By Sarah Sinning
JESSUP, Md. — Facing the worst COVID-19 outbreak in eight months among inmates at its jail, a Pennsylvania county announced last week that it would be returning to video conferencing for all criminal proceedings involving defendants in its custody.
And this is certainly not an isolated incident: One of the largest counties in California announced just Friday that all in-person visitation would be suspended after 73 inmates tested positive across its various facilities.
With the resurgence of COVID-19 nationwide, more and more correctional facilities are once again turning to virtual conferencing to keep inmates and personnel safe – a fact that makes Tate’s release of the Secure Video Visitation Booth especially timely.
Designed to replace in-person visits requiring confidentiality, the SVVB is an insulated modular enclosure that can integrate with any telecom system. It’s also flexible enough, according to Tate, for direct placement within housing units and qualifies for federal Cares Act expenditures.
Additional product features include:
- Detention-grade components & construction
- Simple installation & cleaning
- Acoustical insulation for legal and health confidentiality
- ADA accessible
- Variable sizing available
- Single- or multi-unit blocks
“The COVID-19 pandemic spurred correctional systems worldwide to replace in-person visitation, legal
counsel, judicial arraignment and some health care consultation with video conferencing,” said retired
Federal Bureau of Prisons Regional Director and former Kansas Secretary of Corrections, Joe Norwood.
“What they discovered in the process is that not only is video visitation an effective pandemic mitigation
strategy, but it saves significant public funds by reducing offender transport,” he said.
To learn more about Tate and how the SVVB can help facilitate video conferencing in your facility, visit TateInc.com.