Winter 2022

WINTER 2022 VOL. 31 NO 1

!

W E N R’S

E H S I L PUB ICKS P

KEY CONTROL SYSTEMS STREAMLINING RX DISTRIBUTION

T A IN RA PP ST IN A IT IN UT G E

SMART PRISONS CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED 69 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 Corrections Forum

CORRECTIONS

FORUM

Publisher & Executive Editor

Thomas S. Kapinos tsk2@mac.com • West

WINTER 2022

Assistant Publisher

Jennifer A. Kapinos

4 14 20

Associate Publisher Peggy Virgadamo (718) 456-7329 pegpaulv@aol.com • Northeast

APPA Winter Training Institute Show Coverage Verify, Control & Streamline Rx Distribution Publisher’s Picks Unique & Innovative Corrections Tech

Sales Representatives Kelly Green (310) 374-2700 kelly@correctionsforum.net • Midwest Sherry Beth Virgadamo (813) 220-9492 sherrybeth@tampabay.rr.com • South Editor-in-Chief

Donna Rogers Contributing Editors Michael Grohs, M.J. Guercio, Bill Schiffner, G.F. Guercio Art Director

Jamie Stroud

CORRECTIONS FORUM

(ISSN10729275) is published bi-monthly by:

24

Key Control Systems Automating Asset Tracking

Criminal Justice Media, Inc 18521 E. Queen Creek Rd. Suite 105-416 Queen Creek, AZ 85142 (310) 374-2700 Send address changes to:

28

Smart Prisons: Video Analytics, Community Corrections Intelligence & the Internet of Things

34

Ad Index

CORRECTIONS FORUM Subscription Department 69 Lyme Rd. Hanover, NH 03755 Fax: (603) 643-6551 Annual subscriptions for non-qualified personnel, United States only, is $60.00.

Single copy or back issues - $10.00 All Canada and Foreign subscriptions are $90.00 per year.

For free digital “issues” go to www.correctionsforum.net Printed in the United States of America, Copyright © 2022 Criminal Justice Media, Inc.

CORRECTIONS FORUM Main Offices

COVER IMAGE OF COMPLETEVIEW VMS’ INTERACTIVE MAPPING TOOL, COURTESY OF SALIENT SYSTEMS

18521 E. Queen Creek Rd., Suite 105-416 Queen Creek, AZ 85142 (310) 374-2700

BY MICHAEL GROHS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

American Probation and Parole Association Winter Training Institute The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) hosted its Winter Training Institute at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel and Convention Center January 30 to February 2. The training featured such figures as Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of Just Mercy; Dr. David Black, Ph.D, Founder of Cordico; and Dr. Earl Suttle, CEO and founder of Leadership Success International, LLC.

4 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Dr. David Black discussed officer health and wellness with a spotlight on 21st Century tools, strategies and solutions.

Probation and parole professionals are exposed to high levels of stress and trauma that are uniquely different from what people outside the profession experience. At the APPA workshop, attendees learned how leaders can serve as traumainformed change agents; help save the lives of officers; and lead the way by strengthening wellness, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. Attendees were provided solution-focused roadmaps for officer wellness and resilience including how traumainformed leadership is a vital source of strength, stability, and support during extremely difficult and challenging times.

Lexipol provides a full library of customizable, state-specific probation policies that are updated in response to new state and federal laws and court decisions.

6 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

Their online training platform delivers courses and videos designed to meet corrections training mandates.

Home monitoring remains a vital component of court compliance. David Scheppegrell, senior director of operations, Sierra Wireless, notes that even prior to Covid, as a result of bail reform, the market for ankle monitoring had been flourishing. Once Covid hit, ankle monitoring use exploded. Now that the Omicron variant has emerged and courts are clearing and closing again, home monitoring use has resurged yet again. Scheppegrell will be in attendance with information about their Omnilink® monitoring services.

Others who were in attendance include the following.

Buddi The Buddi Smart Tag® is the first intelligent one-piece ankle bracelet to use multiple tech-

nologies providing continuous and accurate location information both indoors and out. It is said to be remarkably small with industry-leading battery life, wireless charging, and a secure steel reinforced strap. The advanced design of the Smart Tag reduces the number of nuisance alerts (e.g., battery low, false strap, alerts caused by drift), which saves agencies time and money, allowing them to focus on their clients.

Ed Harrison—ed@buddi.us, 727.309.6190; Kyle Chapin—kyle@buddi.us, 727.510.8022; www.buddi.us

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

RemoteCOM RemoteCOM is a leader in providing monitoring on multiple data types for Internet capable devices including computers, tablets, and smartphones. The firm strives to provide the highest quality of customer service by providing remote software installation and support, officer sup-

port, agency trainings, expert testimony, near real-time data in an easy-to-access web interface, live monitors from the law enforcement and probation community to help review the collected data, and more.

866.776.0731, www.remote-com.com

Journal Technologies Journal Technologies is a leading provider of case management

8 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

software solutions whose systems are used by thousands of justice professionals in the U.S. and internationally. The browserbased eSupervision solution is a low code, off-the-shelf system designed for probation, parole, pretrial, and diversion agencies.

The eSupervision software makes it easy to manage interviews, administer assessments, recommend conditions of release, track compliance, and create court reports. It allows users to access arrest records, court cases, and court-ordered conditions and to commend caseload assignments based on configurable caseweighting. The solution also supports users in building detailed

case-plans from various risk assessments and criminal history, track behavior/conditions compliance with recommendation sanctions, and generate robust court reports. The system can be securely installed in hosting facilities or on an agency’s premises. sales@journaltech.com, 877.587.8927, option 3, www.journaltech.com

Lexipol/Cordico Probation and parole officers are exposed to the vicarious trauma of mental illness, drug abuse, and domestic violence.

