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BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Inmate Walter Hart is ecstatic about what a tablet did for him and a fellow prisoner, and he shared it on the site of the Prison Journalism Project. “In 2017, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) piloted a program that gave us the opportunity to purchase tablets,” he wrote this past

September. “Prisoners no longer had to write letters that would take a week to reach their destination—and then require another week for a reply. We could send an email that reached its destination the same day; the response could come minutes later.”

His article goes on to speak about a fellow prisoner of his

who could finally communicate with his grandmother after not speaking for a long period of years. He wrote: “Jazz is 30 years old and has been in prison since he was 18. ‘I haven’t seen my granny in 12 years,’ he explained.”

Hart relayed how his friend was able to connect with his grandma recently. “The screen lit

How tablets are taking off in prisons.

up, and he saw her face. He had put up a valiant effort holding back his emotion, but within minutes tears began cascading down his face. I held back tears myself.

“In that moment, I understood exactly what those tablets hold. They hold civility. They hold humanity. They hold the power to connect us with the world.”

Making Connections

Today tablets not only connect to loved ones via video, but offer the ability to make secure, wireless phone calls, provide visitation management, may be loaded with funds for the commissary, and offer educational opportunities, music, videos and varied entertainment. Prison managers are the first to say that tablets for those inside have revolutionized the corrections space, and of course they offer more than just light entertainment to keep prisoners busy.

“They can help modify behavior, enable communication, and increase facility security, control, and operational efficiencies,” according to the company GTL, which is now ViaPath. “Tablets help calm the corrections environment, resulting in an inmate population that is more tranquil, less anxious, and less aggressive. Tablets allow inmates to take on responsibility, such as submitting requests and filing electronic grievances, and allow facilities to focus on operational efficiencies instead of paper forms.”

Various tablet vendors have been making a commitment to bettering the lives of those incarcerated. One, for instance, is Aventiv Technologies, the parent company of Securus Technologies, the inmate telephone provider, and the supplier of the JPay tablet. “Aventiv is entirely focused on using technology to break the cycle of recidivism. Studies show that individuals inside facilities that connect with their outside support networks have better results,” says CEO Dave Abel.

“Technology can help create greater connectivity and communication, particularly when friends and family live hundreds of miles away. Educational materials, job skill materials, motivation, inspiration, re-entry content and technology can provide tools that have traditionally been unavailable to incarcerated individuals to help them with a smoother re-entry.”

In addition, he says, “Our customers and our consumers say that in facilities that use our tablets, the environment is quieter, it's more peaceful, it's more productive and it's easier to be focused on creating better outcomes.”

For so long incarcerated individuals depended on one thing to provide communication: the phone, with its very cost prohibi-

Incarcerated individuals and their loved ones use JPay to easily transfer funds into a trust account for their day-to-day needs. A secure management system is available to correctional facilities for oversight.

tive price tag. Aventiv had this to say about telephones. “Traditional communications are important. But for too long, correctional facilities were digital deserts. We are changing that,” Abel emphasizes. “We listened to our consumers seeking the convenient connection tools that technology can provide. Now, on tablets we have Text Connect, which mirrors the quick and easy text messaging most people take for granted today, but built with the security measures needed to operate successfully in a corrections environment.”

MDOC programs

With two active state initiatives underway, the Michigan Department of Corrections has been discovering the good that

tablets can do for people. In the first, Edovo tablets from Tyler Technologies are in place in housing units at six MDOC facilities. These are targeted for use in specialized units—high custody levels, protection units and others, that house inmates unable to participate in general population activities, notes Kyle Kaminski, MDOC’s offender success administrator.

MDOC has used Edovo tablets for a number of years, and the feedback they’ve received is quite positive, he says. The tablet has a “really good educational tool and also a really good management tool.” These allow incarcerated people to prepare by self study to take the GED, people that otherwise would not have been able to because of their custody level.

Tablets are made available to those behind bars based on sustained good behavior, he adds. Used in designated housing units, the facility has complete control on who gets to participate, and use it as a management tool for the units.

However MDOC found it was falling short in providing digital skills to incarcerated individuals during their stay. While conducting listening sessions with those released on parole, explains Kaminski, participants relayed that they felt they were not fully equipped to return to a digital world post release.

