Mountains of paperwork have long been part of everyday life in correctional facilities. From offender intake forms to incident reports, HR files, and maintenance logs, each department generates documents that must be stored, shared, and protected. As these records multiply, inefficiencies emerge, staff waste time searching for misplaced files, responses to information requests slow down, and physical storage costs rise. For many Departments of Corrections (DOCs), these growing challenges signal a critical need for transformation.
The path forward is paperless records management. By moving from manual filing systems to a digital enterprise content management (ECM) platform like OnBase by Hyland, DOCs can simplify how they capture, store, and access data across the organization. Going paperless is more than just scanning documents. It’s a strategic shift that impacts every corner of the agency. Before launching that transformation, leaders must first assess whether their organization is ready to make the change.
Understanding the Digital Readiness Journey
Digital transformation isn’t just about adopting new technology; it’s about aligning people, processes, and infrastructure to work smarter and faster. A paperless DOC is one that allows staff to find the information they need without barriers, supports compliance through secure access controls, and eliminates redundant or outdated processes. However, a successful digital transition depends on readiness.
Our 7-Point Readiness Checklist helps correctional institutions evaluate their current environment and determine how close they are to being fully paperless. It assesses areas such as system centralization, workflow automation, training, and leadership engagement. This evaluation not only highlights existing strengths but also reveals potential roadblocks before they slow down implementation.
1. Centralized Record Access: Breaking Down Information Silos
The first step toward paperless operations is ensuring centralized access to information. Many DOCs operate across multiple facilities each with its own filing systems or databases, which often leads to duplication, inconsistency, and confusion.
A centralized ECM platform like OnBase enables staff in different facilities to access the same offender records, HR documents, or incident reports in real time. This shared visibility improves accuracy, eliminates redundant data entry, and promotes quicker decision-making. When records are centralized, staff can collaborate seamlessly, respond to audits efficiently, and maintain a unified chain of custody for sensitive documents.
A DOC that still relies on scattered paper files or disconnected databases is not yet ready for digitization. Centralization must come first to ensure the foundation of digital transformation is stable.
2. Standardized Document Management Practices
Standardization is the key to consistency. Without clear document management policies, even a digital system can replicate the chaos of a paper-based one. Each division should follow the same procedures for document creation, storage, and archiving.
Establishing document naming conventions, retention schedules, and approval workflows ensures that every file follows a predictable lifecycle. This is particularly important in corrections, where compliance with federal, state, and internal policies is non-negotiable. Standardized digital practices reduce risk and ensure that all staff can find and trust the same information.
3. Secure Storage and Role-Based Access
Data security is paramount in corrections. Digital records management allows administrators to control who can view, edit, or share documents through role-based permissions. With paper records, access control is difficult to monitor, and files can easily be misplaced or viewed by unauthorized personnel.
OnBase enhances compliance by maintaining detailed audit trails that record every action taken on a document. Whether it’s an officer reviewing an incident report or HR processing staff records, every access point is logged and traceable. These features protect sensitive information and provide assurance during audits and investigations that confidentiality and compliance standards are upheld.
4. Digital Workflow Capabilities: From Manual to Automated
Many correctional processes like inmate classification, disciplinary actions, and maintenance requests rely on forms moving between departments. In a paper-based environment, this often leads to delays, lost documents, and inconsistent approvals.
By digitizing workflows through OnBase, these tasks can be automated. Routing documents for review, sending alerts for approvals, or triggering next steps can all happen without manual intervention. This automation reduces bottlenecks, enhances accountability, and frees staff to focus on higher-value work.
Departments that still rely on manual routing and physical signatures will find their productivity soar once workflows are automated.
5. Staff Readiness and Training
No technology transformation succeeds without people. Staff acceptance is critical when moving to a paperless model. Employees need to feel confident navigating digital tools and understand how the new system benefits their day-to-day work.
Training programs and pilot rollouts help smooth the transition. Providing hands-on guidance allows employees to explore features, ask questions, and see how OnBase simplifies tasks. When staff feel empowered rather than overwhelmed, adoption rates rise and resistance decreases.
Leadership should also emphasize how digitization improves accuracy, compliance, and safety—values that resonate deeply within correctional environments.
6. IT Infrastructure and Integration
Technology readiness is another critical factor. Before implementing a new ECM platform, agencies must ensure their IT systems can support it. Integration between OnBase and existing software like offender management systems, HR databases, and facility maintenance applications creates a unified ecosystem where data flows securely and efficiently.
This compatibility prevents silos and ensures that users access accurate, up-to-date information across platforms. For example, an officer reviewing an inmate’s record in the offender management system should be able to open associated documents directly from OnBase without switching tools.
When IT teams plan ahead for integration, they reduce disruptions and ensure a smoother, faster deployment.
7. Leadership Commitment to Change
Leadership sets the tone for transformation. Without visible support from department heads, even the most advanced digital initiative can lose momentum. Executives must advocate for change, allocate resources, and communicate the strategic benefits of going paperless.
Leadership commitment signals that digital transformation isn’t just a technology upgrade. It’s a shift in how the organization operates. When leaders model adoption, champion the benefits, and reward innovation, staff are far more likely to follow suit.
A successful paperless DOC is not built on technology alone but on a culture that embraces progress and accountability.
Download the 7-Point Readiness Checklist from 3SG Plus to assess your agency’s readiness for paperless transformation. Use it during internal meetings to guide discussion and planning.
The Benefits of Paperless Records Management
Once readiness has been established, the rewards of implementing a system like OnBase become clear. A paperless DOC gains faster access to information, improved operational efficiency, and a significant reduction in physical storage costs.
Digital systems enable data-driven decision-making by giving leaders real-time insight into operations. Reports that once took days to compile can now be generated instantly. Moreover, compliance and audit processes become simpler since all documentation is centralized and searchable.
From intake to release, every stage of the correctional process benefits from better access, improved security, and greater transparency.
Empowering Change with 3SG Plus
For over 20 years, 3SG Plus has helped Departments of Corrections modernize their operations with OnBase. Our team specializes in customized deployments, system integrations, and post-implementation support that ensure technology aligns with agency goals.
As an authorized OnBase reseller, integrator, and professional services provider, we deliver end-to-end solutions that simplify records management, improve compliance, and enhance productivity. From assessing readiness to training staff and optimizing workflows, our team provides the expertise required to make paperless transformation a success.
Conclusion: The Time to Prepare Is Now
The decision to go paperless is not just about convenience—it’s about building a more secure, efficient, and responsive correctional system. Evaluating your readiness today ensures your DOC can transition confidently when the time comes. By addressing infrastructure, training, and leadership support in advance, you lay the groundwork for sustainable digital success.
A well-prepared DOC will experience faster workflows, reduced administrative burdens, and improved service delivery across all departments. The journey to paperless operations starts with a single step: understanding where your organization stands today.