Over the course of a career, these stressors can lead to depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation as well as physical factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. The Cordico wellness solution from Lexipol addresses the challenges probation and parole professionals work under by providing officers and their family members with on-demand access to relevant,

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

donors providing blood, urine, oral fluid, and hair for drug testing, 67% of hair samples detected drugs not detected in other matrices. The STATHAIR Test™ is already in use across the U.S. in probation, parole, drug court, and child protective services agencies. The test is making a difference in holding individuals accountable who are falling through the cracks of traditional testing methods and acting as a catalyst for change. sales@micro-distributing.com, 866.933.0964, www.micro-distributing.com trusted, and effective wellness resources. The corrections wellness app offers a range of selfassessments as well as videos, guides, and courses on more than 60 behavioral health topics—all designed specifically for public safety professionals. The app is completely confidential and offers mobile one-touch calling to peer support or other agency resources, a therapist finder, and assessments officers can complete anonymously to determine whether they need help with anger, substance abuse, sleep, resilience and more. sales@cordico.com, 1.844.220.4929, www.cordico.com

Micro Distributing Micro Distributing has changed the game in drug testing with the first instant drug test kit for hair. Finally, you can take advantage of the 90-day window of detection only available in hair with results in minutes and at an affordable cost. In a study of 250

10 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

NCTI Since 1981, the National Curriculum and Training Institute (NCTI) has been devel-

oping offense-specific cognitive curricula and staff development training for use in the criminal justice system. NCTI is the leader of cognitive behavior change programs.

NCTI’s Complete Behavior Change System gives a support structure that makes referring professionals’ work more effective, strengthens program fidelity, and enhances learning by clients. The organization incorporates the National Institute of Correction’s eight key principles of effective interventions as part of their evidence-based adult and youth programs.

Additionally, the National Institute of Justice’s CrimeSolutions found that NCTI’s Cognitive Life Skills is evidence based. This, in conjunction

with their affiliation with the APPA, makes their complete line of curriculum a top choice for creating effective behavior change. info@ncti.org, 800.622.1644, www.ncti.org

Sierra Wireless Electronic offender monitoring during the pandemic has provided the solution necessary for many agencies, jails and courts.

Supervising agencies find themselves supervising a more challenging group of offenders such as offenders who are homeless or have substance abuse issues that typically would not have been considered for monitoring.

Omnilink found itself in a unique position as the pandemic hit with the recent launch of the Omnilink OM500. The OM500 provides agencies with 5-9 days of battery life on a single charge which leads the industry and cuts down on unnecessary work by already overloaded staff.

The OM500 also allows for agencies to communicate directly with offenders using the patented no-speaker custom audio commands that can be sent in multiple languages. This communication feature allows agency staff to remind offenders of court dates or provide positive reinforcement without ever leaving the office. The Omnilink OM500 has set the new standard for the industry.

Dscheppegrell@Sierrawireless.com, 678.218.8732, www.sierrawireless.com/products-andsolutions/managed-iot-services/omnilinkoffender-monitoring-solution/

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Reconnect Reconnect provides a userfriendly, two-part platform that simplifies accountability and verifies completion of program tasks for community supervision and

reentry programs. Operation is simple: Program staff enters program tasks into their secure, webbased system. Tasks are sent to participants through Reconnect’s app. Task completion is verified by the app, and verification is sent back to staff.

Probation customers use Reconnect for drug test randomization; communication including two-way messaging, announcements, and video chat; virtual curfew checks; reminders; attendance verification; 24/7 location monitoring; and much more. Does it work? Participants think so. In a recent survey, 86% of users said Reconnect made it easier to complete probation requirements.

Interested in increasing accountability and simplify program participation with Reconnect? Free trials are available. solutions@tryreconnect.com, 800.614.6758 ext. 2, tryreconnect.com

Shadowtrack For over 20 years Shadowtrack has worked hard to provide a

suite of solutions that do not over supervise probationers. Full-time tracking of probationers has its benefits; however, it should be reserved for the high-risk population. Shadowtrack has a set of tools available for medium- and low-risk probationers that offer maximum benefits without the need for full-time tracking. In addition to providing tools for helping to manage probationers in the community, Shadowtrack also offers tools to help the probation officer manage their workload with greater efficiency. Visit their website to learn about various tools available for corrections. robert@shadowtrack.com, 877.396.0385, www.Shadowtrack.com

SCRAM Systems SCRAM Systems offers a full spectrum of location and alcohol monitoring solutions, including the SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring® (SCRAM CAM®) bracelet, which monitors the wearer for alcohol consumption 24/7, and LifeSafer® Ignition

At the APPA workshop, attendees will learn how leaders can serve as trauma-informed change agents; help save the lives of officers; and lead the way by strengthening wellness, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.

12 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Interlock devices, all with the goal to help keep roads and communities safer.

The company also offers SCRAM Nexus®, the first-ever decision support software for community corrections that enhances case management systems and guides officers through daily workflows to consistently apply evidence-based practices to produce the best outcomes. With dynamic supervision planning and tracking, clients are automatically referred to treatment and monitoring services, allowing officers to efficiently manage diverse caseloads and better allocate time and resources.

With a full suite of electronic

monitoring devices, software, and mobile app solutions, SCRAM Systems strives to change lives, reunite families, and make communities safer through advanced technology and worldclass service. info@scramsystems.com, www.scramsystems.com

Corrisoft Corrisoft is a technology solutions company that has reimagined community corrections for over 10 years through proven methods of accountability, communication and education. Their mission is to decrease recidivism by focusing on connection and the unique spectrum of needs for

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

agencies and participants in pretrial, probation, parole, juvenile, reentry and treatment programs, and a variety of behavioral health facilities. Corrisoft has a long history of identifying technology needs to advance corrections with the largest range of tools on the market.

AIR™ (Alternative to Incarceration through Rehabilitation) is a suite of products that enables agency efficiency and participant success. The AIR toolbox is designed to integrate with established Case Management Software and includes a custombuilt AIR Mobile smartphone with Bluetooth remote breath alcohol monitoring, real-time location and zoning, calendar and appointment reminders, virtual meeting alternatives, digital assessment tools, a library of virtual, court-approved educational courses and a tamperproof ankle tether that pairs with all AIR products. sales@corrisoft.com, 800.247.1551, www.corrisoft.com

CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022 13

BY M.J. GUERCIO, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

More Than Just Pills

A nurse loads a cartridge into the Swisslog InSite system. InSite can store up to 240 different types of medication in a single unit, and its average canister holds up to 300 doses.

Medi-Dose offers a solid oral unit dose packaging system that is tamper-evident, contains no glass or metal and features 15 types of blisters.

InSite corrections nurses dispense medication in an orderly fashion. Ondemand systems provide accuracy by eliminating unlabeled doses and minimizing the risk of medication errors.

ndustry experts have begun to realize that corrections health care requires more than just medication.

Organizations like Community Oriented Correctional Health Services (COCHS) works to bridge the gap between correctional and community providers. According to

I

14 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), the COCHS’s mission is to transform the view that corrections health care is separate from the rest of society to improve the overall care system. Covid-19 has shown that public outbreaks spread through the corrections system and that outbreaks in facilities can spread

to the public.

