Video visitation debuts at Bonner County Jail

SANDPOINT — Video visitation is replacing traditional inmate visitation at the Bonner County Jail.

The newly installed Telmate system at the jail is expected to cut down on staff costs and paperwork, broaden opportunities for people to communicate with an incarcerated loved one and generate revenue, according to Sheriff Daryl Wheeler.

The jail’s visitation schedules will remain the same for the time being and inmates are still entitled to two free, 30-minute visits per week.

Under the old system, visitors would converse with inmates over a phone link while separated by a ballistic glass partition. The visitation room at the jail remains, although the glass has been papered over and video terminals have been installed.

Visitors will use those terminals to reach inmates in one of the facility’s seven pods and three dorms. They can also communicate with inmates from their home computers, which makes visitation more convenient for those who live outside the greater Sandpoint area.

All communications remain subject to monitoring.

The Telmate system is expected to save jail staff 150 hours a month that was devoted to chaperoning inmates to visitations and making sure inmates with conflicts don’t cross paths.

“We don’t have to de-conflict inmates anymore,” said sheriff’s Lt. Bill McAulliffe.

Loved ones can also use the Telmate system to send text messages and digital images, or to apply funds to an inmate’s commissary account. The Telmate system also allows inmates to manage their commissary accounts.

Inmates — on their own dime — can also stream limited video content, browse the Internet in a limited capacity or play video games.

No tax dollars were expended installing the 10 Telmate terminals and the county will receive a cut of the revenue the system generates.

“We get 15 percent of the gross dollars they collect,” said Wheeler.

Although the Telmate system is being embraced by inmates, particularly digital natives, it is also drawing some criticism.

“There’s no other way to say it: It’s dehumanizing,” said Mary Baenen, who contends its taking away the human element of visitations.

Baenen said she appreciates that it reduces staff costs and generates revenue, but said in-the-flesh contact is just as important to an inmate and their rehabilitation.

“It should not be the only option,” Baenen said.

Wheeler acknowledges such concerns, but said the advantages of Telmate outweigh the disadvantages.

The average duration of incarceration for a local inmate is 23 days.

“I’m not sure it has much of an effect,” Wheeler said of the elimination of face-to-face visitation.

Wheeler added that video visitation is less daunting for children visiting inmates and opens up visits for family members outside the area or even those in overseas military service.

“To me, it’s really better off for the family members,” he said.