Elk County prison board signs off on inmate tablet program pending commissioners' contract approval

The Elk County Prison Board approved a recommendation to pursue an inmate tablet program and asked that the contract be presented to the county commissioners for final approval.

S2, the prison administrator, described the tablet system observed during a Jefferson County site visit and said the vendor estimated about 90 days to set up operations after approval. S2 said the system requires no county capital outlay and would allow a mix of free educational content and fee‑based services; the fee structure discussed was 5¢ per minute and S2 said the county would receive a 20% commission on paid usage.

Administrators described operational safeguards: tablets would be mounted in housing units and issued for daily use via facial recognition, returned each night to a charging bank, and monitored by automated keyword filters requiring staff review before flagged outbound messages are released. S3 and other board members discussed monitoring, damage replacement and sanctions when inmates damage devices; S2 said replacements would be handled by the vendor initially and costs could be recovered from inmates when feasible.

S3 moved to approve pursuing the tablet contract; the motion carried by voice vote. Board members reiterated the procedural point that the county commissioners must also approve any vendor contract, and S2 said the prison board would present the recommendation to the commissioners for final signature.

What’s next: The administration will proceed with contract negotiations and present the proposed contract to the board of county commissioners for required approval.