Currently, many divisions exist between the two sectors.

This is evident in the prescription process where picking up a prescription is much more complicated for the incarcerated.

According to Ben Butler, chief information officer, COCHS, in most cases incarcerated people

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

cannot decide on their own to contact a primary care provider for a prescription; the correctional institutions are responsible for the entire process.

Another division exists in the overall health of the populations as well as the level of care they receive. Correctional facilities are tasked with providing care to populations that have poorer health than the general public. In fact, of the 11.6 million people who cycle through the nation’s jails every year, 80 percent have untreated chronic medical conditions, 68 percent have substance abuse disorders, and almost 15 percent of males and 30 percent of females are seriously mentally ill, according to a 2012 national survey report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Reports have shown times when medications are not prescribed or dispensed to inmates who need them, resulting in a serious impact on an individual’s health. Cases like this have resulted in the deterioration of health and even death.

When someone doesn't receive treatment and their health is seriously impacted, expensive lawsuits can follow, and the public eventually loses trust in an institution. Officials overseeing correctional institutions are well aware of these outcomes, having experienced it, or because they know of other institutions that have, says Butler, in a 2019 paper Prescribing and Dispensing Medications within Correctional Environments: The Role of Health Information Technology.

Outsourcing Rx Pharmacy staff face numerous challenges managing, preparing, and administering medications.

They must ensure that inmates receive proper care, that their legal rights are preserved and that facilities adhere to regulatory requirements. Pharmacy services staff also must contend with the rising cost of drugs. Rising drug 16 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

costs and the inability to provide care has motivated many facilities to seek alternatives to traditional medication management.

Swisslog Healthcare’s InSite System is an in-facility ondemand packaging and dispensing system that improves the traditional drug dispensing model.

On-demand drug distribution increases accuracy, safety, availability of medications, and lowers costs, helping health care professionals deliver care and improve patient experience while minimizing liability, the firm reports.

On-demand systems provide accuracy by eliminating unlabeled doses and minimizing the risk of medication errors. It increases efficiency by reducing the time it takes to prepare medications. For example, the InSite system can package 60 doses per minute (in patient-specific pouches); this translates to packaging 300 doses in the same amount of time it takes to create a traditional 30-day blister pack.

InSite can store up to 240 different types of medication in a single unit, and its average canister holds up to 300 doses.

Swisslog’s on-demand packaging and dispensing system minimizes medication waste that costs facilities hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. It minimizes waste by tracking a patient's current location on- and off-site, ensuring that medication is dispensed only when necessary.

InSite increases accountability by conducting automatic inventory monitoring and lot and expiration tracking. It also keeps records and provides dispensing information down to the dose throughout a facility. It is safely secured with password protection and locking metal doors. “The InSite System helps caretakers meet regulatory requirements and preserve the legal rights of inmates. Its efficiency offsets the financial burden of rising drug costs, and it reduces medication waste,” states Mike Carmody, vice president of Swisslog

Healthcare’s Long-term Care Division.

Wexford Health has taken its own approach to update the traditional pharmacy management model. Its dispensation system is used in conjunction with a team of pharmacy service providers.

The company has developed a pharmacy dispensing management system that dispenses, stores, inventories, administers medication, and destroys unused

medication. Its internal pharmacy services staff provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week support through a toll-free line. The company’s aim is to provide pharmacy services for inmates that are on par with any hospital. Its internal pharmacy services department is staffed with two full-time PharmDs and a physician.

According to Dr. Neil A. Fisher, M.D., CCHP, assistant chief medical officer and medical director of quality and pharmacy at Wexford, “Our company doesn’t just dispense medication, we also analyze the needs of each patient within a correctional facility with regards to medicine, ways of administration, patterns of use, and drug effects. The focus of our attention is not just on the drug being dispensed, but also on the patient or population receiving the drug and how we can continue to help them.”

Main menu of UPackit-Rx’s Daily Dose 32 dispensing system software displays the various tasks it performs.

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

In addition to Wexford's pharmacy service department and their team of pharmacy services providers, it also has a pharmacy and therapeutics committee. The committee comprises pharmacists, nurses, and consulting physicians that keep up to date with the latest pharmaceutical research, according to the company. They constantly reevaluate and improve their formulary (a system selecting medications) to increase the quality of care.

Recently, the committee removed a medication from their corporate formulary that was used for both psychiatric (PTSD) and medical purposes in the treatment of hypertension and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

Studies suggested that the drug wasn’t effective in treating nightmares and sleep disturbance in patients with PTSD. The Department of Veterans Affairs found no change at 10 weeks for patients with PTSD, indicating that the drug is ineffective. Based on this new information, the committee began providing alternative treatments to patients who have PTSD.

The Office of Pharmacy Therapeutics and Integrated Clinical Services, or OPTICS, at Diamond Pharmacy Services also focuses on clinical pharmacy to improve corrections health care.

They are a group of expert clinical pharmacists that serve as ondemand medication experts to help corrections health care providers make critical decisions.

Formerly called the Drug Information Center, the OPTICS name change reflects a new focus away from a restrictive information-based approach, into a more patient-oriented team.

The team actively participates in formulary management, medication therapy management, creating individualized patient care 18 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

The OPTICS team at Diamond Pharmacy reports they are getting away from a restrictive information-based approach and into a more patient-oriented team.

plans, and comprehensive medication management. The group often makes recommendations to providers through on-demand clinical advice, webinars, and clinical reference documents.

Zane Gray, Pharm. D., BCACP, supervisor of OPTICS, states, “OPTICS is a one-of-a-kind program. It takes patient care models that you see in the community and adapts them into new patient-centered clinical pharmacy services for the corrections industry.”

Diamond Pharmacy is reported to be the largest provider of correctional pharmacy services in the nation. It provides medication and more to 700,000 patients in more than 1,700 facilities across 48 states.

Moreover, Diamond has also made innovations in pharmacy services software. It has developed eMAR (electronic medication administration records) and eHR (an electronic version of patient medical history) software in addition to a suite of services designed to help medical providers improve overall care.

On-Demand Software Distribution Just as pharmacy services are an invaluable resource for caregivers, software also helps health

care workers deliver care to patients. UPackit-Rx's software is designed for on-demand distribution systems and helps health care workers provide patients with their medication.

UPackit-Rx’s Daily Dose 32 (DD32) medication dispensing system is designed for the corrections industry. It is a compact unit with a footprint of 16 x 24 inches, making it a true countertop unit, weighing in at only 90 pounds. Its compact layout and its ability to scale up to 2,031 different canisters make it suitable for any size facility.