“We had to find a way for prisoners to interact with safe technology that all of us use in our lives,” he underscores. As a result of this work, a new bigger program will be rolled out starting at the end of this year and into 2023 that features use of Google Chromebooks over a new secure Wifi network. It will provide wider access to a greater number of programs including Google Classroom with its richer content that will help support vocational programs, reentry programs and a content library we can curate, he details. “It’s a huge step for us.”

Any incarcerated individual in Michigan state prison who has interest can enroll in the program, and those closest to going

home will be on the top of the list to participate, Kaminski notes.

Who Picks Up the Tab?

One important question is who pays for all this. While at times incarcerated people have been paying a reasonable fee for tablets, often the devices are distributed for free, either through the company or paid for by the state. Then some of the content is paid for by the users/users families.

In Michigan the state funds the program, for example, it is part of the education program budget.

The ability to not only learn educational syllabus but to learn skills to use the devices, provide management tools to craft an individual’s personal plan for success, Kaminski believes. “There are few interactions today that don’t require digital technology, he notes, describing how the employment process has changed. “In the old way, we type up a resume, print it, and mail it….[however] no one hires that way anymore. We need to support a more robust digital literacy footprint.”

The pace at which technology has changed is staggering, emphasizes Kaminski, especially if folks have been away for 10 or 15 years, but even if it’s for a short time, they are left behind. “The feedback [we/the parole board] got—it’s unrealistic to reintegrate if there’s not some level of access. They need more contact with technology.”

Adds Aventiv’s Abel, “It's important for us to create access for everyone regardless of their ability to pay. That’s why we are putting free tablets in the hands of incarcerated individuals, with free reentry content. The way we bridge the digital divide is through public and private partnerships. Our part of the partnership is to bring up to a hundred million dollars a year of investment in infrastructure and technology towards our goal, which is

Aventiv provides JPay tablets as well as reentry software to incarcerated individuals free of charge.

to put a secure tablet in the hand of every incarcerated individual in America.”

To that end, Abel says they’ve made “their biggest investment in infrastructure this year during the highest inflation in 40 years and a declining economy.”

“It’s about connecting people, and connecting people to their support systems,” concurs Alex Yeo, Aventiv VP for Products. “If someone can use a secure tablet to talk to their family or virtually attend a graduation for their child, that’s connection, and that sparks joy, just as the sound of a loved one’s voice does through traditional phone communications.”

Along those lines, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, an Aventiv customer, say they plan to continue their tablet program because of the direct benefit it provides to incarcerated people. “The partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and

Securus Technologies is directly improving public-safety outcomes through the JP6 tablets,” asserts Matthew Craig, administrator for Technology Systems Management with ODOC. “With tablets, [incarcerated people] have secure, monitored communication with the outside world, and can access rehabilitative opportunities that combat recidivism.

“The tablets give access to programmatic opportunities ranging from educational services and self-help materials to the opensource Project Gutenberg library,” Craig adds. “All of this is done in a way that presents value to both the state and the inmate. ODOC plans to continue working with Securus to integrate greater services and features into the tablets.”

Overall, the top benefit to tablet use is about access, Michigan’s Kaminski emphasizes. “With 32,000 prisoners in the

MDOC system, it’s a force multiplier to get folks ready to be successful. We can’t expect them to develop the skills if you don’t give them the tools. This provides all the building blocks of success for folks.”

Finally, circling back to CDCR’s Walter Hart’s story, this incarcerated individual continues to delve into his tablet for connecting with the outside world. “I have been drawing up a list of people close to me whom I haven’t seen in a long time. My kind daughter agreed to go to every single one of their homes with her phone so I could video chat with them.

“I still look forward to the day when these prison walls have crumbled down around my feet, low enough so that I can return to my life. But for now, doing time in California prisons is about to take a major turn. My forecast shows blue skies and sunny days.” ✪

BY MICHAEL GROHS,

2023 ACA

Convention to be Held in Orlando

The American Correctional Association (ACA) Winter Conference will be hosted at the Orlando World Center Marriott the week of January 27-31. The convention will provide attendees and exhibitors the opportunity to connect with thousands of corrections professionals.

ACA has championed the cause of corrections and improving its effectiveness for more than 150 years and has been involved in developing correctional philosophy, designing and implementing standards for correctional services and methods for measuring compliance, and providing publications, training, and technical assistance. Conferences feature hundreds of workshops and events that allow attendees to network. Attendees can work towards professional certification and learn from experts in the field. The conference also houses an exhibit hall where attendees can engage with hundreds of companies in the correctional industry and see what new products and services are available. These are some of the exhibitors.

