at the jail:

• The average length of stay at the jail dropped by 13.9%.
• 2,166 man hours were saved and repurposed, as staff did not have to coordinate in-person meetings between inmates and attorneys
• 776 fewer in-person attorney visits with inmates
• 582 hours saved for public defenders in jail travel

Dougherty County Public Defender Senoqua Claiborne said the application has helped improve her client satisfaction.

“It’s better because I don’t have to physically go to the jail for every visit. I can send a message while I’m in court waiting for my case to be called. When they message me, I can respond right away no matter where I am.

Dougherty County became the first in the nation to implement the My Justice Portal. Manning hopes the program will eventually expand to support the probation process and include multi-language translation services.

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