server and register a domain name—essentially the Internet address of the organization (e.g., www.youragency.org). Agencies can register their domain names with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization that coordinates the assignment of Internet domain names. Agencies interested in registering a domain name or seeking Web site hosting arrangements can review a list of companies qualified to register domain names and provide Web site registration services within the ICANN Web site. Registering a domain name costs approximately $50 for a 2-year registration, but many packages or service bundles available through ICANN-accredited domain name registrars.
     A host is an Internet Service Provider (ISP), either publicly or privately owned, which provides a link between an agency’s Web site and the Internet for little or no fee. The cost of using a private host can range from as little as $20 to as much as several thousand dollars per month, based on the size of the Web site and the amount of traffic it transmits and receives. In Florida, the State’s Attorney General’s Office provides free hosting to the Internet for law enforcement agencies.

"a Web site can be as simple as a single page, or it may contain several hundred pages, depending on the scope of the information offered."

     A Web site can be as simple as a single page, or it may contain several hundred pages, depending on the scope of the information offered. When first creating a Web site, an agency must decide the purpose of the site. Will they use it simply as a public relations tool, merely highlighting various facets of the agency? Will it be self-contained or offer additional resource links? Will it provide interactive services to its visitors?
     For those agencies that need outside assistance to develop and create a Web site, a plethora of companies exist that offer these services for a fee, which can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the size of the site and the various options selected. However, because small Web sites are relatively easy to create, in-house personnel with above-average computer skills often can maintain the agency’s site. Agencies do not require special software for basic Web site creations because most popular browsers, and even some word processing software, include a composer to create basic Web pages. However, to produce more advanced Web sites, agencies usually will need specialized software.
     Web sites requiring such specialized software may offer interactive services that derive information from the agency’s computer databases. This software, referred to as Internet Commerce Enabler (ICE) software, serves two major purposes. First, it acts as a firewall, allowing only certain information to enter into the site and restricting what information users can retrieve. Due to recent publicized hackings into well-known Web sites and the potential damage such an intrusion can cause, this product becomes essential when managing public access to an agency’s data. ICE also converts information from an agency’s database into Hyper Text Markup Language, commonly referred to as HTML.²

One Agency’s Experience
     In 1994, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in Tampa, Florida, launched its first Web site. At its inception, the site consisted of only a few pages, limited pictures, and some information about the agency. The first venture into this new medium proved a learning experience for the HCSO; however, neither the agency nor the public gleaned much utility from this site. In 1998, HCSO management realized that having a Web site provided great potential, which led the way to a revision of the old site. HCSO wanted to furnish timely information about how the agency serves the public (e.g., various programs, agency organizational charts, location of departments) and to provide a utility for the agency and the Web site visitors (e.g., crime statistics, history, on-line forms).
     Additionally, the update added state-of-the-art features to the site, allowing greater access and ease