The DD32 can package up to 32 blisters per pack. It can do small to large runs and fill multiple-sized blister packages. The system can also handle recipebased blister-package filling for treatments that require multiple medications like Covid-19 and the flu. It can run multiple medication card formats (including existing manufacturer formats) with the help of optional adapters.

The DD32 helps provide care for patients by meeting medication compliance for up to 16 medications per patient.

UPackit’s Project Engineering Manager John R. Harding says: “The goal of the DD32 medication dispensing system has been to provide quality blister packag-

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

ing, using industry-standard packaging aimed at the corrections market.”

UPackit-Rx’s patient medication software management system has built-in customizable label-making and automatic recordkeeping, which can help caregivers make certain a population receives the medications they need. The software operates the DD32, facilitates patient profile management, and is compatible with any Windows-based laptop or PC. The patient profile management system can distribute medication daily, select days, monthly, or pro re nata (as needed). It can integrate with most pharmacy management software at no additional cost.

Peter Leigh, RPh, a consulting pharmacist with Catalent Pharmaceuticals of Austin, Texas, who has partnered with UPackit on several clinical trial projects says, “Using the DD32 Blister packaging system has shown excellent medication compliance with our existing long-term care customers and has allowed us to expand our business to a local prison facility.”

Correctional drug dispensing has its risks and consequences.

That is why Health Care Logistics seeks to improve efficiency and accuracy with its products. The company’s solid unit doses are available as blisters in multiple sizes, colors and styles. It comes with the necessary packaging tools to create a secure seal that minimizes diversion risk, and its liquid unit dose comes with tamper-evident caps and seals.

The company provides a label inventory that can be used to apply barcodes, warnings, and other information to avoid the risk of errors while dispensing medication to inmates. HCL’s automated Euclid machines can produce up to 120 units per minute and are compatible with goHCL labels, the company’s free online label printing service. The Euclid line can last up to 20 years when properly maintained.

Medi-Dose also understands dosing risks and consequences.

The company offers a solid oral unit dose packaging system that is tamper-evident. It contains no glass or metal and features 15 types of blisters, including the Mini Medi-Cup Blisters for small medications, Deep, Jumbo, and MPB (multi-purpose blisters) for large meds, suppositories, and unit of use medications.

Medi-Dose has a one-year beyond use dating, and its software provides a variety of innovative features for medication labeling needs, including solids, liquid, IVs, syringes, ampules and equipment.

Meeting the medical needs of a

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

varied population presents numerous difficulties. COCHS’s Butler notes, “It is hard to imagine any one health I.T. system that could be used as a boilerplate solution for all correctional institutions given the difference that exists between jurisdictions.”

He suggests that the remedy for issues within corrections health services is a simple meta-rule: “Medication prescribed must somehow get delivered and dispensed to the patient in a timely manner, whether that entails a paper system or a health I.T. solution. The goal is to make sure that by whatever means the correctional institution has at its disposal, it ensures compliance to a prescription for the patients under its care.”

Comprehensive pharmacology takes many types of systems to ensure the best possible care— and it takes more than just pills— it takes a legion of knowledgeable and skilled professionals, and technology to back them up. %

CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022 19

UNIQUE & INNOVATIVE CORRECTIONS TECH

Publisher’s Compliant Technologies’ G.L.O.V.E. is a humane, non-lethal, non-injurious highly effective compliance tool that inflicts no soft tissue damage. The G.L.O.V.E. (Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter) uses a small, built-in microprocessor to produce a slight but effective shock that encourages the subject to comply. Because the device is totally in the operator’s control it can never be confused with any other tool or weapon.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

Tate has introduced a unique Secure Video Visitation Booth which limits inmate transport, improves safety/security, and can be used for legal consultation, judicial hearings, telehealth, and family visitation. Ideal for a highly secure facility, the Booth minimizes offender transport, enhances manpower savings, deters disease transmission and is a Federal Cares Act and grant eligible expenditure.

For more information contact: info@corrections forum.net

The iEvac® Smoke Hood/Fire Escape Mask from Elmridge Protection is the only hood certified to the American National Standard ASTM-E2952. The maintenance free, universal size Hood provides protection against carbon monoxide, CS/CN and other fire and industrial related gases and can be donned in less than 30 seconds. The Hood is not intended for fighting fires but is an American Certified alternative that closely meets the needs of correctional facilities.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

20 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Picks MAX Assure UV-Max has created ultra-rugged UV-C Disinfection Units that safely and effectively destroy airborne and surface microbes including bacteria, mold, and viruses in areas where risk of cross-infection is highest.

In just four minutes a standard cells surface can be totally chemically-free disinfected. CDC and EPA approved, both units are proven to reduce illness rates among staff and inmates. Durable, versatile, and easy to use, the units require minimal maintenance.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

SwabTek provides several single-use spot tests, designed in screening for heroin and a few major opiates, as well as tests for cocaine derivatives, cannabis compounds, fentanyl and amphetamines. The glass vial/ampoule delivery of the typical drug test has been replaced with a swab. Officers do not need to scoop and disturb suspected samples during collection—they may use the swab to gently dab the suspect material and transfer the sample to the test paper. This new process is simpler and safer, and allows the officer to test surfaces (tables, door handles, baggies, paraphernalia surfaces, etc.), which were previously not testable using traditional kits. This new, dry testing process makes presumptive field testing safe for officers.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

With Programmed Water Technologies by Sloan, a facility can take control of every drop of water. The scalable water management product, backed by powerful plumbing software, offers tamper-proof hardware. Programmable flushometers and controllers reduce water usage, cost and risk. Ideal for any new or existing project, PWTs can adjust water usage for every fixture and are designed to pinpoint and prevent vandalism, tampering and waste.

Save on water and sewer bills with programmable flush activation and timeouts.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

Publisher’s VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022 21

Publisher’s Picks PelipostPRO is a digital screening tool designed for correctional staff to preapprove photos before being printed and shipped.

