VideoVisit™ is a pioneering, terminal based model for inmate visitations via video conferencing. The new technology, affordability, and intuitive scheduling helps to extensively simplify and straighten out the daily organization of prison visits. But, most importantly, it makes it easier for inmates to remain in touch with family and friends, a critical recidivism factor in an ex-offender's return to society and successful freedom.
VideoVisit™ supports all facilities that are challenged with physical visits and require high quality video visits that can actually provide much more "face time" visits as a partial or permanent substitute for physical visits.
VideoVisit™ is far superior to no visit at all. In fact, VideoVisit™ is actually preferred by many given the option of the time and effort involved in coordinating physical visits; and the costs required for traveling long distances, taking time off from work, of course, for low and mid-income family members, and other reasons. Furthermore, prison duration shows that the longer an inmate is in prison, the less likely he or she is to receive visitors. Isolation, though, impedes a successful return to society and VideoVisit™ is a great solution.
And prison staff too benefits from VideoVisit™. It primarily means a huge workload relief for them: visitor registration and security checks, moving around visitors and inmates and finally visitation supervision do fall away. Security is enhanced compared to a physical visit as there is no possibility of contraband (drugs, weapons, cell phones etc.) being smuggled into the facility. So VideoVisit™ makes a clear and sustainable contribution to enhancing the public safety and order in correctional facilities.
Technical components:
The US has the highest, formally documented incarceration rate of the world with more than 2.3 million people, women, men and youths, currently serving their sentences in prisons or jails. This corrensponds to a 500% increase over the past 30 years.
These trends have resulted in prison overcrowding and numerous associated organisational problems. And broad efforts are now underway to solve these by using new technologies that ease and automate the day-to-day work processes in the facilities.
A much reduced workload for the prison staff accompanies the switch-over from in-person visits to video visitations. Too convincing are the advantages arising for everyone involved.
Jeremy Travis, past director of the National Institute of Justice, the Justice Department's research arm, predicts video visitations an "enormous potential". He puts special emphasis on the positive effects that more frequent visits have, for instance, on children who have a parent in prison. They get the opportunity to enhance their relationship which is of enormous importance for both sides. Travis and other experts are, therefore, forecasting that, in the long term, video visitations will become widespread throughout the US.
