The Center for Digital Government recently announced that Colorado, Delaware, Illinois and New Jersey are the leading providers of digital technologies to their respective judicial systems.

The news comes as the first part of four part Digital State Survey the Center is conducting in conjunction with Government Technology magazine and the Progress & Freedom Foundation. According to the center, "[t]he four-part survey will document and assess progress state governments have made in adopting and utilizing digital technologies to improve the delivery of services to their citizens."

Part one focussed on law enforcement, courts and social services. The law enforcement & courts portion of the survey measured the use of digital technologies by the judicial system, including:

• online access to court opinions
• availability of digital signature capability for contracts and filings
• digital communications by police agencies

The study also recognized the states of South Dakota, Rhode Island and Mississippi for making the greatest gains in these areas since a similar study last year.

The social services portion focussed on:

• the availability of online information regarding program eligibility and application procedures
• the application of digital technologies such as electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems and smart cards for benefits delivery

Subsequent areas of the study include:

Part II - Results to be released in August 2001

• Electronic Commerce/Business Regulation
• Taxation/Revenue

Part III - Results to be released in October 2001

• Digital Democracy
• Management/Administration

Part IV - Results to be released in December 2001

• Education
• Transportation