These notes describe the initial operational release of the Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM), subsequent releases, maintenance procedures, software tools, capabilities, and other support being developed. If known and predictable, we also indicate approximately when they will be available.
1.1. Operational Releases (2004)
1.3. Working Previews of Operational Releases
1.4. Feedback, Update, Maintenance
1.6. Reference Document Schemas
2.2. GJXDM Custom Subschema Generator Tool
2.3. GJXDM Component Selection List
4.1. User and Implementer Documentation
4.3. Collaboration (Who is using GJXDM?)
5.1. Topics to be explained later
1.1. Operational Releases (2004)
Our intent is to publish new GJXDM releases periodically in 2004. To keep abreast of the latest information regarding the timing of new releases, read the Information Technology Initiatives website and/or signup for the GJXDM Listserv Releases and their documentation are accessible by namespace. The namespace for version 3.0 is http://www.it.ojp.gov/jxdm/3.0. All releases will always be available (i.e., will never be removed from their namespaces). Releases will be forward compatible. This means that schemas and instances written for version 3.1 will also work with versions 3.2 and 3.3. However, backward compatibility may not be supported. Therefore, schemas and instances written for 3.2 may not work with versions 3.0 and 3.1.
GJXDM Pre-releases (versions 3.0.0.0, 3.0.0.1, 3.0.0.2, and 3.0.0.3) will no longer be updated. However, for transitional reasons, pre-releases (3.0.0.0, 3.0.0.1, and 3.0.0.3) will remain available in their respective namespaces for an undetermined period of time after the initial operational release has been published.
1.3. Working Previews of Operational Releases
In the first year of releases we anticipate that there may be many requests for additional components to satisfy a number of common requirements that either we did not know existed or that we have not had time to analyze and incorporate. For example, we know that there are still some commonly used national justice standards that we have not compared to GJXDM to ensure they are completely incorporated. We intend to provide early knowledge of such efforts to evolve the GJXDM content without publishing new releases too often. Once an official release is published, it becomes frozen and permanently available (in its namespace). However, soon after this release, we will also make available an experimental version of the next release. For example, soon after version 3.2 has been released, version 3.3pre1 will become available to download. All such preview versions of GJXDM will be working prototypes, subject to change without notice. They are essentially snapshots of the current data model in our database. Experimental use of such preview schemas is encouraged. However, operational use is at the user's own risk.
1.4. Feedback, Update, Maintenance
The GJXDM Bugzilla feedback website will continue to be the primary means to identify urgent bug fixes and requests for additions, deletions, and modifications. The Global XML Structure Task Force (XSTF) will continue to authorize all fixes and changes. Thus, all bug reports (feedback) will be reviewed and approved/disapproved by the XSTF. All approved additions, deletions, and modifications will be applied to the next release (if possible). A cumulative change log will be published with each release to maintain an audit trail. Changes will be linked to appropriate bug reports in the feedback history.
Peer support can be obtained via the GJXDM Listserv. This listserv exists to support community wide announcements, comments, requests, questions, discussions, and exchanges that are relevant to GJXDM but not directly relevant to the feedback site.
Generally, electronic justice data exchange is accomplished via documents, queries, responses and other messages. In XML Schema terminology, all of these are considered XML documents. In the GJXDM, XML documents refer to standard business exchange containers (such as Rap Sheet, Arrest Warrant, or Incident Report) which are usually persistent. This means that they are archived, maintained, or reused intact by either the sender or receiver. However, XML documents can also be transactional. For example, queries, responses, or messages can be structured as XML documents. A document can be defined as "... something which brings together strongly related objects for a well defined business purpose or context ..." or "... that bundle of data that is passed from one agency to another as part of an exchange ..." [Gerry Coleman, Wisconsin Crime Information Bureau]. So, the term XML document can refer to a message or other form of information, as well as what we traditionally recognize as a document.
GJXDM contains a DocumentType component from which standard XML document schemas can be derived. The GJXDM DocumentType includes commonly used properties such as control and records management metadata, security and classification metadata, and general document descriptive metadata.
Within its own target namespace, each justice reference document schema will import the GJXDM namespace (or a subset of it) and extend DocumentType for its root element. For example, a CitationDocument schema would import the GJXDM namespace and create (1) an CitationDocumentType that extends jxdm:DocumentType, and (2) a complex root element CitationDocument of type CitationDocumentType Consequently, CitationDocumentType inherits all of the standard metadata properties of jxdm:DocumentType. However, each document designates its own target namespace, which will enable local document customization and prevent name conflicts.
