Inmates at the North Fork Correctional Center in Sayre received computer tablets this week and by October, inmates at every Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) facility will have one.

According to a press release, the tablets are being provided through a partnership between ODOC and Securus Technologies.

Inmates are able to place authorized outbound phone calls on the tablets and have access to media and media and recreation/leisure services. The tablets are the latest model being offered by Securus Technologies.

“Providing tablets at no cost to incarcerated individuals will create a more modern correctional environment and enhance operational efficiencies as well as keep our community as safe as possible by reducing recidivism,” said Scott Crow, Director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. “We are proud to offer technologies that advance efficiencies in our facilities, help individuals succeed once released and benefit the broader community alike.”

Securus tablets come with proprietary software that takes specific measures to prevent misuse and detect any attempt at illicit behavior.

“Our tablet technology modernizes correctional facilities and prepares incarcerated individuals for re-entry by providing access to technology, offering more correctional tools, and providing free educational services,” said Dave Abel, President and CEO of Aventiv Technologies, parent company of Securus Technologies. “We are excited to offer our tablets to Oklahoma, and we are confident they will enrich the lives of incarcerated individuals while also creating a safer community overall.”

Each tablet has a seven-inch touchscreen with earbud headphones. The tablets provide up to 32GB of storage with a 13-hour battery life that can play up to 40 music hours and comes equipped with a 1280 x 800 screen. The technology monitors communications in real time and alerts correctional staff about potential attempts at misuse – a standard practice shared by all correctional facilities to improve overall security.