<p>In this episode, a team of Industrial Engineers from Lehigh
University (now affiliated with a start-up company called Optamo) talk about
the Inmate Assignment and Decision Support System (IADSS) that they built for
PA DOC.&nbsp; This innovative system is the first of its kind in the
country.&nbsp; We also talk with current and former staff from the PA DOC’s
Office of Population Management (OPM), who are using this new system.</p>

Innovations Around the Opioid Epidemic

Pracademically Speaking is a podcast intended to highlight research and innovations within the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC). Episodes include interviews with national experts and PA DOC staff members who are leading the way in cutting edge developments. A primary goal of the podcast is to bring together thought leaders (academics, practitioners, and policymakers) to stimulate further thinking about how to solve real world problems within the field of corrections.  Pracademically Speaking is produced by the PA DOC’s Bureau of Planning, Research & Statistics (PRS). The mission of PRS is to evaluate programs, policies, and practices, produce statistical reports, support data needs, clearly communicate research, and foster innovation, with excellence and objectivity, to advance agency goals through data-driven, scientifically informed decision-making. Their motto is “Pracademic Excellence!”