OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma jail inmates are set to obtain tablets as a part of a brand new program and partnership with the Oklahoma Division of Corrections and the communications firm Securus Applied sciences.
The tablets are free to the state and are being supplied by the communications firm. They’ve completely no entry to the web. Officers with the division of corrections mentioned they’ll present studying alternatives and provides them the possibility to maneuver “paperless.” Inmates can fill out paperwork and different crucial paperwork whereas incarcerated.
“That is simply going to be a optimistic for everyone within the state of Oklahoma,” mentioned Justin Wolf, Chief Administrator of Communications with the Oklahoma Division of Corrections.
It’s a borderline brand-new system to the state that’s rolling out as we communicate. The inmates can use the tablets of their cell and wherever on the jail property.
“We’re actually enthusiastic about this program,” Wolf mentioned. “It is going to present quite a lot of providers to our inmates.”
The tablets will work on the interior system of Securus Applied sciences. That is the corporate that gained the bidding to offer them and telephone providers for prisons. Wolf mentioned they’re constructed particularly for prisons.
“These are inbuilt with a number of countermeasures to forestall tampering,” Wolf mentioned. “We’re not grabbing tablets off the shelf at Greatest Purchase.”
Nevertheless, they’ve completely no entry to the web by any means.
“They do not even have the capability to achieve the web as a result of they aren’t constructed for web providers,” Wolf mentioned.
As an alternative, they supply entry to half 1,000,000 books and even act as a telephone for calls inmates could make of their cells.
“There’s additionally premium content material that is accessible, leisure content material and issues like that, that inmates should purchase,” Wolf mentioned.
On the opposite aspect, KFOR’s Fb web page blew up with folks not happy in regards to the choice. One remark learn, “Are we offering a automobile subsequent week?” Two others studying, “What in regards to the poor youngsters that didn’t have one for digital education?” and “That is horrible. Youngsters can’t get tablets to make use of for varsity.”
KFOR checked with the Oklahoma Schooling Affiliation. They mentioned they’re on board. Their full assertion may be learn under.
“Schooling is a good equalizer, one thing nobody can take from you upon getting it. We consider all incarcerated individuals ought to have entry to academic packages by the correctional system.”
ALICIA PRIEST, PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Wolf and the Division of Corrections additionally mentioned it was a part of an even bigger image.
“We work on integrating them again in with society,” Wolf mentioned. “As our inmates are launched there’s quite a lot of expertise that they should have and a kind of is laptop and digital literacy.”
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The Division of Corrections does profit from this contract financially. They’re slated to obtain $3.5 million yearly by the primary 5 years of the contract with the communications firm and $3.75 million for the subsequent 5 years after that. All inmates ought to have a pill of their fingers by the tip of September.
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