New Technology for the Prison System

Digital technology and imaging technology have made their way into the prisons and found important new functions to improve the mission of the correctional system.

Crime detection.

Probably the best-known application of technology for law enforcement is surveillance. In addition to cameras and drones, consideration is being given to the legal and ethical issues involved in monitoring social media (like Facebook, Twitter, and Messenger) accounts. The technology is available but legal issues are limiting this option. The Urban Institute and the Association of Chiefs of Police have partnered to develop a comprehensive understanding of the law enforcement's use of social media in 2016. Plans involve incorporating social media for intelligence gathering, investigation, and supervision practices.

Who is doing what in the prisons?

Gradually, prison systems across the country are making use of video and robotic controls to expand the capabilities of supervisory personnel and guards. These systems are expensive and require extensive training of staff. The Nevada prison system currently has some video screens installed in key areas, but the system is not complete.

Becoming more commonplace are networks of video monitors with cameras that are remotely controlled, capable of high resolution, and ability to zoom in for detail. The systems typically include lock-relay systems that control the prison doors.

Prisons are making use of chips embedded in the identification bracelets worn by inmates. These chips hold links to the records and histories of inmates. They allow for immediate identification of inmates via cell phones or tablets. Prisoners can refuse to wear the bracelets, but wearing the bracelets is linked to the trustee status of the prisoner so conformity to the wearing of the chips is rewarded.

A scannable wall panel for each cell block logs when personnel visit the cells and what they do and see. Once the observations are digitally logged, they can't be modified, they can be shared to any supervisory personnel, and can be recorded to electronic or paper accumulative logs. The cell block logs contain the schedules and designations of each cell block occupant. There is no need for security personnel to call around to find a missing inmate. As soon as they access the data on the cell block log they know how the prisoner can be located. 

Rehabilitation and recidivism prevention.

When inmates leave prison they are expected to be able to access available resources using the internet or cell phone links. Many of them are not competent in the use of these very tools because they have spent time isolated from that world of technology. They missed the growing pains of technology that most people have passed through as these digital tools evolved. One inmate was quoted by WNYC radio as saying, it "was going from the old ages to Star Wars."

New programs in many prisons are designed to bring digital literacy to prisoners slated for discharge.

Virtual family using visual computer interaction visits are being instituted in some cases to augment real family visits.

There are more than 2 million people in United States' prisons. Part of the reason the number of inmates has accumulated so much is because (according to Department of Justice statistics) 83 percent of state prisoners have been re-arrested at least once within nine years of their release. The average former inmate had been arrested 5 times during that nine-year interval.

Information dispersal.

A whole new high tech lingo has developed over the last few years to describe high-technology measures to supervise and aid released inmates (now called "justice-involved persons.") Some justice-involved persons are those with behavioral health issues. Many of the latter are among the worst at risk for recidivism. An automated "kiosk reporting system" has been designed to assist former prisoners by centralizing and distributing their critical information over the supervision network. The automated kiosk reporting system for supervising clients will compile and disseminate the information collected to community supervision agencies to augment traditional officer supervision.

A "Superidentity"project has been organized to find ways of incorporating new digital recognition techniques to discover new identity traits, generate statistical models of identity and analysis of traits through visualization.

Departments of Corrections have been announcing the launches of official Corrections Twitter and Facebook pages. These resources will help to enhance communication by providing people with real-time news and information, time-sensitive notices about offenders and facilities. They will expand resources available to offenders as well as victims and others.

Karen Gedney, M.D. is an author, a speaker, and a mentor whose career has revolved around re-entering society after prison. To learn more please contact me.