Inmate Confined List Hide Old Records from Current Ones

[Sergeant663]

I am creating a confined list using Access 2007, which will show which inmates are currently being housed at our facility, and for what charges. I have already created a Table, Form, and Report that works exactly as I would like it to. However, I would like an option to keep a report or something similar of anyone that has been entered into this confined list, but without them showing up on the daily confined list. This would help us if later down the road we had an issue, we could look back to see if that person had been in our custody at some point or another. Any help on a way to accomplish this would be great.

This is my first experience with Access.

Kyle

[PhilOfWalton]

All you need is a field in your inmate record lets call it IsInmate - Yes/No field with default value of yes. So when you add a new "customer" they are automatically an inmate. I would be tempted to add a field for the date when they ceased to be in your care as well. Your forms and reports would need a filter for IsInmate = True for current guests, IsInmate = False for those no longer in your care, and no filter to get everyone.

Phil

[Sergeant663]

PhilOfWalton,

That was too easy! I guess I was trying way to hard to figure it out! Thanks for the help, it worked perfectly for what I needed it to do.

Kyle

[NeoPa]

A date for the last time they were released would be a great idea. If the date is set and in the past then they are no longer an inmate.

I say last time for good reason. Repeat offenders will have multiple start and finish dates and, if you need an inmate, rather than an inmate instance, table then storing an infinite number of dates would be impossible. Storing a managed list such dates with an assumption of how many times an inmate can reappear is possible, but don't go there. It's a very bad idea. If you get to the point where you need that info then a separate table of dates would be the solution, each with a parent record in the inmate table.

The nice thing about a date, as opposed to a simple boolean flag, is that it holds all the information you need, plus more for likely expansion later ;-)

[PhilOfWalton]

On the contrary, Access is ideal for keeping a record of how frequently your "Customers" pay you a visit. I have a horrible feeling you are thinking of Excel where all the dates would be strung out along a record.
All you need is a table with
InmateID
DateIn
DateOut

and this would be linked to your main table.
You would have a main form showing fixed information on each inmate, and a subform showing dates in and out for that person.
As a poor alternative, you could keep a record of the number of "Visits", just add 1 each time they are admitted.
Th advantage of method 1 is that along with the dates, you can hold information on crime committed, sentence and any other information specific to that visit.

Phil

[Sergeant663]

We use a separate program for booking purposes and in depth records. This is just a program that will be on each computer accessible by staff that will show exactly who we currently have in custody and what is going on with them. This is due to the fact that we get phone calls throughout the day, inquiring about a specific inmate. This would be a way for anyone answering the phone to have the info needed. We have a board in our main booking room that has the same info (Arrest #, Name, Property #, Race, Sex, Date/Time In, Date/Time To Be Released, Hold Info/Bond Info/Fugitive Depts Info).

I have added a Yes/No Release Field, along with a Release Date Field, and set everything to Filter the individual record once Released has been selected and a date has been entered.

Kyle

[NeoPa]

PhilOfWalton:
On the contrary, Access is ideal for keeping a record of how frequently your "Customers" pay you a visit.

I'm a little confused Phil. What/who is this in response to? I see no opposing view stated.

Maybe you're referring to my statement :

NeoPa:
if you need an inmate, rather than an inmate instance, table then storing an infinite number of dates would be impossible.

I was hoping that was clear I was still referring to the inmate table. IE. Storing an infinite set of dates in that table. I think I probably should have made that clearer.

As was made clear later, the idea of a separate table was also explored. Probably not required in this particular instance but it never hurts to raise ideas in case the idea finds fruitful ground.