Video Visitation Now Available at the Hamilton County Jail
Even personal computers can be used–but the service does cost money.
Inmates at the county jail can have two free 30-minute visits a week, but that means children under 14 and many friends cannot be included. The system installed by a company named Securus changes all that.
DEPUTY CHIEF JOE FOWLER, CHIEF OF CORRECTIONS "Family members are able to go on line to the sheriff’s website and register ..by providing a photo I.D. and a picture of themselves to validate."
In fact, just about anyone can sign up to use the video system, and have unlimited visits.
ALLEN BRANUM, CHIEF DEPUTY "And to give people that otherwise have not been able to do visits..that are now able to do that..again its their choice..they don’t pay anything unless they choose to pay it."
Sheriff Jim Hammond says its also a good deal for his staff.
SHERIFF JIM HAMMOND, HAMILTON COUNTY "We don’t have to use extra man-power ..the security of moving them down to the visitation area…they can visit from the floor they’re on ..we can have extended hours of visitation so more of that can go on."
ALLLEN BRANUM "Being a downtown facility with parking situation being ..you know, time of day and day of the week …it is a problem a lot of times getting in and out of this jail to do those type of visitations."
It will cost 15-dollars for a 30 minute remote visitation, but for the first 2 months the price will be 5-dollars for 30 minute visits.
The county does make money from the system.
SHERIFF HAMMOND "There is money that’s generated for county general ..it does not come to the sheriff’s office as such."
All of those video visits have to be scheduled in advance.
There’s no direct cost to the county for the video system—its funded by revenues generated from users.
There are 43 fixed stations and 7 more in the downtown visitation area.
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