With the PelipostPRO you can receive actual photos that are guideline-approved and contraband-free with no public interference. Manually screening mail and processing returns waste time, energy and money. Bring relief to your mailroom staff and increase productivity with no requirement for the purchase of special scanning equipment.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

The KeyTrak Guardian system helps correctional facilities keep control of keys and other assets like radios, TASERs, medical supplies, firearms, and more. The Guardian system keeps keys and assets locked down in a key panel or lockers and automatically logs who accesses the system and when. This creates a verifiable audit trail that makes shift audits an easy process without sacrificing security.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

22 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

The Active Tool Suite by Upstreem is an electronic monitoring system based on an offender smart watch and offers a number of new possibilities for communication, management, and real-time, interactive supervision of offenders. Beyond GPS and RF modes capability the main features include the ability to text messages directly on the “bracelet,” curfew and appointments notices can be sent and displayed, and it provides automatic alarm management, which actively helps the monitoring officers to take the appropriate actions.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

The Intercept by TEK84 provides internal and external threat detection with x-ray technology. It detects both metallic and nonmetallic threats including weapons, drugs, cell phones and other contraband that may be secreted under clothing and within the body.

Using low dose x-rays, the Intercept produces a quality image by vertically scanning a stationary subject, head to toe, in just 3.8 seconds. The unit arrives fully assembled on wheels, which makes for easy installation and relocation.

For more information contact: info@correctionsforum.net

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

KEY

The security of any facility is only as strong as the security of their keys.

ey control is a constant concern for facilities managers, loss prevention teams and other security stakeholders in prisons and jails. Lost keys, undocumented duplicates and misplaced assets such as OC spray or TASERs can jeopardize the entire system and cause undue stress. In contrast, frequently auditing keys and key holders can close gaps that permit breaches and offer a dramatic boost in security.

Cloud-based records management systems, for example, can manage all key control data, according to Cita Doyle, LPQ, VP Sales & Marketing with Colorado security firm Instakey, who emphasizes that, with an effective system, data should be immediately accessible from any smart device. Such functionality provides secured access to data from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Manual methods of key con24 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

trol that involve handwritten logbooks or pegboards are less effective for restricting access to keys and maintaining an audit trail, concurs a blog by KeyTrak.

Manual methods do not ensure keys are in the right hands when needed or secured when they are not, and items can go missing for an unnecessary period of time until a manual audit is conducted. To enforce best security practices and increase accountability in a prison, they suggest three best practices: 1) keep keys secure by considering an electronic control system, 2) utilize a lockdown system whereby only approved users can have access to certain keys and others are locked into place and 3) receive alerts for missing or overdue keys.

The KeyTrak Guardian system helps to keep keys, radios, TASERs, medical supplies, firearms and more, out of the hands of inmates. Authorized users must enter a password or use the integrated fingerprint

scanner to access the system. In addition, administrators can enhance system security by requiring a second login from a supervising officer before the original user can check out an item.

Once logged in, users can request the key or asset to which they need access. The Guardian makes retrieving an item from the system a quick and easy process without sacrificing the security of the individual keys or assets. The software logs every action, so administrators have access to a 100% verifiable audit trail of exactly who accessed the system, what key or asset they requested, when they took it, why they took it, and when the user returned it. “This automated process makes performing audits every shift a simple and easy process that reduces humor error,” says Andy Wright, director of sales.

System alerts, which can be in the form of an audible alarm, an on-screen alert, or an email noti-

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

KSI’s family of products offers solutions to secure and monitor assets such as keys, OC spray, weapons and radios. All key boxes, lockers and OC cabinets can be controlled from one central system.

fication, let administrators know when keys or assets aren’t returned to the system in a specified timeframe.

Have different sized items? The Guardian’s varied modular panel options make it easy to tailor the system to a facility’s specific needs. For example, a control room might need several key panels for cell keys, while an intake area would need lockers for storing visiting officers’ weapons. Facility managers can pick and choose which modules work best for their use.

The locker modules greatly expand a facility’s ability to secure mission-critical items, like radios and TASERs, and create a smoother experience for visiting officers, explains Wright. “Many of our customers use locker modules to store and secure firearms brought in by officers who are dropping off inmates from other jurisdictions or municipalities.

“The Guardian makes this process a breeze since an officer can easily log in to the system, open a locker, place a sidearm into the locker, and close the locker, all

while keeping a hand on the inmate. This allows an officer to keep an inmate under control during every intake step, secure the firearm as soon as possible once inside a facility, and quickly go about their business,” Wright says.

Safe & Secure Key Systems, Inc. (KSI), another industry leader in physical asset protection, monitoring, and key security management in the correction industry, offers electronic key boxes, lockers, and OC cabinets to secure your most important assets with the highest level of safety and security, the company says.

It offers engineering solutions to secure and monitor assets such as keys, OC spray, weapons and radios. First, its Security Asset Manager™ (SAM) key box is designed to entrap a corrections officer’s most sensitive small format, large format, and Mogul keys. The key cut and shape is hidden from view and locked into the stainless-steel panel. Its patented Tamper-Proof Key Ring®

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

technology provides keys hanging on the key ring an added layer of protection. Each ring has a serial number, smooth seal, and cannot be opened without detection. In addition, handcuffs can be secure and distributed in a specially designed handcuff SAM. KSI locker systems are customizable to your assets size and expandable to your facility’s needs. In addition, a unique electronic ID can be attached to radios, guns, cameras, and other assets. The electronic ID attachments allow the GFMS™ software to know if the asset is present inside the locker. KSI also offer self-serve lockers for visitors and staff to secure prohibited items while in your facility.

“KSI’s powerful GFMS Software serves as the backbone to your system and your interface to configure access, monitor usage, and receive alerts and updates,” says Brian Ferraro, marketing.

“Administrators have full control with custom alerts and audit reports. All key boxes, lockers and OC cabinets can be controlled from one central system.”

CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022 25

a key or other asset it enables identification by administration software and all its activity is recorded. This helps ensure keys never fall into the wrong hands.

Not only does the IKC add multiple layers of security to mechanical keys, it allows corrections managers to see analytics not previously available.

The self-serve capability of the IKC also improves efficiency.

Since the

Medeco’s IKC permits authorized personnel to self-serve/retrieve keys without an administrator by accessing keys via biometric fingerprint, PIN, and/or Prox Card.

A newly enhanced OC spray cabinet can administer OC canisters to officers quickly and securely, Ferraro adds. Upon return, each canister is identified and weighed on the integrated scale. If the weight is above the user set minimum, the cabinet door opens, and the canister is returned to the OC cabinet. If the canister is under weight the door remains locked and the officer is directed to dispose of the canister into the locked disposal slot.

Alerts can be sent to administrators when there is a weight change or discharge detected.

Lock It Up The Intelligent Key Cabinet (IKC) from Medeco is a robust and flexible key management system that securely stores, distributes, and tracks every key in your facility, the company reports.

