Corrections_Today_July_August_2020_Vol.82_No.4

M iami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCR) said it understands the importance of maintaining open communication with friends and family especially during the COVID-19

hours in advance. With video visitation, inmates will use a video visitation station located in their cell or unit. “This greatly reduces the amount of manpower needed to conduct visits by reducing the movement of inmates,” said Juan Diasgranados, spokesper-

public health pandemic. In light of that, MDCR has offered inmates the opportunity to utilize its new video visitation to enable more frequent contact between inmates and their loved ones. “The purpose of offering jail visitation privileges is to maintain and strengthen family ties during obvious peri- ods of stress, and to assist in maintaining appropriate ties to the community,” said MDCR Director Daniel Junior. MDCR launched video visitation to allow attorneys and loved ones to schedule visits from the comfort of their own home, office or anywhere equipped with a computer, camera and high speed internet access. Reser- vations to visit inmates are accepted on a first come, first serve basis and can be scheduled one week in advance. Reservations are taken 24 hours a day, seven days a week and visits can last up to 15 minutes, free of charge, one day per week. There is no limit on attorney visits. MDCR said, specifically for attorneys, professional visits from justice-involved partners will be required to complete and submit an application for remote video visitation to be approved for virtual visits of inmates in MDCR custody. Professional visits must be scheduled 24

son for Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department. Under the old method of face-to-face visitation, inmates were transferred from their housing area to the visitation area by our officers. Video visitation has expanded rapidly throughout the country at many correctional facilities in recent years to act as a complement to traditional methods of visitation. It has also brought benefits to facilities looking to reduce inmate movement, decrease the likelihood of contraband entering a facility, and enhance security through better monitoring. “Studies have concluded that inmates have a better chance at successful reintegration into society if they communicate often with their support system. So this is another example of how MDCR will use technology to enhance our visitation procedures while reducing the number of visitors entering the facilities,” said Junior.

Juan Diasgranados is the spokesperson for Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department.

These are just a few of the video visitation stations at the Pre-Trial Detention Center in Miami, which allow inmates to speak with attorneys and other visitors safely.

All photos courtesy Juan Diasgranados, Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department

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