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Every corrections administrator can tell stories about mistaken
identities, inmates being improperly released from custody,
or inmates being "lost" in the system, making
justice impossible and inviting lawsuits. Inmate identification
methods, such as non-removable bracelets, have made this
task slightly easier, but tired officers make errors common.
QueTel's Corrections Tracking system uses bar coding on
a device, usually a bracelet, to identify and track the
inmate's status and whereabouts. To avoid officers having
to screen inmates at a fixed point, handheld portable data
terminals are used to scan the bar code. These scanners
can either "store" the scanned information to
be uploaded into a personal computer periodically, or, can
be linked with an internal radio device that immediately
records the information at a central point.
Officer and Visitor Safety
Inmate property and visitors can be controlled with the
same scanners and similar bar codes, so that theft and misappropriation
are more tightly controlled. Visitors can have an ID card
produced on their first visit, so that their identity, number
of visits, and duration of visits are instantly recorded.
Property can be bar coded and associated with an inmate
or living area, so that stolen or hoarded property can be
immediately identified with a simple and fast survey.
Officers on security rounds find that their jobs are not
only easier, but safer as well. As an officer begins a security
check, he scans bar codes along his route, charting his
progress. If he is delayed along the route, the central
system will pick up on this, and alert other officers for
possible assistance. The officer can also put in a duress
code if he is taken hostage, immediately summoning help.
Supervisory Control
Supervisors have better control over the officers' activity,
as the system can require each checkpoint to be scanned,
rather than entered from the keypad on the handheld portable
data terminal. This ensures that the officer has actually
visited every checkpoint on his tour, and records the exact
time the area was visited. For bed checks, the officer can
scan the living area code sequentially, ensuring that everyone
is where they are supposed to be.
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