JPay, a Securus Technologies company, in partnership with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision today announced that more than 43,000 JP5 tablets hasve now been distributed, free of charge, to incarcerated individuals in New York State correctional facilities. These tablets provide a suite of communications, education and entertainment applications that help incarcerated users remain connected to loved ones and learn skills that will help them succeed after their release.
Since the full implementation of the tablet and kiosk program, the JP5 devices have been used to communicate with loved ones, with approximately 325,000 secure messages sent. Additionally, more than 10,000 VideoGrams have been sent by family and friends, providing incarcerated loved ones with 30-second videos of special moments such as a child’s first step, college graduation and the father/daughter dance at a wedding.
Additionally, more than 600,000 educational videos have been downloaded to the JP5 tablets, covering topics ranging from math and science to basic job skills. Providing these opportunities to incarcerated individuals is extremely valuable, as research has shown that people who receive an education while incarcerated are more than 40 percent less likely to reoffend.
The JPay tablets are equipped with security software that allows them to operate safely in a controlled prison environment and detect any attempts of misuse. For example, this technology can help prevent choreographed attacks by detecting emails with dangerous flagged words or attempts to harass victims of domestic violence.
“Our tablets provide incarcerated New Yorkers with the necessary resources to enhance the rehabilitation process during incarceration and help them be productive members of society once released,” said Robert Pickens, CEO of Securus Technologies. “The tablets are available to NYSDOCCS at no cost to taxpayers or incarcerated users and after six months we’re already seeing incredible results, with more than 40,000 people using these tools to stay in touch with loved ones and have access to much needed education – and we’re just getting started.”
DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci said, “Access to loved ones, educational opportunities and creative expression are paramount to the rehabilitation of New York State’s incarcerated individuals, and we are proud to have joined the growing list of correctional systems across the country utilizing this technology. The JPay tablets have not only made our facilities safer by reducing idle time, but they have helped countless individuals strengthen family bonds by staying connected with loved ones in a modern, secure way.”
Tablets were fully implemented in New York State correctional facilities on May of this year, making New York the 29th state that utilizes tablets from Securus Technologies, along with Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.