Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Corrections Tablet Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sheriff introduces inmate tablet program with revenue share; county withdraws larger Tyler public‑safety contract for review
Summary
The sheriff outlined a plan to implement a tablet and telephony program for the county correctional facility operated by ViaPath, with a reported approximate 20% revenue share to the county from vendor revenues; the committee also withdrew a large Tyler Technologies public‑safety contract for further legal review.
The Warren County sheriff told the Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee on June 23 that the jail will move forward with a tablet and telephone service program provided by ViaPath Technologies that will be installed and maintained by the vendor and produce a share of commissary-generated revenue for the county; the committee also agreed to withdraw a separate, larger public‑safety records contract with Tyler Technologies for further county attorney review.
The sheriff said ViaPath will establish the network, supply tablets, provide ongoing maintenance, and operate services that inmates or their families may pay for (for example, paid video, games and optional content). Family members pay into inmate commissary accounts; revenues will flow through the treasurer’s office to ViaPath, with the sheriff estimating the county would receive approximately 20% of vendor revenues. “It’s hard for me to know what that will look like, how much that will be,” the sheriff said; he described the amount as uncertain and contingent on usage.
The sheriff emphasized the vendor model includes options the county can control: some programs are free; virtual visitation and education modules are possible; the system can be configured so video shows only a face and a screen blanks if the tablet is moved away. The sheriff said in‑cell use reduces movement for visitation and lowers contraband risk and that counties visited by staff (Saratoga County, Montgomery County) have adopted similar programs. The committee approved the ViaPath contract by voice vote.
Separately, the sheriff withdrew a separate proposed contract with Tyler Technologies for public safety records management and computer-aided dispatch hardware and systems, citing outstanding legal questions. “It’s a large contract,” he said, and county attorney review will continue; the sheriff said the item will return to the committee next month.
Supervisors asked who pays for inmate tablet use (family members through commissary), whether the county receives net revenue, and about legacy hardware should the county later discontinue the program (only hardwiring would remain). The sheriff said some hardwiring would remain but other equipment would leave the facility if the contract ended.
Action: the ViaPath tablet agreement was authorized to proceed; the Tyler Technologies contract was withdrawn for further legal review.