Centurion

Centurion Health’s Envolve OptiCare Vision Van’s “SeeMore” purpose is to offer children and adults who might not otherwise receive vision screenings an opportunity to have one performed and promote the importance of eye care. Adults and children receive a free eye exam, and if needed, are able to select a pair of prescription glasses that will be shipped to their homes. Free reading glasses are also available to adults to take home the day of the events. This is a value-added service provided by Centurion Health for the communities they serve.

Email: MediaInquiries@ TeamCenturion.com

Website: www.teamcenturion.com

Compliant Technologies

Compliant Technologies produces a line of non-lethal, noninjurious products to aid the men and women who work in corrections. Their flagship product is called The G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter). It’s a low optic, humane de-escalation

tool that allows for seamless weapons transition, excellent weapons retention, and helps eliminate weapons confusion. To date, its products have had over 2,500+ real world uses with a 95% first grab success rate with no officer or subject injury. Compliant Technologies is helping lower officer and inmate injury rates across the board by approximately 25% to 30%, which means less money spent on medical expense, workers’ compensation, and liti-

gation. “Our products are game changing, and we are rapidly becoming the new protocol in peace keeping within the corrections environment.”

Email: info@complianttechnologies.net Phone: 859.447.0576 Website: www.complianttechnologies.net

GUARDIAN RFID

Mobile Command XR from GUARDIAN RFID is the most powerful and trusted mobile inmate tracking system in the United States, the company

reports. With Mobile Command XR’s AI-powered technology, you can maximize your staggered, irregular rounds by using machine learning that informs you when to conduct rounds based on predictable behavior patterns. The use of face recognition for inmate identification and activity logging works hand-inhand with the camera that captures high-resolution images and video for digital evidence and secure Cloud storage. To learn more on how to maximize round compliance and centralize your inmate identification into one powerful platform, click on the hot link below.

Website: guardianrfid.com/commandcloud

KSI

KSI® is an innovative leader of correctional security and protection products. The KSI OC Spray Station provides safe handling and control of OC spray and confirms canisters are to specified

weight. The station provides controlled distribution, storage, removal from service, and detailed reporting for chemical spray canisters. Each station is network ready for remote programming of access and provides real-time transactions to Global Facilities Management System™ software. Canisters are weighed by an internal scale and then evaluated for service or for disposal. Software allows for the monitoring of usage and other reports. User identification options

include PIN, card swipe, proximity, and biometrics. Bar codes allow for individual canister tracking. In addition to monitoring usage, GFMS™ software allows the creation of quantity limits, time zones, and a variety of other functions to restrict access.

Email: web-sales@keystorage.com Phone: 800.888.3553 Website: www.keystorage.com

Observation Without Limits

Observation Without Limits manufactures digital radar systems that enable corrections facilities to automate monitoring, deterrence, and response to security events as they occur. And thanks to easy integration with other security systems, OWL radars provide the comprehensive, actionable information to know when, where, and how humans, vehicles, and drones threaten facilities along with the automation to react to those

threats instantaneously with minimal human involvement. OWL radars are used currently by corrections departments for situational awareness of ground-based perimeter intrusions as well as of drones and human controllers involved in contraband trafficking. Email: sales@owlknows.com Phone: 888.297.9559 Website: www.owlknows.com

Diamond Pharmacy

In 1983, Diamond Pharmacy of Indiana, Pennsylvania, made its first bid to provide pharmacy service to a correctional facility. Nearly 40 years later, this familyowned company that started as a simple community drug store serving local patients now serves approximately 700,000 patients housed in some 1,700 correction-

al facilities across 48 states. Led by CEO and third generation pharmacist Mark Zilner, Diamond sits atop the industry as the nation's largest correctional pharmacy provider.

Diamond's correctional division offers facilities prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, medical supplies, and commissary, all backed by 24/7 pharmacist consultation, formulary management, free pharmacy software applications, and nextday delivery. Corrections customers can take advantage of Sapphire eMAR, a free web-based electronic medication administration record (eMAR) and computerized order entry (CPOE) application. Diamond also provides in-depth clinical support and education to customers through its OPTICS team of clinical pharmacists.

