Emergency communication within controlled-environment facilities
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for providing emergency communications within controlled-environment facilities are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a communication platform. The communication platform may be configured to, in a first mode of operation, enable communications between devices (e.g., telephones, etc.) operated by residents (e.g., inmates, etc.) of a controlled environment facility (e.g., jail, prison, etc.) and devices (e.g., telephones, etc.) operated by non-residents of the controlled environment facility. The method may also include switching the communication platform from the first mode of operation to an emergency mode of operation. In the emergency mode of operation, the communication platform may be configured to enable an emergency communication from a first device operated by a resident of the controlled environment facility to a second device controlled by emergency response personnel (e.g., hostage negotiator, counselor, police officer, etc.).
1. A method, comprising: performing, by one or more computer systems, providing a communication platform configured to, in a first mode of operation, enable communications between devices operated by residents of a controlled environment facility and devices operated by non-residents of the controlled environment facility; and switching the communication platform from the first mode of operation to an emergency mode of operation, the communication platform configured to, in the emergency mode of operation, enable an emergency communication from a first device operated by a resident of the controlled environment facility to a second device controlled by emergency response personnel, the communication platform configured to, in the first mode of operation, subject the communications to a security protocol, the communication platform further configured to, in the second mode of operation, automatically route the emergency communication from the first device to the second device, the emergency communication at least partially not subject to the security protocol.
2. The method of claim 1 , the communication platform configured to disallow inbound communications to the first device in the first mode of operation, and the communication platform further configured to allow an inbound communication to the first device in the emergency mode of operation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resident of the controlled-environment facility is an inmate, and wherein the controlled-environment facility is a jail or a prison.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device is an analog telephone.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device is a Voice over IP (VOIP) telephone or device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to switching the communication platform from the first mode of operation to the emergency mode of operation,
performing, via one or more computer systems,
receiving a request from the resident to switch the communication platform from the first mode of operation to the emergency mode of operation through the first device.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to switching the communication platform from the first mode of operation to the emergency mode of operation,
performing, via one or more computer systems,
receiving a request from the emergency response personnel to switch the communication platform from the first mode of operation to the emergency mode of operation.
8. A system, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory configured to store program instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to:
in a first mode of operation, route communications between devices operated by residents of a controlled environment facility and devices operated by non-residents of the controlled environment facility, the communications subject to a security protocol; and
switch to an emergency mode of operation, the system configured to, in the emergency mode of operation, automatically route a communication initiated by a first device operated by a resident of the controlled environment facility to a second device controlled by a member of an emergency response team, the communication at least partially not subject to the security protocol.
9. The system of claim 8 , the system configured to disallow inbound communications to the first device in the first mode of operation, and the system further configured to allow an inbound communication to the first device in the emergency mode of operation.
10. The system of claim 8 , the system configured to, in the emergency mode of operation, automatically route the communication based, at least in part, upon the location of the first device within the controlled-environment facility such that the second device is selected based, at least in part, upon the location.
11. The system of claim 8 , the security protocol including a 3-way calling detection operation.
12. The system of claim 8 , the security protocol including a communication duration allocation.
13. The system of claim 8 , the system configured to, in the first mode of operation, receive payment information with respect to communications between the devices operated by the residents of a controlled environment facility and the devices operated by the non-residents of the controlled environment facility, the system further configured to, in the emergency mode of operation, route the communication without receiving payment information.
14. The system of claim 8 , the program instructions executable by the at least one processor to further cause the system to:
record the communication; and
store the recorded communication separately from other communications recorded while the communication platform is configured in the first mode of operation.
15. The system of claim 8 , the program instructions executable by the at least one processor to further cause the system to:
record the communication; and
protect the recorded communication from a party that has access to other communications recorded while the communication platform is configured in the first mode of operation.
16. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more computer systems, cause the one or more computer systems to:
in a first mode of operation, disallow inbound communications to a device disposed within a controlled-environment facility and subject the communications to a security protocol; and
switch to an emergency mode of operation, the one or more computer systems configured to, in the emergency mode of operation, allow an inbound communication to the device, and automatically route the emergency communication from the device to a second device, the emergency communication at least partially not subject to the security protocol.
17. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the one or more computer systems, further cause the one or more computer systems to:
in the first mode of operation, enable outbound communications from devices operated by residents of the controlled environment facility to devices operated by non-residents of the controlled environment facility.
18. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions, upon execution by the one or more computer systems, further cause the one or more computer systems to:
in the first mode of operation, subject the outbound communications to a security procedure; and
in the emergency mode of operation, allow the outbound communications at least partially without regard to the security procedure.
19. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the inbound communication includes a communication initiated by emergency staff, and wherein the emergency staff is located within the controlled-environment facility.