The Daviess County Detention Center reported that 5,000 video visitations were made in just one weekend after the jail installed the new system for inmates.
The video-visitation system went live March 20, which as about a week after in-person visitations were suspended at the detention center due to state orders regarding COVID-19.
Approximately 700 inmates at the detention center get two free 15-minute video visitations a week.
“That shows you that probably virtually every single inmate has used it to the max,” said Jailer Art Maglinger. “It has been well received by the inmates.”
Maglinger said he had been working on implementing video visitations and decided to pull the trigger when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
“It was something I had been working on for several months leading up to the pandemic,” he said. “Now it was perfect timing with everything kind of shut down and suspended. It just gave them one more benefit of seeing their family.”
The project was made in partnership with the detention center’s commissary provider at no cost to the jail.
Inmates or their families can pay for additional video visits. VendEngine is the system provider.
“I fee it would be beneficial to the inmates’ family and the inmates and the staff too,” Maglinger. “It’s actually helping us to be more efficient.”
Maglinger said he’ll monitor the flow of the service and will decide how the jail should move forward with all visitation options in the future.
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