In the bustling heart of Dallas County, Carrie Paschal faced a daunting challenge. As Chief Investigative & Support Services Officer for the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (Dallas CAC), her organization was entrusted with the delicate responsibility of handling child testimonies in a jurisdiction that ranks as the ninth largest in the United States.
The Challenge
Important testimony was constantly at risk of loss or damage.
Dallas CAC knew their reliance on DVDs for storing these sensitive testimonies was full of risks – corruption of files, potential loss, and the worst-case scenario of these crucial pieces of evidence vanishing into thin air. Each lost or damaged DVD not only meant a logistical nightmare but a
heartbreaking step back in their mission to protect the most vulnerable. They needed an alternative solution for securely capturing and distributing their forensic interviews.
“I don’t know of any DVDs that were put on the internet, but did we have them go missing and not know where they ended up. Are there DVDs in our county unaccounted for? Unfortunately, yes.”
Carrie Paschal, Chief Investigative & Support Service Officer
Key Problems to Solve
- Risk of Losing Evidence
DVDs posed a high risk of losing critical video evidence due to potential corruption or physical loss. - Security
Mishandling DVDs was a signficiant risk to the security and confidentiality of child testimonies. - Inefficient Handling
Providing DVDs to law enforcement for each interview was timeconsuming and inefficient.
The Solution
A simple, intuitive platform that eliminated evidence sharing.
As they grappled with these challenges, the need for a more secure, reliable solution became increasingly clear. Enter Guardify – a beacon of hope and innovation.
The transition to Guardify significantly streamlined evidence management by eliminating the cumbersome process of handling DVDs. Paschall described using the platform as both “easy” and “intuitive.”
With Guardify, Dallas CAC could provide immediate accessibility of testimonies to authorized personnel, enhancing collaboration among the multidisciplinary team and earning commendation from defense attorneys for its timeliness and convenience. The platform’s robust case history audit log was a significant boon for prosecutors, preserving the legal integrity of the evidence.
Summarizing the transformative impact of Guardify, Paschall remarked,
“We thought we had a good process, but Guardify showed us there’s a better way to mitigate risks. It’s completely worth the change.”
Carrie Paschal, Chief Investigative & Support Service Officer
- CJIS and HIPAA Compliant
Top-tier security for sensitive testimonies, ensuring their protection against unauthorized access and loss. - Immediate Accessibility
Instant access to testimonies for authorized team members, facilitating swift and effective collaboration. - Streamlined Evidence Management
The transition away from DVDs to Guardify eliminated cumbersome processes, making evidence handling more efficient and intuitive.
The Results
Rapid onboarding and easy evidence sharing for the 9th largest jurisdiction in America.
The impact of Guardify for Dallas CAC was profound: swift evidence processing, bolstered legal integrity, and minimized trauma for children.
This shared digital platform fostered a more cohesive, efficient, and secure collaboration network for the 37 partner agencies involved in the MDT. By providing a unified system for evidence management, Guardify eliminated the inconsistencies and risks associated with the previous DVD-based method. This change led to enhanced trust and reliability among the partner agencies, as they could now access critical information swiftly and securely.
The ease of use and intuitive nature of Guardify meant that all agencies could quickly adapt to the new system, reducing the need for extensive training or technical support. This streamlined approach to sharing sensitive testimonies not only saved time but also ensured that all parties were working with the most current and accurate information.
- Easy Onboarding of 37 Partners
Proactive training and integration for the full team led to rapid adoption of the Guardify platform. Along with this assistance, many users could learn the platform on their own, thanks to its intuitive tools and interface. - Prevention of Revictimization
Guardify ensured rigorous control over access to testimonies, aiding Dallas CAC in protecting children’s well-being and dignity, preventing additional trauma linked to mishandling sensitive evidence.
“Keeping the child first in all we do is a shared value of our MDT and with that in mind, law enforcement worked with us to write Guardify into our investigative protocols. Our staff and partners did really well with the transition; Guardify is just so easy to navigate and intuitive to figure out.”
Carrie Paschal, Chief Investigative & Support Service Officer
