Tablets for DOC Offenders
On behalf of the State of Connecticut’s Department of Correction, the Department of Administrative Services signed a contract on April 4, 2019,with JPay Inc., a Securus Technologies company to provide computer tablets and kiosks to the State’s approximately13,000 offenders.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding this contract.
Q: Will taxpayer dollars or State DOC funds be used to pay for the tablets?
A: JPay will be providing the tablets at no cost to the DOC or to the taxpayers. JPay will also be providing all of the installation, networking and infrastructure required for their operation at no cost to the DOC or taxpayers. JPay won the contract after an RFP and extensive negotiations.
Q: Why would JPay provide the tablets for “free?”
A: JPay will recoup their investment by charging for additional premium services such as movies, songs, video games, and e-books.
Q: What tablet products/services will the offenders receive for free?
A: Some of the materials offenders will receive on the tablets at no cost are: educational, religious, life skills, job skills, law library, inmate accounts, commissary, and internal DOC communications.
Q: Will offenders have access to the internet via the tablets?
A: No, the tablets work on a closed network with no access to the intranet.
Q: What is the benefit of the tablets to the offenders?
A: They will be able to access education, religious, and self-improvement materials virtually around the clock.
Q: What is the benefit of the tablets to the DOC?
A: With additional access to programming and self-improvement materials, the belief is that chances for successful reintegration will be enhanced – with the ultimate goal of reducing recidivism.
Q: Can an offender lose the use of a tablet?
A: Tablets will be confiscated if DOC staff determines the offender is using (or trying to use) it inappropriately. Also, the tablets may be confiscated as a sanction for unacceptable inmate behavior.
Q: What happens if an offender intentionally destroys the tablet?
A: The offender would have to pay for a new tablet.
Q: Do the offenders get to keep the tablets upon their release.
A: No, the tablets remain the property of the DOC.
Q: The contract with JPay also includes the installation of kiosks within the correctional facilities. What service are available on the kiosks?
A: All offender request services such as medical services requests will be available through the kiosks. Also, the offenders will have the ability to purchase and download content through the Kiosk.
Q: Will all the offenders receive a tablet at the same time?
A: No, the tablets will initially be distributed to one (yet to be selected) facility on a pilot basis. The tablets will then be distributed to successive facilities – on a one at a time basis.
Q: When will distribution of the tablets begin?
A: As there are significant changes to the facilities’ infrastructure that need to be made (at no cost to the state) prior to the tablets being distributed, it is hoped that the DOC will begin distribution by the end of the year.
Q: How big are the tablets?
A: The tablets 7.625” X 5” X .75”, and weigh approximately one pound. Additionally, the cases are made of clear plastic to prevent contraband from being stored inside the tablets.
To see the contract between the State of Connecticut and JPay click on the link below:
https://biznet.ct.gov/SCP_Search/ContractDetail.aspx?ID=20739