State Director of Community Corrections talks technology in Salisbury visit | Crime

SALISBURY - David Guice, the Director of Community Corrections for North Carolina, spoke in Salisbury about the use of technology to make a difference in the lives of offenders and families.

"GPS technology is helping you do your job today," Guice told Rowan County probation officers, judges, and others in the criminal justice system during a Christmas luncheon at the Rowan Museum on Friday afternoon.

Guice told officers that they had more tools today than at any other time in history.  He explained how officers can now find homes easily on the smart phones provided to them by the state. 

Guice also told officers about what he said was a major change in how corrections officers are trained on using their guns.  Guice said the policy had been that corrections officers were only allowed to test and a firing range twice a year.  Guice says the new policy would allow officers to rain with their weapons on certified firing ranges on their own time on a quarterly basis.

"I believe it's important for the agency to make you feel comfortable with that gun," Guice added.  He also mentioned that he had considered the idea of allowing officers to carry weapons when they are off duty, but had reached the conclusion that it would not be feasible to allow that practice.

Gov. Bev Perdue appointed Guice, a Republican from Transylvania County, as director of Community Corrections for the Department of Public Safety just over one year ago.  

In remarks today Guice told officers that the work they do makes a difference in the lives of the community.

"We can't control the behavior of an offender, but we can make a difference in the life of an offender," Guice said. "Unless you address the underlying issues, that person will be knocking on the criminal justice system again."