Williams County Jail launches automated communications system

June 20, 2012 - PRLog -- TurnKey Corrections announced that in addition to the commissary services contract for the Williams County Jail they will also be providing off-site video visitation.  The Williams County Jail sought to find a technology driven, streamlined commissary solution, and Hudson, WI based TurnKey Corrections was chosen as the provider.  Off-site video visitation from loved ones to the incarcerated has been included in the solution at no cost to the tax-payers.
The Williams County Jail provides a commissary program for inmates to purchase additional hygiene, food, and recreational items that are not provided by the facility.  TurnKey Corrections was awarded this role through their state-of-the-art technology that includes kiosks located in the jail’s housing units.  The new kiosks were provided by TurnKey Corrections at no charge to the county, and allow inmates to order commissary items with touch-screen equipment.  Inmates view and make their selections on the kiosk.  In addition, the kiosks feature technology to submit requests to staff members (to attend programs like AA, or request a nurse appointment) electronically.  
The features with these new kiosks will greatly reduce the paper-flow at the jail, and will also reduce staff time spent manually processing commissary and inmate requests. “The TurnKey Corrections system is really bringing us to the 21st century,” said Sheriff Scott Busching, “The system which includes inmate accounting software, will allow staff to spend less time on commissary, and more time on jail operations.  I think adding TurnKey Corrections’ kiosk was one of the best things we’ve done at this jail.  That we can add this technology to reduce expenses, earn revenue and have it not cost the taxpayers investment is great.”
In addition, the new kiosk system offers an easy solution for friends and family to provide commissary funds to their inmate.  Loved ones now have the ability to deposit funds on inmate accounts and not have to travel to the jail.  The public can use VISA or MasterCard through smartphones or the internet to deposit funds.  Inmates get immediate access to these funds to use for anything from phone cards for calling family to buying hygiene items or snacks.  In addition, there is now an electronic kiosk in the lobby area of the jail that will accept cash as well as credit cards.  
The Williams County Jail also approved the addition of off-site video visitation.  “With the price of gasoline the way it is, it makes sense for loved ones to do visit their family member from their own home through a computer with internet connection – especially good for Williams County residents in the winter.  We all know driving in the winter in North Dakota can be challenging at times,” said DeeDee Armstrong, the company’s regional sales manager.  Friends and relatives can use the system to talk to inmates through the inmate kiosks in the housing units.  The video visiting system was developed by TurnKey Corrections.  Williams County Jail is the first North Dakota jail facility to use the service. “Video Visitation also helps families,” said Armstrong.  “With this service, families can visit inmates without taking their children to the jail, which can be traumatic for kids.”
TurnKey Corrections provides superior technology for accounting software to manage inmate accounts, manage commissary transactions, and inmate communications.  TurnKey Corrections has been a Midwest leader in the correctional commissary market for more than 10 years.  With locations across the Northern United States, they service over 75 clients from small 15 bed jails to larger jails with over 900 beds.  They have been an innovator in the industry by offering new products and technology that solve real jail issues. The company’s Video Visitation is offered at several facilities, providing family members the opportunity to not just speak to inmates on the phone, but have security monitored video conversations.