A complete storage and control solution, the IKC is an electronically controlled steel cabinet that restricts access to keys. Authorized personnel self-serve/retrieve keys without an administrator by accessing keys via biometric fingerprint, PIN, and/or Prox Card.

The built-in LCD screen guides 26 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

The KeyTrak Guardian system helps to keep keys, radios, TASERs, medical supplies, firearms, and more out of the hands of inmates. The software logs every action, so administrators have access to a 100% verifiable audit trail.

authorized personnel through the entire process, according to Gene Cronin, XT and Nexgen product line manager.

The IKC is perfectly suited for keys and other assets requiring a high level of security and accountability, notes Cronin, “thus making it ideal for jails, prisons, and other behavioral health settings.” He furthers: “When a key is lost in a high security facility, immediate action must be taken. Oftentimes this means rekeying the entire facility, which is both costly and cumbersome.” The IKC helps mitigate the risk from lost keys by using exclusive iFob tracking technology to track mechanical keys. When an iFob is secured to

LCD screen guides the user through the retrieval and return process, an employee does not have to stand around and hand out/collect keys.

Furthermore, when the IKC is paired with the XT Intelligent Key system, access rights to openings can be quickly revoked, granted, or scheduled, explains Cronin. It also comes with a visual analytics platform. Finally, auditing helps maintain regulatory compliance, and gives the supervisor the ability to see which openings were accessed when and by whom.

The security of any facility is only as strong as the security of their keys, sums up Cronin. “The Intelligent Key Cabinet not only increases the level of key control at your facility, it also helps increase efficiency....And when partnered with the XT key system it allows you a higher level of control.”

Continues on page 33

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

BY DONNA ROGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Launch of Smart Prisons

Salient’s Video Wall allows users to drag and drop views, maps, or cameras for display in remote or local monitoring locations.

Familiar with smart homes? Now, how about smart prisons?

THE POWER of predictive analysis is a tool corrections managers want on their side. That’s because AI, or artificial intelligence, can take into account many more variables than humans can. Because it is brilliant at recognizing patterns, it can be used to halt the flow of contraband coming into a prison.

Or alert a case manager when a newly released offender is at high risk for reoffending. Or provide scientific guidance on operations such as prison cell allocation, placing prisoners with the most compatible cellmates and avoiding those that may clash.

A police station in Malaysia, for instance, has a new system 28 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

that can detect if inmates get into a fight or try to escape by using new video analysis techniques.

According to a white paper titled Artificial Intelligence in a Prison Environment by Benny Goedbloed, the smart lock-up system analyzes footage from surveillance cameras in cells, corridors and along the prison’s perimeter, detecting behavior like climbing, loitering, fighting, suicide attempts and vandalism. It then sends an alert to the authorities. The system is based on AI, using “gait analysis” to teach a computer to analyze human motion and behavior.

Another relevant development known as the Internet of Things, or IoT, is a field of study that

refers to the rapidly growing network of connected objects that are able to collect and exchange data in real time using embedded sensors. In a home, some examples of device that can be connected to the IoT might be thermostats, lights, refrigerators, locks, security systems and other appliances.

In a prison, the same model can work. Various technologies can be interconnected via a web of electronic sensors with a core layer at its base. This is known as an IoT platform. It integrates all the devices and glues all the services together into a complete and fully automated IoT solution.

A 2019 article on wolkabout.com regarding smart

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

penitentiaries and IoT notes that RFID tracking can be part of such a solution. RFID tags allow corrections officers to know where every inmate is at any given time.

Above all, staff has all essential data regarding the inmates’ prison histories stored in a database. In the case of an investigation or assault, police will know the identities and histories of everyone involved, hastening the investigation.

By embracing emerging IoTbased technology, the authors note, and connecting different devices and services across the entire facility, customers can transform a prison into a completely automated IoT solution— a Smart Penitentiary Facility.

Thus, prison administrators could use sensors to monitor physical conditions of facilities such as air temperature, air pressure and air humidity, or to detect smoke or high levels of toxic gases. Staff can be notified regarding inmates’ heart rate, breathing and movements. Similarly staff could monitor the physical condition of inmates suffering from chronic diseases, such as temperature, blood pressure and glucose levels.

IoT calls for a congruous connection of applications in prisons, with numerous possibilities: fleet monitoring, surveillance cameras, access control, perimeter lighting, plumbing sensors and more.

Predictive analysis also goes beyond the four walls. Software can assist in monitoring returning citizens, offering modules that offer risk management, case planning, clinical treatment and feedback to those justice involved in the community.

While you may be a bit skeptical—possibly believing that hitech sensors and predictive analysis remains the stuff of sci-fi in the corrections arena—the following are technologies that are currently installed and at work in prisons and in community corrections across the country.

30 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

Detainee Sensors Black Creek’s TSI PRISM™ Division offers two key products that utilize advanced technology to monitor detainees in a corrections population: the TSI PRISM™ Detainee Well-Being Monitoring System and the TSI PRISM™ Real Time Location System.

The Detainee System uses a wrist-mounted, tamper-resistant transmitting device (the PASS-5B Detainee Tag) to send a unique radio signal to specialized receivers mounted in strategic locations; signals are then forwarded over a dedicated Ethernet network to an application server for processing.

A unique feature of the detainee tag is the inclusion of an accelerometer that measures the detainee’s physical activity level and a biometric sensor that mea-

to proactively respond to potential life-threatening incidents, such as involvement in fights, assaults or suicides, explains Thom Lanphear, general sales manager with Black Creek Integrated Systems. In addition, he furthers, the application allows officers to set proximity alarms that will annunciate based on user-configurable classes, e.g., Covid-positive detainees, outside quarantine zone, etc.

The TSI PRISM Real Time Location System (RTLS) uses the same PASS-5B Detainee Tag and signal receivers, along with beltworn Officer Personal Safety Device Tags and Visitor Tags, to proactively track the location of every detainee, staffer, and visitor within the monitored perimeter.

Asset Management Tags are also available to track high-dollar or security-sensitive items (e.g., tac-

TRACKtech’s evidence-based, data-driven mobile solutions offer comprehensive rehabilitation and monitoring capabilities via a smartphone for justiceinvolved, addicted, mentally ill, and/or homeless individuals.

sures the detainee’s heart rate.

Activity and heart rate data are then incorporated into the transmission packet that is sent on a user-configurable interval (as frequently as every two seconds) to the application.

