I work in federal probation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If I can get Albuquerque police interested in the people I'm working with, as well as the beat officer, as well as the city folks, that not only benefits the safety of the community but also ensures that the individual on probation is likely to be accountable. And he should know that.

Besides that, everybody's working for the same goal. I think what happens is that law enforcement becomes territorial. "This is my case, my turf." But if we open it up, and realize we're all working for the same goal, that's the philosophy we want to promote.

In practice, this has meant face-to-face relationship building, so I wonder how this would happen effectively using the Internet.

-- Mike Carrion (mcarrion@nmcourt.fed.us), June 30, 1999