At-Home Internet Video Visitation at Buncombe County Detention Facility
Asheville, North Carolina (PRWEB) September 19, 2013 -- Inmate visitation at the Buncombe County Detention Facility will soon be updated. Starting this month, Buncombe will utilize an advanced visitation management system developed by Minneapolis-based Renovo Software and purchased through SimplexGrinnell. Registering and scheduling visits will all be done online, video stations will be used to increase security, and inmates’ family and friends will now be able to visit online from the comfort of their home.
“It will be a significant improvement to visitation,” said Major Glen Matayabas of the Buncombe County Detention Division, “in terms of security, reducing costs at the facility, and convenience for visitors. With everything online, we have a predictable schedule, there are less visitors coming in and out, and we can be more efficient.”
Visitors will go to https://visitation.buncombecounty.org, register for visitation and choose between a 10 minute internet visit for $6.50, a twenty-five minute internet visit for $16.25, and an on-site video visit at the facility. Inmates at Buncombe are limited to one on-site visit per week, but visitors will now have the option to purchase additional on-site visits for $9.75 after that limit has been met. Inmates will then connect through video stations located in their housing units, which eliminates contraband and does not require staff to escort inmates to their visits. Internet visits will be available 13 hours per day, and will not be subject to the weekly limit.
To visit an inmate online, visitors simply need internet access, a webcam, speakers, and a microphone. “We want visitors to be comfortable with the new service,” said Dave Henion, Vice President of Sales at Renovo Software. “There is a tool for visitors to check their system before scheduling an internet visitation, and if they need help, we provide a step-by-step guide, live chat and visitor support contact information directly on the visitation website.”
Renovo’s visitation system will allow Buncombe to monitor and record internet visits just like on-site video visitations, and if rules are violated, staff can stop any visit with the push of a button. In addition, professional visitors such as attorneys or parole officers can schedule visits in the same system, and their visits will be automatically excluded from recording and monitoring tools.
“This technology can help investigators fight crime in the community, help us make our facility more efficient, and keep inmates connected with children or distant family and friends,” said Major Matayabas. “It’s a win for everyone—not just the detention facility, but inmates, visitors and the entire community.”
About Renovo
Renovo Software has provided both large and small correctional facilities across North America with the most advanced inmate visitation management system for nearly a decade. Over 100 jails and prisons utilize Renovo’s uniquely adaptable system for registration, scheduling, and management of any and all visitation methods through a single platform. Whether managing video visitation, remote internet visitation, traditional face-to-face visitation, or all three, Renovo’s system is a proven, next generation solution for cutting costs, increasing efficiency, and generating revenue through inmate visitation.
Andrew Barrette, Renovo Software, http://www.renovosoftware.com, +1 (952) 931-0803, [email protected]
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