The detainee application will annunciate alarms on officer workstations if a detainee’s physical activity rises above a preset level or if the detainee’s heart rate rises above or falls below preset levels, thus allowing officers

tical gear, weapons, keys), while Location Temperature Tags can be used to monitor temperaturesensitive locations and provide an alarm at centralized monitoring consoles when ambient temperatures exceed or fall below preset levels.

Once equipped with the appropriate tag, subjects are mapped to unique tag I.D.s in the TSI Prism application software. The tags transmit a signal at configurable intervals consisting of packets of

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Location Temperature Tags can be used to monitor temperaturesensitive locations and provide an alarm at centralized monitoring consoles when ambient temperatures exceed or fall below preset levels.

—Thom Lanphear, Black Creek data that provide information about the tag. Examples of tag information, details Lanphear, include the tag’s unique I.D., the condition of its battery, whether or not the tag is moving, and, depending on the type of tag, whether or not it is installed properly on the wearer.

The system’s location engine calculates the location of the tag in the facility in three axes, with a typical accuracy of three to five meters, with available sub-meter accuracy if required, Lanphear notes. The RTLS will annunciate alarms if detainees designated as Keep Separate (e.g., rival gang members, inmates deemed predatory vs. inmates deemed likely to be victimized) are within configurable proximity to one another.

In that data can be transmitted as frequently as every two seconds, he says, officers are able to proactively intervene in potentially dangerous situations.

Making it easy for officers to respond, the TSI PRISM System provides instantaneous alerts on monitoring system workstations with the name and location of officers, staff, contractors, visitors, or whoever is requiring assistance. In addition, the system will display the names and images of all subjects near the incident, as well as their real time geo-location on the screen.

The system also supports follow-up inquiries. For investigative and evidentiary purposes, the

RTLS provides the ability to view a historical event or a subject’s location history on the graphical facility map, says Lanphear. Users can also export the event into a portable electronic format such as an AVI file. To expedite an investigation, it permits users to navigate forward and reverse during the event to quickly locate a specific action or location of a subject.

Video Analytics Salient Systems is a Video Management System solutions provider for the detention and corrections space. Salient’s CompleteView VMS platform, when installed, provides corporate (remote) and on-site operators real-time and post-event forensic metadata to ensure the safety and security of inmates, officers, and affiliated employees and support vendors while working within and around the facility, says Brad Wareham, a key accounts director with a focus on the detention and corrections space.

Video surveillance plays an integral role in security and intelligence gathering in society today.

But its role in corrections goes further. “Video in its basic form in the corrections space plays into situational awareness with the Capture of Movement, Movement in Restricted Areas, General Population and Facility Monitoring, Sensitive and HighRisk Monitoring and Safety Policy Enforcement/Compliance,”

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Wareham continues. At the same time, it provides remote and local pre- and post-event forensic investigations for all class of properties and facilities that utilize Server and Edged-based Analytics and AI integrations to ensure notification alerts, capture and archiving of all of the above, he says.

“From PREA to drone detection, facial recognition to fight detection,” Wareham says, “Salient’s VMS solution provides a best-inclass surveillance solution that leverages our HMI/PLC integration, AI, access control, and intercom solution partners.” Coupled with its Global Integration Partner Network, “Complete-View VMS ensures a robust solution.”

As for cost containment, Wareham furthers that “Salient offers the best ROI in the industry when leveraging our licensing cost and ‘no cost’ analog capture offerings, making it ideal for conversion from aging analog matrix bays to a true digital platform that continues to operate with the facility’s existing software (HMI/PLC) and hardware.”

Automated Behavioral Intervention “Most community corrections programs have a heavy list of requirements they need to meet to ensure they are monitoring the client’s compliance with supervision as well as helping the client learn new skills, meet goals, and reintegrate successfully into the community,” says Lisa Sayler, customer development specialist with CorrectTech. “Agencies have various systems for tracking this, often using paper, spreadsheets, and software for case notes, and yet another software for monitors, leaving staff feeling spread thin and frustrated,” she says.

“Many times, this leads to staff exerting most of their energy on tracking tasks with little time left to work with the client on behavioral interventions and case plan goals. [But] research shows those are the efforts that are needed to help increase success rates and CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022 31

reduce recidivism.”

Help in the form of automation can help to do much more.

Software: Provides a Structure for Best Practices Whether your agency specializes in residential or treatment facilities, reentry, work release, probation, parole, pretrial, juvenile justice initiatives, or diversion centers, CorrectTech’s software helps to streamline all day-to-day operations and provides an agency a structure for implementing best practices. Having enhanced visibility to each client record and agencywide data helps agencies stay on top of community safety.

Incorporating modules such as assessments, case planning, treatment, dosage tracking, incentives and rewards and behavioral interventions helps agencies implement and track the practices proven to help reduce recidivism.

CorrectTech also provides agencies with a configurable Reentry Case Plan to prepare for successful release. The Client App can be used to help a client in the community access resources the case manager recommended, be actively involved in their case plan, and have a non-contact method for messaging their case manager, Sayler points out. Progressive Monitors takes into account factors such as the client risk, drug and alcohol levels, and can randomize drug tests at the frequency that is appropriate for the client. It also monitors clients as they get ready to release and helps prepare them for a decreased level of supervision.

Sayler says CorrectTech's customizable modules can streamline operations and enable your staff to focus on what matters: your clients’ risks, needs, and responsivity. In the end CorrectTech “supports and lays the groundwork for successful rehabilitation and reentry of returning citizens.”

32 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

Harnessing Smartphone Technology When a returning citizen is released, that’s when the difficult transition only begins.

TRACKtech’ s mission is to provide individuals the tools they need to stay on track to success, says Jon Gustin, chief marketing officer. The organization’s evidence-based, data-driven mobile solutions offer comprehensive rehabilitation and monitoring capabilities via a smartphone for justice-involved, addicted, mentally ill, and/or homeless individuals. “By integrating communitybased resources, cognitive behavioral therapy, and enhanced communication and monitoring risks, the TRACKtech platform enables successful rehabilitation, reentry, and increased public safety.”

The use of technology to supplement sound correctional practice is a practicable solution to downsized budgets and staffing concerns, while reducing exposure risks for offenders who have been exposed to viral illnesses, Gustin points out. One of the most rapidly evolving technologies available to agencies is a next generation solution comprised of smartphone technology and a portfolio of rehabilitative applications. The use of smartphones, with or without a tether (GPS ankle bracelet or watch), enhances monitoring and tracking of offenders by utilizing geofencing to create inclusion and exclusion zones, calendaring, behavior health assessments, risk factor scoring, document sharing, video conferencing, and other forms of compliance monitoring which are traditionally not available to case officers through GPS devices.

