Dubuque County Jail to Get Upgraded Video Chat for Inmates

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

Tools

By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Feb 14, 2012 at 6:50 PM CDT

Story Updated: Feb 14, 2012 at 7:46 PM CDT

DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque County Jail will be using new technology to help some visitors communicate with inmates.

After 9 years, the jail’s current video conference system is already considered archaic. “We’re losing the pixel strength in the screen. The visitor can hardly see the person they are visiting,” said Dubuque County Jail Administrator Captain Mike Muenster.

The jail will replace the old cameras and monitors with new webcams. Captain Muenster said that allows inmates to have a highly secure, but still recorded conversation with a visitor at the jail. “They have guaranteed complete security and there is a huge encryption process,” Captain Muenster said.

Attorneys and Probation Officers will be able to sit in front of a computer in their own home or office to talk to the inmates via webcam. But jail administrators are not making that feature available to the general public. They say it’s too dangerous. Muenster said, “We wouldn’t be able to control what the visitors at home are doing on that end. Probably most important if that person is part of a no contact situation.”

The general public will still have to come to the jail to have the video chat with an inmate. They still have to schedule the appointment with jail staff, but soon they can schedule those appointments online.

Jail administrators say the upgrade won’t cost taxpayers any money. The jail is using funds from its inmate revenue account to pay for the new $111,000 system.

Next Article Man Arrested for OWI with Zebra, Parrot in Front Seat of Truck

Conversation Guidelines

Be Kind

Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.

Share Knowledge

Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.

Stay focused

Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.

Report Trouble

Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.

read the full guidelines here »

Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Crime, sexual abuse, property fires, automobile accidents, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.