The following example illustrates the Citation scenerio described above with a very simple CitationDocument:
CitationDocument.xsd - an XML schema
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xs:schema
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
targetNamespace="http://park.gatech.edu/citation"
xmlns:jxdm="http://www.it.ojp.gov/jxdm/3.0"
xmlns="http://park.gatech.edu/citation"
elementFormDefault="qualified" attributeFormDefault="unqualified">
<xs:import namespace="http://www.it.ojp.gov/jxdm/3.0"
schemaLocation="3.0/jxdm.xsd" />
<xs:element name="CitationDocument" type="CitationDocumentType"></xs:element>
<xs:complexType name="CitationDocumentType">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="jxdm:DocumentType">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element ref="jxdm:Citation" />
</xs:sequence>
</xs:extension>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:schema>CitationDocument.xml - an XML instance for the schema above
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<CitationDocument xmlns="http://park.gatech.edu/citation"
xmlns:jxdm="http://www.it.ojp.gov/jxdm/3.0"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://park.gatech.edu/citation CitationDocument.xsd">
<jxdm:Citation>
<jxdm:ActivityID>
<jxdm:ID>C519</jxdm:ID>
</jxdm:ActivityID>
<jxdm:ActivityDate>2003-12-25</jxdm:ActivityDate>
<jxdm:ActivityTime>11:53:00</jxdm:ActivityTime>
<jxdm:CitationIssuingOfficial>
<jxdm:PersonName>
<jxdm:PersonFullName>John Doe</jxdm:PersonFullName>
</jxdm:PersonName>
<jxdm:EnforcementOfficialBadgeID>
<jxdm:ID>3033</jxdm:ID>
</jxdm:EnforcementOfficialBadgeID>
</jxdm:CitationIssuingOfficial>
</jxdm:Citation>
</CitationDocument>1.6. Reference Document Schemas
An important goal of the XSTF has been to provide justice practitioners and their contractors with components to develop standard XML schema to provide common instruments of justice information exchange that can be leveraged by all. For the last several years, the justice community has been developing functional XML specifications for universal justice documents, such as Arrest Warrant, Arrest/Incident Report, Amber Alert, Rap Sheet, and Sentencing Order. Our current approach is to construct reference documents with GJXDM 3.0 components, and to provide these as model document schema that can be extended by the justice community to meet individual jurisdictional requirements.
An important 2004 objective is to identify organizations who can define and/or validate GJXDM reference document requirements and schema definitions. As reference document schemas are defined and constructed with GJXDM components, they will be made available to the justice community.
Read the Information Technology Initiatives website for the latest information on reference documents. The XSTF has identified a list of 100+ documents in common use and for which reference document schemas are potentially necessary. The XSTF is also working to identify organizations that can assist in the effort to build these schemas from GJXDM. To build, approve, and make these available will be an evolutionary process.
The GJXDM Search Tool is a prototype, online, browser-based documentation capability for lookup in and navigation of the most current version of GJXDM. This prototype is in spiral development. New capabilities, enhancements, and optimizations will be applied and available as soon as they have been tested.
2.2. GJXDM Custom Subschema Generator Tool
A Custom Subschema Generator Tool is under development. This software prototype will provide online capability to identify required GJXDM components (using the Search Tool), sequence them, set constraints, and generate a correct subset schema of GJXDM for a specific application. This capability will enable a user to employ and validate only those parts of GJXDM (i.e. a subset) required for a specific application. This is based upon the principle that an instance which validates against a correct subset of GJXDM will also validate against the entire GJXDM. The Subschema Generator is expected to be available late 1st quarter or early 2nd quarter 2004. When released, the Subschema Generator will subsume the GJXDM Search Tool.
2.3. GJXDM Component Selection List
A GJXDM component is any XML type, element, or attribute in the dictionary schema. A GJXDM Component Selection List is an XML instance (based on a schema) for identifying GJXDM components required for a given subset. It is the intermediate format that the Subschema Generation Tool edits and subsequently uses to generate a correct subset of GJXDM. By employing this open XML-based specification, it will be possible for other tools (such as editors or schema builders) to interact with the Subschema Generator Tool. This capability will be available sometime after the Subschema Generator Tool is released.
GJXDM is an object-oriented model that takes advantage of property inheritance to reuse components. This helps to keep the total number of elements smaller. However, this also means that some specific data element names do not exist in the dictionary because more generically named properties are inherited down to the more specific subtypes. For example, GJXDM does not contain an ArrestDate element. This is because an arrest date is represented by ActivityDate (a property of ActivityType) within an Arrest (of type ArrestType). ActivityDate is inherited by ArrestType (a subtype of ActivityType). The following is an example excerpt from an instance document containing an Arrest element:
...
<Arrest>
<ActivityReasonText>
automobile accident caused by road rage
</ActivityReasonText>
<ActivityDate>2004-01-01</ActivityDate>
<ActivityTime>01:30:00</ActivityTime>
<ArrestTypeCode>T</ArrestTypeCode>
<ArrestSubject>
...