Email: info@diamondpharmacy.com Phone: 800.882.6337

Web address: www.diamondpharmacy.com

How

BY DONNA ROGERS,

tems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed. Rivers, lakes and aquifers

are drying up and becoming too polluted to use, according to WorldWildlife.org. Agriculture consumes more water than any other source and wastes much of that through inefficiencies, the organization furthers. Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in

The West is experiencing the most acute shortages. This past summer California was placed on unprecedented restric-

tions that went into effect in June across the state, according to the Nov 7 edition of the Los Angeles Times. The restrictions were triggered when the region’s huge water wholesaler, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, declared a water shortage emergency. The State Water Project, which delivers water from Northern California to farmlands and cities to the south, cut its allocation from 15% to 5% this year.

Nevertheless, it is heartening that in face of the record-breaking drought and calls to drastical-

ly reduce water use, Los Angeles residents stepped up and saved a staggering 6 billion gallons during the hottest months of the summer, officials announced.

The West is not the only place to experience water shortages and restrictions. Myriad factors are coming together to cause a broader water crisis. Climate change, coupled with water mismanagement and overconsumption, is causing droughts and water shortages across many parts of the globe, states Jeff Lebedin, chairman of the board, with AquaRecycle, a Georgia-based company that specializes in water recycling and management. Aside from the obvious threat to public health, the subsequent effects of water shortage can vary from food insecurity to increased human conflicts, highlighting the importance of protecting global water resources and using them sustainably, he says.

“In many areas of the United States, the frequency, intensity,

and duration of drought events is increasing,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal watchdog. “This pattern is expected to continue and shift outside of historical trends, making forecasting our water supply and quality more difficult.”

In regard to the California water scarcity earlier this year, Heather Cooley, director of research at the Pacific Institute, previously told The LA Times , “We have to stop thinking of this as responding to this drought and acknowledge that these droughts are becoming more frequent and severe. Action that we take now—and continue to take even after this drought ends — will be important for the future.”

Water Use in Prison

Prisons use many billions of gallons of water annually—for laundry, cooking, drinking, showers, gardens, plumbing, food waste treatment—so much use that it’s

almost taken for granted.

While one may assume that someone who’s incarcerated wouldn’t have cause to use any more water than a person who is not, statistics reveal otherwise: the average person uses between 80–100 gallons of water per day and prisoners use 120–149 gallons per day, this according to research recorded by a 2016 WaterWorld article that specifically targeted water use in prisons.

In prison there is little a prisoner can control…but one of them is holding down the lever on a toilet or gushing the water out of the faucet as long as he or she can get away with it, all the while stuffing food, paper or clothing down the drain and flooding their cells—you know the drill.

I-CON Systems, Inc., a Floridabased company that helped pioneer electronic plumbing control systems, concurs. “A notable amount of water waste in correctional facilities comes from

inmate water abuse,” says Roberto Battistel, director of sales. “It’s not uncommon for inmates to participate in unwanted behaviors such as flushing sheets and other non-flushable objects down the toilet, intentionally flooding cells with backed up toilets, and continually running showers and lavatories. This doesn’t just affect the water bill; it also impacts sewage, maintenance, and security.”

About 12 years ago, the American Correctional Association began to take a serious look at the importance of sustainability in the operation of correctional facilities, the WaterWorld article notes. In response, Tommy Norris started

and operates www.greenprisons.org, a nonprofit organization providing training, technical assistance, and information on sustainable practices and products for the correctional community. Greenprisons.org was created to provide a forum between providers of sustainable products and services and correctional administrators. The website promotes dialogue and provides news on sustainable projects in corrections.

Companies have created plumbing and water control systems that improve water efficiency by electronically tracking the distribution of water (and natural gas), communicating usage to prison managers and reporting

variances from the baseline in order to maintain efficiency. Water from laundries can also be recycled and not only save water but, combined with the energy savings on water recycling as well as dryer exhaust, can reduce energy usage costs to the prison.

While all of I-CON’s products work together to improve water efficiency and save facilities money, one of the most notable products they carry for corrections is ENVISAGE®, a water management software designed specifically for correctional facilities. It works like this, details Battistel: “Our flush, lavatory, and shower valves are able to communicate with ENVISAGE® over either a wired or wireless network, and all of the valves are displayed on a touchscreen interface that matches the layout of the facility. This type of display makes it easy to identify and control individual fixtures, pods, or even the entire facility from one place.

“The limits on consecutive flushes, duration that lavatories and showers run, and times a fixture can be used in rapid succession help save water. Settings can be applied to the entire facility or tailored to specific areas,” Battistel furthers.