TRACKtech delivers data analytics and reporting which provides individualized and cohort data on the community supervisor’s entire caseload. Strategies that leverage data and technology to prioritize and focus interac-

tions with those offenders who require the highest levels of supervision (based upon a validated risk assessment and current behavior) are most effective and increase the safety and security of offenders, officers, and the public.

Smartphone technology allows for improved location monitoring, increased interaction, remote reentry programming, cognitive behavioral programming, telemedicine, and teletherapy with the offender through text, email, telephone, and video, all with bio-metric verification of the offender’s identify, Gustin explains. “Proper use of this technology allows officials to make informed and responsive determinations quickly and efficiently without requiring that they be in the physical presence of their clients.” It also allows staff to more effectively focus attention on those offenders who require more intensive interactions, without jeopardizing public safety.

By enabling more efficient monitoring, Gustin says that TRACKtech allows staff to supervise an increased number of offenders without significant increases in the resources required. Furthermore, smartphone technology allows for the adaptive monitoring of offenders based upon changing risks and behaviors, enabling more responsive case management at scale. % For more information: Black Creek Thom Lanphear, 205.949.9900, sales@blackcreekisc.com CorrectTech Lisa Sayler, lsayler@correcttech.com Eric Tumperi, CEO and chief problem solver, etumperi@correcttech.com, correcttech.com Salient Systems Brad Wareham, brad.wareham@salientsys.com, 303.621.6736, www.salientsys.com TRACKtech Jon Gustin, Jon.Gustin@tracktechllc.com, 240.918.0122

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

Continued from page 27

Master Key Software SimpleK is an intuitive software program that streamlines and simplifies the complexities of master key and facility management. Security personnel, facility managers, institutional locksmiths, and others involved in key control use this paperless, scalable tool to manage keys and keying systems of all sizes.

Some of SimpleK’s security features include full visibility of audit trails, outstanding keys, overdue keys, and managing the rekeying process, says Jonathan Bedard, SimpleK applications and development manager. “SimpleK’s flexible software allows you to import maps and floor plans so you can see who has access to each individual door, the associated keys, and hardware on the opening.” It also has a solution that allows you to track all kinds of equipment within a correctional facility (weapons, walkie talkies, cell phones, computers, vehicles, etc.).

A good example where this worked is a corrections facility that was managing their master key systems, keys, and assets with Excel spreadsheets and paper.

They were about to rekey a portion of the facility and wanted to tighten the policy on the distribution of new keys and assets.

As a first step, they imported their existing data from Excel spreadsheets to SimpleK (keys, doors, key rings, assets, etc.). The master keying data was mostly on paper, but they used the SimpleK Master Key System Generator to automatically create the system with keys and bittings. They were able to use the mobile application to do onsite surveys of doors and hardware.

They assigned the new cores to doors with the access matrix in SimpleK, used the core pinning calculator to prepare the cores and cut the new keys. They also configured the floor plans with door locations. This allowed them to see who has access to each indi-

SimpleK is a software program that streamlines and simplifies the complexities of master key and facility management.

vidual door, the associated keys, and hardware on the opening.

For the distribution of the new keys, they used the software to assign the keys to specific keyholders. Then, when they issued keys, they had the holders sign directly for their keys after reading the new key policy on a tablet. They also created a detailed inventory of all key rings with the list of keys assigned. They did the same thing for the management of other assets including security gear, communication devices, etc.

They continue to use SimpleK to conduct audits and quickly generate reports and review the history of transactions. “SimpleK helped them bring their key control to the next level,” Bedard sums up.

motes a security-minded approach to routine activities like accessing keys and radios,” says KeyTrak’s Wright. “Likewise, automatically logging who accessed keys and when helps staff be proactive about returning items to the system. This limits the potential for keys or assets to go missing, keeps them available for the next user, and reduces unnecessary lockdowns as your staff scrambles to find missing keys. Efficient and effective operations reduce stress on officers and inmates alike.” %

Manual Vs. Automatic

KSI Mike Stark, mstark@keystorage.com 585.924.7830 www.keystorage.com

Compared with a peg board or loosely secured cabinet where there’s no way to ensure an employee only takes what she needs and/or returns it in a timely fashion, electronic key systems greatly enhance control. The tracking abilities “help ensure keys and other assets, like radios, TASERs, and firearms don’t fall into the hands of inmates. This helps keep staff safe while they perform their daily tasks and pro-

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET

For further information: KeyTrak info@keytrak.com 866.838.0178 www.keytrak.com/correctionsforum

Medeco Gene Cronin Gene.cronin@assaabloy.com 732.320.0287 SimpleK Jonathan Bedard info@simplek.com 888.601.7806 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022 33

AD INDEX Page No.

Mattress Covers

Advantage Military.........5 Black Creek Integrated Systems Corp. ...........29 Bob Barker....................35 Centurion .......................2 Chestnut Ridge Foam, Inc...................19 Institutional Eye

Ideal alternative to a fitted sheet.

Open-end cover slips over mattresses, like a pillowcase, for quick slip on and removal.

Care ...........................34 Keefe Group .................36 Keytrak, Inc..............27,34

1-800-334-9880 www.bobbarker.com

Laundry Loops................8 Medi-Dose Company.............4,8,15

COMPLETE EYEGLASSES

$14.95

RX Eyeglasses On-Site Optometry On-Site Ophthalmology Testing

SEALED SEAM TPU PILLOW 100% sealed seams lock out liquids, odors, and contaminants.

Concealed breathable vent cannot be picked or ripped apart.

Nebraska Department of Corrections .............4 RemoteCOM.................13 StunCuff Enterprises, Inc. ..........6 STV Architects, Inc .........6 TrinityServices Group, Inc. ................23 Union Supply Group ....31

1000 Facilities Nationwide 44 States - Federal in all 50 States Correctional Vision Care Since 1983

Vistar Corporate .............9 1-800-334-9880 www.bobbarker.com

Institutional Eye Care LLC website: institutionaleyecare.com email: info@ institutionaleyecare.com

34 CORRECTIONS FORUM • WINTER 2022

Western Union ...............7 Wexford Health Sources ......................17 This advertisers index is provided as a service to our readers only. The publisher does not assume liability for errors or omissions.

VISIT US AT WWW.CORRECTIONSFORUM.NET