PrivacyPhone™ is a smart telephony solution that allows inmates to make phone calls from inside their prison cell rooms and thus in privacy. Undisturbed, but of course still far from unlimited or uncontrolled, since all call data are logged and each call can easily become listened in, recorded and archived from the corrections officers' PCs.
PrivacyPhone™ is based on the technical infrastructure of PrisonPhone. The telephone system consists of a compact USB handheld device and a stainless steel panel embedded into the prison cell wall. To make the telephone system available for use, the handheld device has to become connected to the USB port provided by the stainless steel panel in the wall. Inmates can immediately make phone calls within the limits of their individual authorizations and credits. There is no prior authentication required.
A sabotage alarm protects the panel against any form of tampering or manipulation. A further protective mechanism ensures that the USB port can exclusively be used for PrivacyPhone™ and hence for no other electronic device of any kind. For hygiene and psychological reasons, inmates have to purchase the handset devices for a small nominal fee of $16.
PrisonCall featuring PrivacyPhone™
As an alternative to the PrivacyPhone™ panel, PrisonCall, too, can be expanded with PrivacyPhone™ provided that the facility should already be equipped with the system or might also be interested in the broad spectrum of services thereby being put at disposal (see next tab for further details).
Upgrading option: telephone counselling hotline
PrivacyPhone™ can be expanded with a free of charge telephone hotline that offers inmates professional support in emotional states of emergency. And in contrast to PrisonPhone, PrivacyPhone™ enables inmates to access this service 24 hours the day, seven days the week within the privacy of their prison cell room. An important and due to comprehensive privacy protection even more effective measure that may save prisoners' lives.
A current test series confirms impressively that the generally very high rate of suicide attempts that prison facilities encounter and which result in huge psychological stress for both inmates and staff can be significantly reduced by giving prisoners this option to share their states of anxiety and despair.
PrivacyPhone™ features at a glance
Connection possibilities
PrivacyPhone™ offers integrated or external power supply. No new cables have to be laid for installation, since the system can always be attached to the existing cabling:
Technical components and modules