Video a better alternative for prison communication

By C1 Staff

Minn. — Video teleconferencing is being pushed as a cheaper, better option for inmate visitations, according to a blog post on Fed UC.

The post states that video teleconferencing (VTC) is cheaper than both telephone calls, which can charge inmate’s families rates up to 24 times more than a regular phone call, and in-person visitation, which necessitates more personnel for crowd control and security checks.

VTC offers face-to-face interaction for inmates in order to keep in touch with loved ones while serving their time.

According to a study by the Minnesota DOC, regular visitation has a significant, positive impact on inmate recidivism. It showed that the reconviction rate for inmates who had visitors was 13 percent lower.