There is a specialized mobile application that allows you to get in touch with a prison: you can write to an inmate or even have a video call with them. To keep the inmate from getting bored, you can send them something like a sudoku puzzle, so they can spend their free time exercising their mind.
A key point: only people who are free can download the application. All communication is official and monitored. Inmates, of course, do not have any permitted mobile phones in their possession; they communicate through the administration: they go to designated areas within the correctional facility where specialized equipment is installed.
“The convict initiates the call themselves—the relative only needs to install the application, agree on a time, and accept the incoming video call,” explains the company “Secure Telecommunications.” “To receive calls from an incarcerated loved one, your number must be added to an approved list.”
Video calls are treated the same as regular phone conversations and do not replace in-person visits.
The system is actively evolving. One recent project sparked significant online controversy: reports emerged claiming that Russia had started testing a messenger for inmates called “Point of Contact.” It was said to even work within the prison zone. In reality, this isn’t quite accurate. “The product does not imply that suspects, defendants, or convicts have mobile phones or other devices for constant, unmonitored communication with loved ones,” emphasized “Secure Telecommunications.” “We’re talking about specialized secure terminals—shared-access devices placed in designated areas within the institution. Access to them is strictly regulated by law and the internal rules of correctional facilities.”
With the new application, anyone will be able to send letters to the prison
In other words, communication will occur through terminals located in specific spots within the colonies—not just anywhere. As it happens, correctional facilities already have communication rooms where inmates can go to make phone calls or video calls. This is an older system and no longer surprises anyone. Naturally, this communication isn’t available at all times, only during permitted hours. The communication terminals represent a new step forward. This likely means it will be possible to send video clips to an inmate. However, that doesn’t imply you can exchange live video snippets with an inmate in real time. And in any case, all letters and files will be subject to censorship by the prison authorities. A relative having a phone on the outside doesn’t mean an inmate will have the same device in their hands.
“Currently, the product is in a pilot phase: several facilities across various regions are preparing for a trial launch,” the company reports. “For suspects, defendants, or convicts, special accounts are created in accordance with legal procedures, through which correspondence and messages are received.”
About the Author
