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New/Future technologies

Technology has become and essential part of our every day lives whether it be at home, school, or work. These technologies are constantly advancing and being used for different uses. A pilot program was set up in the a Pennsylvania prison where they would use the same scanners that the TSA would use at airports to scan every person coming in to the prison. This device allows for the correctional officers to get a good look at what the visitor has on their person whether it be weapons, cell phones, or nonmetallic items. Because there was so much scrutiny with the TSA and people complaining about privacy rights, the institution took their own measures in keeping privacy at the top of their list. They set up lap top computers so the visitors could see what the officers were seeing and it showed that the more "private" parts on the body were covered. Even though these parts were blanked out on the screen, the machine was still able to signal the officers if there was contraband on the person. The only downfall with this device is it does not detect items secured in body cavities(Bulman, 2009).

The Weapons and Non-Permitted Devices Detector (WANDD), is another device used to help detect contraband including metallic and nonmetallic items. This device uses sound waves instead of sonar waves like other devices and it is able to detect a wide variety of items. For example, a prototype was tested at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in Williamsburg and it was able to detect cell phones, plastic knives, credit cards and guns (Bulman, 2009).

Another technology that is being tested in a prison in D.C. for use in correctional facilities is a tracking device. This device is used to warehouses to track shipments, and it would do the same for tracking inmates. The system would be able to alert officers when there is an unusual amount of inmates in one particular spot and if a problem occurs, the tracking will allow officers to know exactly who was in the are at the time of the incident. A second program that a Florida correctional facility uses is called Correctional Operational Trend Analysis System (COSTAS). "COTAS uses information about prisoners -- such as age, gang membership, escape attempts, violent incidents, and medical and psychological conditions -- to predict potential trouble spots" (Bulman, 2009, para. 26).

Reference

Bulman, P. (2009, March). Using technology to make prisons and jails safer. National Institute of Justice, (262), . Retrieved from http://www.nij.gov/journals/262/pages/corrections-technology.aspx