Home Tips & Tricks Without a doubt, technology is one of the most important factors for today’s society thanks to the almost infinite amount of functions it is capable of providing, being used in a huge number of areas. It is no longer only used at home and to entertain oneself for a while, but it can also be seen in areas such as work and school, even reaching little thought places, such as various detention centers. As an example of this, there is the case of the Denver City Jail, also known as the Downtown Detention Center, which is a correctional facility located in Denver, Colorado, USA. In this institution, together with a contract with Securus Technologies, which is a technological services department, it was possible to provide more than 1,700 tablets to people admitted to the center. Is This Really A Good Idea? The reason behind this “controversial” decision is very simple. With the use of tablets, users will not only be able to maintain closer contact with their relatives outside with the use of phone calls and emails, but they will also be able to read books and, being one of the most important points for the institution, you can begin and maintain the study for the General Educational Development Test to obtain a high school equivalency diploma. Now, this is a topic that has created a great debate, because there are people who think that it is a great idea and something positive to implement, while there are other people who think that the negative points of technology have more power. Pros of Technology in Penitentiary Centers As mentioned previously, being able to communicate with family and even friends is one of the most important points of using technology in places like this, especially because it can be used as an incentive for good behavior or simple improvements in behavior. Likewise, this helps maintain a reality focus on the person deprived of liberty, having a connection with the outside world. On the other hand, the education part is also extremely important. The specific agreement between the Denver City Jail and Securus Technologies provides prisoners with studies for the General Educational Development Test, however, this advance could also allow enrollment in various other higher education and distance courses, whether related to academic fields such as psychology, education or sociology, or to aspects of daily life, such as cooking, sewing or reading. Also, being in contact with other people or being able to study provides the possibility of creating daily routines and recreational schedules, helping to maintain control of users, in addition to reducing the desocializing effect that prisons can create. Cons of Technology in Penitentiary Centers Having said that, and as expected, the use of technology in these places has some negative points, so everything must be handled carefully. The monetary part is one of these points since sufficient connections and resources must be maintained to ensure the proper functioning of the devices, in addition to calculating the given device by the number of individuals who are deprived of liberty, reaching a high investment. Likewise, constant control and high-security measures must be maintained to avoid any type of unauthorized access to the network that could have consequences such as compromising the security of the penitentiary center or the people who work in it, or even the realization of illegal activities. Plus, if there is no firmness among the staff and leaders of the center, a dependency on technology could be created in individuals, especially if they have been without it for long periods of time. And well, what are your opinions? Do you think technology should be allowed in these types of institutions? Let us know in the comments!
