More local governments seeing benefits in going paperless

In recent years, a number of local government agencies nationwide have taken a big step and decided to go paperless. While some organizations in local government groups may initially experience trepidation about the switch, the long-term benefit is apparent to most adopters. As a result, many government agencies are now considering the ways in which a switch to paperless will benefit them.

This may be especially vital in the judicial system, where mountains of paper are printed out for both temporary use and long-term storage reasons. But more government officials are coming around to the idea that if courthouses go paperless, the savings – and positive environmental impact – can be enormous, according to a report from the Milford Mirror. One politician running for a state government seat in Connecticut is, in fact, making paperless courts a plank of his overall platform.

Why paperless helps
Indeed, with so many states looking for new ways to cut ongoing costs while continuing vital programs, digitizing documents is an investment that might cost a bit upfront but has long-term financial benefits to consider, the report said. Starting in the judiciary might be a good and effective way for government agencies to get their feet wet in this regard, just given the sheer volume of paperwork they handle.

"Every court case I'm on I gets tons and tons of paper sent out," Ben Gettinger, a lawyer running for state representative in Connecticut's 119th district, said at a recent forum, according to the newspaper. "With technology [available today], I think that's a waste. And that's just one simple example of the inefficiencies we have in government."

The plan in action
In Will County, Illinois, the decision to make at least one courtroom paperless could lead to plenty of success for a new courthouse now under construction, according to local radio station WJOL. Courtroom 402 will serve as something of a test run for a broader rollout, and officials at the building are already excited about the switch, citing a decline in human error when it comes to filing documents and how they change hands throughout the trial process and beyond.

With this in mind, the ability of government agencies to make the transition successfully – by converting paper documents to digital format – requires buy-in from local officials and workers directly affected by the change. Once that happens, the benefits can be reaped quickly and easily.