Inmate Communications Services

The Vendor is required to provide inmate communication services (ICS) includes telephone (ITS), video visitation (VVS), secure electronic messaging (email), and digital postal mail for inmates at the county.
- Technical requirements
1. Inmate telephone system (ITS)
• The ICS shall be capable of providing all operational features and system requirements.
• The system shall use web-based technology with multilevel password security.
• All inmate telephones shall be indestructible type telephones suitable for use in a jail, tamperproof, with steel encased housings and shockproof keypads.
• All handsets shall be of heavy-duty construction with no removable parts and shall be hearing aid compatible.
• The hand set cord shall be armored with a stainless-steel lanyard.
• All telephone instruments shall be line powered and have uninterrupted power source (ups) continuous power.
• The ITS must not allow any incoming calls to inmate telephone stations.
• All phones shall limit one call per connection.
• The inmate’s call shall be muted until the called party has positively accepted the call.
• The ITS must provide default call duration up to 15 minutes;
• The ITS must be able to restrict phones, limit call times, and restrict time of day calling.
• The system must be capable of downloading a list of specifically identified numbers so that if a flagged number is called from an inmate pay phone, the system will also call a designated cell phone or office landline telephone number.
• All phone calls shall be processed by an automated operator.
• The ITS must detect acts of the inmate and the called third parties which try to manipulate the system to allow the inmate to be connected with unauthorized third parties, such as call forwarding, third party calling, etc.
• The ITS must provide information such as name, address, and billing information for the called number as well as the name, address and phone number or other identifying information of the person(s) prepaying minutes.
• The system shall be capable of informing the called party the amount that will be billed for the call prior to acceptance of the call.
• the ITS must provide a pre-recorded announcement identifying that the collect or prepaid call is originating from an inmate at the county, that all calls are subject to recording, and a pre-recorded name of the inmate initiating the call.
• The ITS shall deny access to 800, 888, 877, 411, 911 numbers along with other numbers which may be restricted now as well as numbers added by the facility during the life of the contract.
• The ITS shall allow for free calls from the phone in the kitchen.
• The ITS should have location filtering.
• Inmates should only be allowed to make phone calls from phones in their assigned area.
• All recorded inmate telephone calls must be transcribed to readable and searchable text format in the system.
2. Video visitation system (VVS)
• The VVS shall be capable of providing all operational features and system requirements.
• The VVS must enable on-site and remote visits.
• The system shall use web-based technology with multilevel password security.
• The successful proposer must agree to install the quantity of visitation monitors, which may be increased from time to time as the office elects
• All visitation monitors must include a shatterproof LCD or LED monitor.
• The system must utilize facial detection for both the inmate and visitor.
• The VVS scheduling module must allow visitors to register for and schedule contact and non-contact visits online, with options to use a dedicated scheduling terminal in the lobby.
• The VVS must use the same pin as the inmate telephone system.
• The system shall provide a visual clock that tracks the time left during the visits.
• The system must allow authorized staff to schedule visits outside of a normally posted “schedule” and choose whether or not the visit should be without fees.
• All video visitations must be able to connect without requiring assistance from staff.