Water & Energy Recycling

AquaRecycle’s signature product line is focused on commercial laundries, mainly in hospitality, health care or correctional/military. “Our closed loop water recycling systems can reduce water usage by 80 percent and, combined with the energy savings on water recycling as well as dryer exhaust, can reduce energy usage by another 80 percent,” says Lebedin.

Based on many customer requests, AquaRecycle has more recently introduced AquaTrakx, an innovative water and energy management system. It provides wireless and non-evasive data

I-CON’s ENVISAGE water management system

tracking across the entire building infrastructure in hotels, hospitals and prisons. Lebedin says it works like this: Water and gas meters are strategically located in kitchen/laundries, prison cells and hotel rooms, cooling towers and boiler rooms, as well as pool/spa/water treatment locations. Building managers can add probes to track ph levels, TDS, water hardness, temperature and other water quality measurements, which provides management with the tools necessary to ensure the highest quality water to match best water management practices.

Once installed, AquaTrakx establishes daily data baselines at each location in the building and sends data each day to the cradlepoint communication line at the firm’s corporate direct server, guaranteeing safe transmission. Any significant variances from baseline to actual usage will send out alerts in the form of an email to check each location’s opera-

tion. As a goal for ESG qualifications (more on this below), AquaTrakx can systematically identify, assess, and mitigate any risk associated with water distribution at a property, Lebedin says. Recently companies around the world have gravitated to a more documented and centric way of doing business. They have begun to adopt umbrella strategies of ESG, or Environmental, Social and Governance, to guide their policies. ESG promotes environmental protection and sustainability, social diversity and inclusion, as well as the governance to ensure compliance both externally in reporting as well as in adhering internally to these policies through leadership within the company.

AquaRecycle’s dedication to ESG is found in its commitment to providing access to clean water, substantial reduction in wastewater discharge, energy saving and water conservation for underserved communities,

reports the company.

By daily monitoring of water, energy and loss prevention, and notification and documentation to substantiate the sought-after ESG metrics, the company says, AquaRecycle helps our customers achieve and exceed their ESG goals as well.

A project in which the firm has reached out to the community is the Washing H.O.P.E. (Homeless Organizations Promoting Excellence), a nonprofit organization building on-premise laundries with equipment capable of washing large items such as comforters, pillows and coats. Its latest endeavor is the Atlanta Day Restoration Center, which opened in August 2021.

Water and Natural Gas usage is the second largest expense a property will use, after payroll, says Lebedin. Customers can use AquaTrakx as an easy and inexpensive way to track, manage and prevent anything from harming the hotel/prison water and ener-

gy distribution center. As noted, when correctional facilities use water daily for laundry, showers, toilets, dishwater, irrigation, and cleaning, water usage per inmate is up to 150 gallons of water per day.

But by using this system, water and gas usage can be tracked and any measurement outside the baseline will quickly alert supervisors by text or email.

As for fixtures fitted with the ICON devices, water usage is typically reduced “by 65 percent to 75 percent,” explains Battistel. “If the entire facility is retrofitted with our products, then the facility’s overall usage often goes down between 40 percent and 60 percent.”

As an additional advantage, he notes, Envisage improves the facility’s security, especially during contraband searches. It limits the number of successive flushes, prevents flushes during a contraband search, and can alert staff that someone is attempting to

flush a toilet over and over. This can make pinpointing the contraband easy since flushing it is one of the most common methods of disposal.

“Our products also reduce maintenance costs. Since Envisage makes it easy to reduce water abuse, it prevents maintenance issues like flooded cells and improves the life of the products themselves.”

The Oklahoma County Detention Center is one agency that has installed this product and has eliminated several issues plaguing the jail. One of them was stagnant puddled water.

"Almost a year and a half ago, we cleaned up water every shift, every day. We spent three or four hours a day cleaning up water," said Dale Frey, the jail's facility director, according to an October 2021 News9 account in Oklahoma.

Now, there is a new water management system purchased in part

with CARES Act funds that allows one flush every five minutes. If an inmate tries to flush a second time in five minutes, it will stop mid-flush. The inmate will not be able to flush then, for an hour. Water to the sink and showers is not cut off when toilets are locked. Jail staff can also lock one inmate's toilet, or an entire floor from the control room.

The system also makes other equipment last longer, which saves money in other areas. Sewage grinders used to break and need to be replaced multiple times a week. Since the new water system has been in effect, staff hasn't needed to change or fix the grinder in seven months.

"In January [2021], the water bill was $53,000. The water bill we got in July was $8,300," said Frey.

