DAE think inmate tablet programs are either a scam or a game changer? I visited Rikers last spring and saw two totally different setups.

So I toured Rikers last April with a nonprofit and we saw two housing units. One had these cheap locked-down tablets with only educational content and messages. The guys seemed bored but actually using them for GED stuff. Then the other unit had full internet access tablets, but they were charging like $0.50 per text message and had ads for predatory loans. Same facility, opposite outcomes. Which approach actually works for reducing recidivism? Has anyone else seen these programs in action at their local jail?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wendy1mo ago

I really feel for what you witnessed at that second unit. "Charging like $0.50 per text message" just breaks my heart, it feels like they're preying on people who already have so little. You would think the whole point of these programs is to give inmates a fair shot at education and staying in touch, not to line someone's pockets. The difference you saw between the two setups is exactly why I worry that without strict rules, these tablet programs can do more harm than good.

max_brown1mo ago

Honestly, I used to think these tablet programs were mostly a good thing, just a way to give inmates access to books and stuff. But reading your post and Gavin's comment really opened my eyes. Charging fifty cents just to send a text is insane, that's not about education at all. It's just taking advantage of families who are already barely getting by, especially when they've got no other options. Makes me realize how easy it is for companies to spin these programs as helpful when really they're just about making money off people who can't fight back. Definitely changed how I look at this whole thing.

gavin4691mo ago

Man, you hit the nail right on the head. Those prices are just cruel, turning something that should help people into a way to squeeze every last dime from families who are already struggling. It's like they're betting on people having no other choice but to pay up, which just feels wrong on every level.