Prisons and correctional facilities need high security, and it’s evident why. According to a report by Statista, 2,231 inmates escaped from state or federal prisons in the United States in 2019.
More than 1.8 million people were incarcerated at the end of 2023, so maintaining prison security is a critical challenge.
One concerning reason for such security breaches is the lack of advanced digital measures to track inmates and their activities.
Mobile Solutions® by Elliott Data Systems offers a transformative approach to prison security by providing real-time tracking and robust identification for staff, visitors, vendors, and inmates.
Read on to learn how to enhance your prison or correctional facility’s security with our versatile Mobile ID Solutions®.
The Current Challenges in Prison Security
It is difficult to ensure the safety of staff, inmates, and society while maintaining law and order within correctional facilities. Here are some common security challenges faced by these establishments.
Overcrowding and Resource Management
Overcrowding is one of the most pressing challenges in prison security. Many prisons operate beyond their intended capacities, straining physical infrastructure and personnel resources. These situations lead to increased tensions among inmates, reduced supervision, and difficulties in separating violent offenders.
The consequences of overcrowding significantly impact the security measures institutions can implement, making it harder to maintain a safe environment.
Identifying and Verifying Identities
Accurate identification is vital in prisons, yet it remains a significant challenge. Traditional methods, like manual ID checks, are prone to errors and inefficiencies. These shortcomings often lead to unauthorized access and security breaches.
Gang Activities and Violence
Gang activity within prisons jeopardizes the safety of the staff and inmates. Gang-affiliated inmates often engage in violence, extortion, and other activities, which complicates security efforts.
To address this, prisons often practice gang segregation, housing inmates from different gangs separately to minimize conflict. However, this approach has limitations, as it can reinforce gang identities and loyalties, making it difficult for the prison management to enforce security.
Contraband and Smuggling
Contraband, such as drugs, weapons, and cell phones, poses a constant threat to prison security. The lack of digital security measures is one of the biggest contributors to such incidents. Additionally, corruption and insider complicity are other ongoing challenges that complicate maintaining prison security.
Understanding Mobile Solutions®: How They Enhance Prison Security
Mobile Solutions by Elliott Data Systems are designed to enhance prison security by integrating advanced technologies tailored to the special requirements of correctional facilities. Our highly advanced security technologies streamline identification, tracking, and management across various aspects of prison operations.
Issue Secure IDs On the Go
When everyone inside a correctional facility has a dedicated ID, maintaining security becomes easier and smoother. With the help of our Mobile ID Solution, prison management can issue positive IDs to staff, visitors, and vendors by referring to their details such as driver’s license. The barcode or QR code printed on these cards secures the entry process while minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
Real-Time Tracking and Monitoring
The Accountability Manager integrated with Mobile ID software by Elliott Data Systems enables real-time tracking of correction officers during routine operations and emergency situations. It enables the prison administrations to enroll personnel and monitor their movements closely.
By facilitating access control and real-time field data collection, the security system supports airlock sequences of staff to ensure safe entry and helps the management promptly identify and address any anomalies or security breaches within the establishment.
Managing Inmate Movement
Transferring inmates from one cell to another or a different prison is a routine activity, and this is often the most challenging task. With the help of Mobile Solutions®, prisons can track inmate movements from one location to another in real time.
These systems also help track various activities, such as the time spent by the inmates in the dining area, which helps the prison admins improve operational efficiency by optimizing resource allocation and scheduling.
The scanned data is stored in a secure database, which helps proactively manage potential security risks and maintains a safe environment for all stakeholders.
Visitor, Vendor and Inventory Management
There’s a significant concern regarding the exchange of contraband goods during visitor and vendor activities within prisons. Mobile Solutions® offer a robust solution by enabling prisons to print secure IDs for all individuals entering the facility. When integrated with the Accountability Manager Solution, prisons can tightly regulate access and monitor visitor movements.
For instance, when a vendor arrives at the prison facility, they go through an Airlock sequence. A screen promptly displays a list of preapproved items the vendor is authorized to bring into the prison, and the guard present there can match the details with the personnel records.
While the tracking capability enhances security by preventing unauthorized access, it also mitigates risks associated with visitor interactions. Furthermore, by streamlining vendor access and equipment approvals, prisons can effectively manage and monitor the entry of only approved items into their premises.
Improved Officer Security and Accountability
Apart from reducing the chances of security breaches, Mobile Solutions® by Elliott Data Systems contributes to officer safety and accountability. These modern security systems provide real-time location tracking of officers and monitor their movements during emergency lockdowns or routine activities.
A single scan using an authorized device can capture personnel data which gets stored in the database. When management has better situational awareness of its officers, it can optimize security operations to ensure their safety.
Unified Dashboard for Comprehensive Control
The shared database makes it easier for correctional facilities to manage security operations remotely. The dashboard enables real-time monitoring and management of ID issuance, staff and inmate movements, visitor and vendor access, and overall facility security.
As the critical information and functionalities get consolidated into a single database, it improves the response time to emergencies and reduces the risks of security breaches. As a result, prisons can ensure strict adherence to security protocols across all areas of the facility.
Contact Elliott Data Systems to Advance Prison Security Using Mobile Solutions®
When it comes to maximizing security, prisons and correctional facilities rely on Elliott Data Systems for Mobile ID Solutions®. Our integrated software solution helps track people, manage access, and ensure safety throughout your prison.
Beyond enhanced security, these systems also improve overall efficiency, as access can be granted or revoked using one dashboard. Get in touch with us for more details regarding Mobile Solutions®, and schedule an online demonstration to see how valuable this system can be to your correctional facility’s operations.
Elliott offers comprehensive services, and you can count on us to configure, install and maintain these systems customized to your needs to keep your facility’s security intact.