That kind of savings seems like a huge testament to plugging the leaks and conserving our most valuable resource. ✪

Statistics reveal the average person uses between 80–100 gallons of water per day and prisoners use 120–149 gallons per day.

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Black Creek Integrated Systems

PO Box 101747 Irondale, AL 35210 205-949-9900 sales@blackcreekisc.com www.blackcreekisc.com

...From our Public Safety Suite, which include our enterpriseclass Jail Management System, ComputerAided Dispatch, and Records Management System (JMS-CAD-RMS) to our innovative Real-Time Inmate Tracking System with Inmate Well-being Monitoring, to our Touchscreen-based physical Security Control System, Black Creek is your premier source for integrated solutions for Public Safety and Corrections. Black Creek provides integrated solutions to make data capture and records management easier and more cost-effective for your Agency.

443 Warehouse Drive Latrobe, PA 15650 800-234-2734, 724-537-9000 Justin Head jhead@crfoam.com www.crfoam.com

...Durable SAFGUARD® fire-resistant mattresses and pillows. Mattress longevity provides lowest cost per inmate. Built-in pillow mattresses also available. Optional ClearView® covering materials for locating and identifying contraband. SAFGUARD® avoids fire hazards associated with polyester fiber mattress alternatives. Excellent results for stringent mattress fire tests within ASTM F-1870 and F-1085 Annex A.

645 Kolter Drive Indiana, PA 15701 800-882-6337 info@diamondpharmacy.com www.diamondpharmacy.com

...Diamond is the nation’s largest correctional pharmacy, providing comprehensive pharmacy services for approximately 640,000 inmates nationwide. Diamond offers overnight delivery, formulary management services, competitive pricing, med carts, free Sapphire eMAR software with barcode technology, and a full line of medical supplies.

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On-Site Optometry – Fully equipped On-Site Glaucoma Management/ Telemedicine – Eliminate Off Site Trips for medical management of routine glaucoma

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DIRECTORY 24 CORRECTIONS FORUM • YEAR END 2022 VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Microtronic US offers a secure system for Visitor Vending (offenders and staff can use as well where possible) that removes cash from Vending machines and uses only our RFID payment card and can accommodate Credit and Debit card readers where required. We have been told that most DOC facilities allow visitors to bring $30+ in change to the visitation area.

The staff are often responsible to count each visitors money and the change machine is forced to hold an incredible amount of change. Especially since coins are in short supply nationwide, our system helps to eliminate those hassles. Our cards are also being used as ID Badges in many locations. Integration with Trust Accounting systems is available as well, and we are currently integrated with A-T-G. This is a link to a short video presentation about our system via YouTube https://youtu.be/5zBkel8Fw1A

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225 Park Ave. South New York, NY 10003

212-777-4400

Frank Greene, FAIA OAA www.stvinc.com

...STV provides broad-based services to improve the justice system, leveraging all aspects of architectural design, including master planning, programming, and interior design to increase its fairness and effectiveness. With more than 100 years of history, the firm provides architectural, engineering, planning and design services nation-wide and overseas.

3340 Perimeter Hill Drive, Nashville, TN 37211

Phone: 1-800-592-2974 recruiting@wellpath.us www.wellpathcare.com

...Wellpath is the premier provider of localized, high-quality, compassionate care to vulnerable patients in challenging clinical environments. We deliver medical and mental healthcare through a family of local and state providers in correctional facilities, inpatient and residential treatment facilities, forensic treatment facilities, civil commitment centers and community care centers. Wellpath employs more than 15,000 professionals at over 550 facilities in 36 states across America and Australia, and cares for more than 300,000 patients each day.

501 Holiday Drive, Suite 300 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 888-MED-MGMT (888-633-6468)

Wendelyn Pekich, Vice President of Marketing, Strategic Communication & Proposal Development info@wexfordhealth.com www.wexfordhealth.com

...Wexford Health has been implementing, staffing, and managing successful correctional health care programs for three decades. Clients trust us to maintain quality of care, generate positive patient outcomes, avoid lawsuits and negative publicity, and stay within budget. After all, isn’t that the point of contracting out your offender health care?

BY M.J. GUERCIO,

Contraband solutions from mail and body scanners to drone defense.

Stopping Smugglers at The Gate

that entry point detection is the most effective way to keep illegal items out of a facility.

