Gordon Graham
Category: Corrections
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today’s Tip is for all my friends in corrections. Today I’d like to talk about biometric tracking of inmates.
If your facility is still using an older method for keeping track of inmate records and movement, maybe it’s time to consider an upgrade.
Remember the old-school ink-and-roll fingerprint cards we used when booking an arrestee into custody? How about inmate custody files stuffed with paper? With today’s technology, these things are quickly becoming relics of the past.
Keeping track of inmates in jails or prisons poses a constant challenge because inmates frequently move from one part of the facility to another. Monitoring inmate activity requires correctional staff to accurately identify inmates as they pass through security posts. In facilities with large inmate populations, this process can take a long time. Folks, this is where biometric tracking can be helpful.
So, what are biometrics and how are they useful in corrections? Biometrics provide ways to help identify a person through measurable physiological and behavioral characteristics. These include facial recognition, voice identification, iris and retinal scanning, and hand geometry or fingerprint scanning.
Biometrics have advantages over older methods of managing and tracking inmate records and movement. For example, biometrics don’t require individuals to remember things like usernames, passwords, or PIN codes. Also, biometric measurements are difficult to falsify, making them more reliable than other methods of identification.
With biometric tracking, it’s possible for corrections staff to identify inmates quickly to confirm classification, security, and other restrictions or safety information. Imagine how efficiently and safely you could move 50 to 100 inmates from housing to mealtime if you had the technology to scan and confirm their fingerprints. Their information would literally be at your fingertips.
If your facility is still using an older method for keeping track of inmate records and movement, maybe it’s time to consider an upgrade.
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Until next time, Gordon Graham signing off.
