AGENCY TESTIMONY
Benefits of current telephone, tablet, and commissary services
0:14:13
ยท
52 sec
The Department of Correction emphasizes the value of the telephone, tablet, and commissary services provided by vendors to individuals in custody and their families.
- Free phone calls enable individuals to maintain connections with family and support networks
- Tablets offer entertainment, reduce idleness, and provide access to important services and educational resources
- These services are seen as critical tools for violence reduction and behavior management
- The overall goal is to support safer, more humane jails
James Conroy
0:14:13
Overall, we believe that the tablet, excuse me, the telephone, tablet and commissary services offered by these vendors are of immense value to the people in our care and to their loved ones in the community.
0:14:23
Free and accessible phone calls mean that people could stay connected with their families and maintain the critical social networks that will support them in successfully reintegrating into their communities.
0:14:33
Since 2022, people in custody have had the ability to make free phone calls using their tablets, providing greater access to phone services and in turn more opportunities to stay connected.
0:14:44
Tablets tablets offer not only entertainment and reduce idleness, but also connect individuals to important services and educational resources without having to leave their housing areas or wait for a scheduled program.
0:14:57
These serve as critical tools tools to a holistic approach to violence reduction and behavior management, which supports safer, more humane jails.