Reading is one of the most popular ways to pass the time in prisons. Not only does reading make the days go by a little faster, but it also takes you away from the realities of being in prison for a few hours each day and allows you to enter a whole new world.
all prisons–whether they are state or federal–Provide some kind of library for prisoners. In the prison where I was incarcerated, we had a small library full of fiction, non-fiction, and educational books, as well as magazines and local newspapers.
However, the number of books available in prison libraries is limited to those donated to each facility. Some prison libraries have modest budgets for new books, but the selection is still relatively small.
Even more frustrating is that there are only copies of newly released games and other popular titles. This means that getting one of these books can be very difficult.I’m pretty sure about the waiting list orange is the new black Almost a year.
All of this can be avoided by buying a Kindle, right? Not quite. However, new technology is finding its way into many prisons across the United States.
So, let’s get into today’s blog post: Can you own a Kindle in prison?
In this blog post, I will cover the following topics:
- What is the Inmate Tablet and what can it do?
- Why Are Prisons Allowing Inmates To Buy Tablets?
What is the Inmate Tablet and what can it do?
Over the past few years, major prison communication companies such as JPay and GTL have launched inmate tablets. The two companies provide telephone, money and communications services to most prisons in the United States.
While they’re not Kindles (which aren’t allowed), JPay and GTL’s inmate tablets allow inmates to do everything from stay in touch with loved ones to download approved music, movies and books.
Inmates can purchase tablets through family and friends who deposit money into their kiosk accounts. Having a tablet allows inmates to purchase media content, electronic stamps for sending emails, and some facilities even allow prisoners to use the tablet to make phone calls.
The tablets available to inmates vary based on their state, facility and other factors.You can see which tablet is available to your inmates–and its retail price–By logging into your GTL or JPay account.
In addition to communicating with loved ones and purchasing entertainment, the tablet allows inmates to take on responsibilities such as submitting requests and filing grievances. They also offer educational opportunities.
The GTL Inspire Tablet offers the following inmate services:
- Documentation, Requests, Appeals, Commissary Paperless and customizable solutions save staff time, eliminate human error and speed up processes.
- Video access, phone calls, and messaging (including photo and video attachments) communication options provide inmates with productive and innovative ways to stay in touch with friends and family.
- Educational Content Educational videos, exercises, lessons, and more help prisoners transition to the next phase of their lives, secure employment, and break the cycle of re-imprisonment.
- The content of the Work and Life Skills Learning Management System is designed to prepare prisoners for work and relationships outside the home.
- Multimedia content Games, music, movies, newsfeeds, books and more can reduce stress and keep inmates engaged.
- Law Library The Electronic Law Library provides access to research materials while reducing the movement of prisoners around the facility.
- eBooks Tens of thousands of eBooks with titles covering fiction, religion, addiction, recovery and more.
Unlike tablets in the free world, these tablets are designed for correctional environments, with a multi-layered security architecture that allows prisoners to access locked content without accessing the internet.
Gatekeeper is cybersecurity software for GTL tablets and they use a custom Android operating system that has been modified to permanently remove features that could be a security risk.
The JPay tablet allows inmates to listen to music and audiobooks, read and write email, play games they have purchased, view videos and photos, access educational materials, read the daily news, and rent and watch movies.
Why Are Prisons Allowing Inmates To Buy Tablets?
Introducing a tablet into a correctional environment might seem like a big security risk, and it is. However, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. As I said before, they do take extreme security measures with these tablets. New technologies are changing inmate behavior, facilitating communication, and improving facility control and operational efficiency.
The tablets have given administration new insight into prisoner activity and reduced the chances of distributing contraband. It also improves facility safety by reducing the need for prisoners to move.
Tablets also help automate repetitive and costly administrative tasks. Facilities that allow tablet use have noticed a decrease in inmate-on-prisoner violence, inmate-on-staff assaults and violations of the code of conduct.
When prisoners have their own tablet, they have a small and secure area of choice and responsibility that is not allowed anywhere else within prison walls. This promotes positive behavior and has a calming effect on the prisoner’s social dynamics, reducing overall risk to staff.
Instead of being stuck in a cell for long periods of time with nothing to do, prisoners can engage in something fun and entertaining.
Should prisoners be able to buy tablets? Let us know in the comments below.
Sources: JP5 Tablets GTL Tablet Solutions