Successful entry-point security requires that staff, inmates, and visitors are searched before entering facilities. It also requires that mail and personal items are searched before they enter circulation. Covering all the variables involved in entry-point security requires a multi-layered approach, including chemical detection devices, X-ray scanners, contraband recovery units, drones, and drone defense systems.

Illicit drugs are one of the most common forms of contraband, and detection equipment is essential to stopping narcotics at the gate. By taking a deeper dive

into the conscious effort of treatment can also provide a powerful backdoor method that can stymie demand. It has been shown that Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), coupled with evidencebased behavioral therapy, is effective at treating substance misuse. For example, Sacramento’s Department of Correctional Health Services found that after completing MAT, only 31 percent of those arrested for substance misuse were arrested for new offenses, according to research titled Jail-Based Medication Assisted Treatment by the National Commission of Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC).

Rebecca Schuler, senior project

manager at ChemImage, agrees that Medical-Assisted Treatment, addiction counseling, and mental health treatments effectively lower demand for illegal substances. She also mentions that facilitating visitation both in-person and virtually can reduce narcotics within the jail or prison. Better support for corrections staff could also decrease contraband prevalence, she says.

Privileged mail poses one of the most significant challenges to detecting contraband, she points out. Privileged mail cannot be searched without the addressee present, which makes it more difficult to search than regular social mail. ChemImage’s solution is its Mobile Workstation, which

Guards and inmates confess

allows staff to transport the VeroVision Mail Screener directly to the inmate. Once the inmate is present, their privileged mail can be scanned. The Workstation is designed to fit in confined spaces and maintains constitutional compliance and safety standards.

The VeroVision Mail Screener detects and identifies illicit drugs by comparing a substance’s chemical profile to its library of detectable substances, which includes fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and synthetic cannabinoids (like K2). It uses near-infrared molecular chemical imaging with proprietary software and algorithms to determine a sample’s chemical signature. The VeroVision Mail Screener can detect drugs hidden in even the most creative ways. It can see narcotics through envelopes, paper, stamps, stickers, and under crayon, marker ink, and paint.

Smiths Detection incorporates X-ray and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) trace detection technology into its scanners to detect contraband regardless of how it’s hidden. The company’s units can detect weapons, cell phones, SIM cards, and cigarettes. IMS trace detection can pick up minuscule amounts of narcotics on surfaces and alert staff to concealed drugs.

According to Danyel DeVoe, vice president of sales at Smiths Detection, the greatest challenge to contraband detection is the time it takes to screen everything and everyone that enters a facility. He says that technology can speed up the screening process and mentions that artificial intelligence has a lot of future detection potential.

Another technology, Tek84’s Intercept body scanner also helps to reduce the time spent screening at entry points. It employs ultra-low radiation; each scan uses 1% of the radiation emitted by scanners used in medical

exams. Unlike conventional angled-beam scanners, the Intercept scans horizontally, which is the shortest path. It can scan to a depth of 11 inches, rendering a sharp image with a low amount of radiation exposure, and detects contraband hidden under clothing and inside body cavities. The Intercept meets the American National Standards Institute’s radiation and image quality standards. The unit’s dose setting is between 0.25 and 2.0 uSv (microsieverts) per scan. Its low radiation setting allows for greater maximum scans per person. Each year the average person is exposed to 1,000 uSv from the sun, which is the standard that Tek84 uses to measure safe levels of radiation exposure for an individual. The company states that based on this standard, an inmate theoretically could safely undergo up to 1,000 scans in one year with the

Furthermore, the Intercept can be used to create a central database that houses a person’s information, scan records, and scanned images. Its photomatching capability can pair a suspect with their scanned images so that they can be used as evidence. Multiple Intercepts can be networked for larger facilities.

Kevin Russeth, president of Tek84, states that limited resources impede staff from keeping contraband out of a facility. He mentions that facilities require multiple solutions because they have multiple entry points.

Russeth concedes that this can put a strain on facility budgets, personnel, and operations. Fortunately, he says there may be a solution, at least where the budget is

The Drugloo Ranger front view.

Counter Drone and Contraband Deterrence

Dedrone

Dedrone announced the launch of its nextgeneration handheld mitigation system, DedroneDefender. Completing Dedrone’s end-to-end counterdrone solution, DedroneDefender reimagines mitigation technology by delivering a sleek, connected gun for targeted precision radio frequency (RF) jamming. It breaks the communication link between pilots and unauthorized drones and is effective against drone swarms and single drones that smuggle contraband. Given its small, lightweight form factor and ease of use, DedroneDefender is the ideal counter-drone mitigation solution for civilian, state, and local law enforcement in urban environments.

