The inmates are able to receive email from their family and friends, but is there Wifi in Jail? Can inmates use internet in Prison? To find out that information, you have to read this entire article as here we are going to share that information.
Is there Wifi in Prison?
No. there is no wifi in prison. As you can imagine, inmates having access to the internet will make all kinds of issues in prison. So, the inmates cannot use their social media as well. We know what you are probably thinking, that sounds like ordeal for the inmates. Actually we have seen videos on YouTube of people documenting a self-imposed week without their phone, and most have a hard time making it through one day. This makes other inmates laugh and shake their head, as they were in prison for some years and got so used to not having a cell phone.
The inmates are not allowed to have cell phones. Also, their access to computers is extremely limited. It is a completely different world behind prison walls, and not having access to the latest technology can make you feel like you have traveled back in time. Although the inmates do not have cell phones and limited access to computers, but they still are allowed some minutes to check their social media.
Can inmates use the internet?
The inmates have limited access to computers. Most activities they do is in the library or in the classrooms in the education building. Also, several facilities have introduced inmate tablets which they are able to purchase from a kiosk. But, none of the computers or tablets which inmates have access to actually have internet access. As we said before, inmates having access to the internet will make all kinds of issues in for prison. So, for example, the inmates cannot use their social media like Facebook.
There is the most legendary stories that was talked about in the Missouri women’s prison where was about a group of inmates who had scammed people out of money. It happened about 10 years or so before, it really happened. A group of 30 inmates used prison pen pal sites to con men out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Missouri Attorney General sued them and had their accounts frozen. Of course, they needed help from the outside to get their photos online. This story serves as the example as to why prison inmates do not have internet access.
How do prison inmates get on social media?
If prison inmates do not have internet access, how they get on social media? we often reference the Netflix show Orange is the New Black during our posts because that show did have certain storylines which were based on truth. If you have seen it, you may remember the inmates who getting their hands on cell phones that were smuggled into the facility. Some of the inmates were posting on their social media. It is based on reality because lots of inmates are posting on social media on a daily basis , sometimes they are doing it from their cell.
Some inmates are able to access the internet via contraband cell phones which are brought in by the officers or by loved ones during a visit, however it is a huge risk. If you get caught with a cell phone, you are able to end up in the hole for months, maybe even years. If your loved one is caught trying to smuggle in a cell phone during a visit, they will be able to face criminal charges.
For inmates who do not want to take the risk of having a contraband cell phone, the other method that inmates can get on social media is through a family or friend on the outside. TRULINCS (Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System) is one of the email service for the inmates which allows them to send and receive emails in a secure manner.
Controversy surrounding inmate access to Internet
Internet use in prisons allows the inmates to communicate with the outside. Much like the use of telephones in prisons, the use of the internet under supervision, for various purposes, is approved in 49 United States correctional systems and 5 Canadian provinces. Each of the reporting United States systems, except Nebraska, Hawaii, Iowa, and Nevada use computers to engage inmate educational programs, as do all 5 reporting provinces in Canada. There are 36 reporting United States systems to handle inmate health problem via telemedicine. Like the use of mobile phones in jail, the internet access without supervision via a smartphone is also banned for all inmates.
Here are some controversy surrounding inmate access to Internet:
- Allowing access to the internet for the inmates is a topic with much debate. The arguments for a use permit are mostly for rehabilitation, or providing an environment which encourages rehabilitation. But, in the United States, the security measures and the state laws in public and private prisons are significant troubles for expanding the use of the Internet to support the delivery of post-secondary education. There are lots of inmates experience a lack of access to computer equipment and security routines in prisons interfere with their education.
- The inmates tend to use the internet for other illegal purposes. According to the research, it has been recorded that through smuggling mobile phones, the inmates have called up phone directories, the maps, and photographs for criminal activity. Because our society becomes increasingly internet-dependent, violence and drug trafficking is being conducted through the internet so that the inmates are able to keep up with criminal activities even while being in prison. In the United States, cell phone smuggling into prisons has been an increasing issue.
- The Federal Bureau of Prisons workers confiscated 1,189 mobile devices in 2010. Most of the smuggled cell phones have already access to the internet, and the inmates are able to connect without monitoring from the guards.