</ArrestSubject>
...
</Arrest>
... Note that Arrest inherits Activity properties because it is a type of ActivityType.
In order to improve understanding of this concept within GJXDM, we intend to add the capability to store common names (context data elements) in the dictionary database that are not used in the GJXDD schema. These context elements will be defined and will refer (link) to the GJXDM elements that represent them in a given context. For example, ArrestDate will be defined in the dictionary, and its entry will reference (link to) ActivityDate and explain the Arrest context. This capability will assist users who must map their local dictionaries to GJXDM. There are a number of ways to identify appropriate context data elements. The XSTF is evaluating them. The capability to have and use context data elements for navigation of GJXDM is available with the first release of the GJXDM Search Tool. However, identifying what context data elements should be contained in the GJXDM database will be evolutionary and based upon input from the field and methods for collecting such. We welcome context data element contributions through the feedback page.
There are often many ways to name a particular data element. GJXDM prohibits the use of synonyms within the XML schema specification. However, the dictionary database from which the schema is generated may contain additional navigational terms to help identify the GJXDM names for required components. We refer to such navigational terms as key words. Like context data elements, key words do not appear in the GJXDM schema, but do appear in the dictionary database. However, key words differ from context data elements in that they are not represented by inherited GJXDM properties (which usually have generic names). Instead, they are simply terms or common abbreviations that are near in meaning to, synonymous with, or suggestive of GJXDM property names. Key words often come from other data models, dictionaries, or schemas. The following are a few examples of key words and the GJXDM components they might link to:
KEY WORD LINKS TO Automobile Vehicle Car Vehicle ChildFlag JuvenileIndicator Fine DisciplinaryActionFee
Key word capability will be implemented in the first release. However, the key words themselves must be identified and entered into the database and linked to the appropriate GJXDM properties before users will be able to use them for navigation (in the GJXDM Search Tool). Again, we welcome key word element contributions through the feedback page.
The ultimate intent of the XSTF is to establish a Global Justice Data Registry capability. This would provide a single logical point of access to all GJXDM artifacts, including the dictionary content, GJXDD schema releases, reference document schemas, tools, and additional capabilities. These may be stored in a local repository or in multiple distributed networked repositories. The registry would be standards-based and present multiple interfaces (e.g. browser, web services) to enable both users and other servers to access, navigate, view, and retrieve metadata from GJXDM.
The data registry may be implemented with commercial registry software, depending upon requirements and cost-effectiveness. The XSTF and Office of Justice Programs are evaluating requirements and alternatives.
The JIEM Modeling Tool, a software package developed by SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, provides a Web-based user interface, business logic, and relational database designed to document information flow and business rules in criminal justice operational processes. The JIEM Modeling Tool allows justice practitioners to model current data flow (the AS-IS Model) among their systems and enter specific information about each data exchange. Once the data about all of the exchanges are entered into the Modeling Tool, it is possible to generate tabular and graphical reports that help justice practitioners identify redundancy, bottlenecks, and opportunities to improve justice system work flow, as well as identify the specific data exchanges that are their highest priority for automation (the TO-BE Model).
SEARCH, with Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) as its contractor, has developed a "Next Generation" JIEM Modeling Tool which will be in production in early 2004. The new JIEM Modeling Tool provides a bridge to GJXDM components (which will include GJXDM Reference Documents as they are developed). This will help justice practitioners model the information dimension of their TO-BE data exchanges consistent with national justice data exchange standards.
4.1. User and Implementer Documentation
Under a cooperative agreement with Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, is preparing a User Guide that will focus on supporting the implementation of the Global Justice XML Data Model (GJXDM.)
Many practitioners and developers have asked for guidance on how to build their required elements from the GJXDM components. Users also need instructions on how to build schema, style sheets, and instances of justice exchange documents. We should also keep in mind that the GJXDM is only one piece of a larger effort to build an infrastructure and transmission payloads (queries, messages, and documents) that are consistently structured in order to support interoperability among justice systems nationwide.
Current GJXDM User Guide Modules include:
User Guide Modules still being developed will include:
The IJIS Institute has formed a GJXDM Performance Testing Committee that is currently formulating objectives and plans for formal performance testing of GJXDM. The project will result in a written report providing detailed information regarding GJXDM performance testing results and shall make recommendations to the practitioner community regarding the implementation of GJXDM. The project will design and employ real world scenarios and data. Performance measurements will be made in the following areas using both the full GJXDM and subsets:
4.3. Collaboration (Who is using GJXDM?)
There are over 30 projects or agencies that are using or committed to using GJXDM for their data exchange applications. These currently represent about 15 of the 50 states. If you are interested in collaborating or sharing experience with any of these organizations, OJP maintains a GJXDM User List that you can download.
5.1. Topics to be explained later