Video conferencing systems are a viable means of replacing or supplementing traditional visitation in jails and prisons. Video conferencing solutions can also expedite such routine legal matters as arraignments and parole hearings by eliminating the logistics involved in transporting prisoners.
While the traditional contact visitations are an ideal way for prisoners to stay connected to their loved ones on the outside, there are many people who cannot afford to make regular visits to family members in jail. So while in-person visitations aren’t becoming a thing of the past, prisons that supplement their visitation procedures with a video conferencing option can strengthen connections between prisoners and the lives they have left behind.
A video conferencing solution designed for prisons calls for a sturdy and streamlined design and interface. This is not the immersive collaboration solution of the office environment, but a tool with a single purpose: to facilitate conversation. To that end, Polycom has created VideoProtect 500, a safe and secure prison conferencing solution powered by RealPresence Group 500.
VideoProtect 500 offers the crisp HD video and EagleEye audio of Polycom’s Group series, but the 22” 1080p LCD monitor has been tricked out for use in an institutional setting. Boasting 14 gauge steel housing, a high impact front panel, tamper-proof volume controls and a 36” armored cable, the VideoProtect 500 is built to last. It might not be the sleek array one finds in an office, but hey, this isn’t an office.
And such a product doesn’t just benefit prisoners. The aforementioned University of Vermont study found that video conferencing solutions can not only save money for corrections facilities, but also enhance public safety by limiting prisoner travel and free up law enforcement resources that would otherwise be spent on ensuring safe and efficient movement of prisoners.
Check out more information on Polycom’s video conferencing solutions.
