While some sheriffs are opting to end free, in-person visits between inmates and family members and friends by replacing them with video visitation, Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says at this point in time, he does not see that option as something he would consider.
Montgomery says currently visitation is one day per week, while video visitation could be at any time.
He says he and his staff “don’t run a Holiday Inn. It’s a jail.”
Benton County officials are the latest to announce they plan to end the in-person visits this fall.
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported earlier this week the Benton County Jail will launch a remote video visitation system September 1st.
The system allows someone to visit an inmate using a home computer or laptop through the website smartjailmail.com. The visits will cost 50 cents per minute in 15-minute increments and must be scheduled a day in advance.
Spokeswoman Sgt. Shannon Jenkins said the system will lead to decreased contraband and allow those who have health problems or live out-of-state to visit detainees without traveling.
The American Bar Association and the American Correctional Association say video visitation should be a supplement for in-person visitation, not a substitute.
In late May, Sheriff Lance Bonds said the Stone County Detention Facility had installed video visitation. Visits with inmates can be done remotely on any computer or smart phone by downloading an app, eliminating the need to come to the detention facility for visitation.
Effective June 1st, visitation at the facility is only allowed through the video system during the hours posted in the detention center section of the Stone County Sheriffs Office website. Visitation through the glass visitation area will no longer be done at the facility.
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