Dedrone has also announced the launch of DedronePortable, an all-in-one kit that offers comprehensive drone detection, tracking, and identification capabilities (DTI) on the go. In use by multiple militaries, government agencies, and commercial entities around the world, DedronePortable offers sophisticated machine learning technology and end-to-end defeat capabilities via a system that can be set up in the field in less than 20 minutes.

DeTect

DeTect’s 3D radar can detect small objects within 3 km of the unit and determine if a small object (potential contraband) is thrown over a facility's fence. Its UAS sensor detects the radio frequency given off by drones up to 5 miles away and can provide their location to staff.

DroneShield

Aero Defense

Airwarden can track and locate unauthorized drones. The unit can locate the unauthorized pilot and drone when a facility becomes aware of a contraband drop. It can send out an alert to staff before an unauthorized drone takes flight.

Prisons are often guarded well on the ground but not from the air, says Oleg Vornik, CEO and managing director of DroneShield. DroneShield can be integrated with existing systems, sensors, and cameras. The system can detect drones and any contraband they carry.

Value Solutions (STVS) also believes that body scanners are essential to facility safety. He says that they prevent both staff and inmates from smuggling in contraband and that one of the advantages is that they allow a person to be searched without physical contact, which can be time-consuming and dangerous.

The HT family of STVS body scanners features single and dualview X-ray options designed to fit in confined spaces. STVS’ scanners can detect metallic and nonmetallic contraband using ionizing radiation technology. The scanners can find smuggled items hidden in body cavities or under clothing, whether the contraband consists of weapons, illicit drugs, electronics, or other items.

Body scanners used on inmates typically emit a small amount of radiation. However, “regulations prevent facilities from scanning visitors and staff with machines that emit radiation,” says Johnson. That is why STVS offers

the MW100AA with advanced millimeter wave technology. The MW100AA can detect metallic and non-metallic contraband, including weapons, IEDs, liquids, and narcotics. It can detect contraband concealed by visitors and staff without emitting ionizing radiation.

Johnson states that the biggest obstacle to detection is operational policy. “The system does no good turned off,” he remarks. Reducing contraband is a coordinated effort, and he adds that a well-trained staff that is up to date on the latest contraband and smuggling techniques is vital. STVS is currently working with its clients to develop sound operation policies that meet local and national standards, he notes. Such training would cover the fact that more cell phones are smuggled into facilities than any other item. CEIA’s walk-through metal detectors can detect hidden cell phones before they enter a facility. According to Marilyn

Thaxton, manager of marketing and communications, “cell phones are a significant threat to prison security; they can help inmates carry out crimes both inside and outside a facility.”

CEIA’s walk-through metal detectors have a low nuisance alarm rate and don’t go off for belts, watches, and keys. Lower nuisance alarm rates result in faster screenings and higher rates of throughput. Metal detectors can pick up electrical and mechanical interference as “noise,” affecting a machine’s ability to detect contraband. CEIA’s metal detectors have a built-in function to filter out this noise. The CEIA SMD600PlusMI2 is a combined ferromagnetic and active metal detector. It is highly sensitive and can detect weapons, cell phones, and smartphones even if they are disassembled.

CEIA’s SMD600-Plus walk-through detector.

The CEIA MSD is a highly portable cell phone, ferrous weapon, and contraband detector with multi-zone alarm indication that reveals the location of prohibited items.

Mattresses aren’t the only places smugglers hide things. Inmates, visitors, and staff sometimes smuggle contraband in their stomachs. Drugloo International USA provides a safe and hygienic way to recover contraband from a person’s feces. The feces enter the unit’s hermetically-sealed recovery chamber, where the contraband is washed and disinfected before being recovered by officers. The unit protects officers from exposure to diseases like hepatitis, HIV and AIDS, STDs, and Covid-19. Drugloo International’s units can be used to recover drugs, weapons, cell phones, keys, and more.

Examining the need for entry-point security and contraband detection reveals the complexities and intricacies of maintaining a secure facility. Entrypoint security and detection is the most efficacious way to limit how much contraband gets into a facility. With multiple entry points and high demand, it is difficult to cut off supply. However, with technology in conjunction with treating addiction and the issues that promote violent tendencies is an optimum way to reduce both the demand and the incidence of narcotics and weapons. ✪

STVS’s body scanner