VoIP finds captive market in US prisons

Call management allows convicts' calls to be spied on

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Data Networking, 30th January 2001 16:11 GMT

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A firm has finally found a killer application for Voice over IP technology - using it make it easier for prison staff to eavesdrop on calls made by convicts.

Forget reduced cost or the ability to have a single network infrastructure, where VoIP really scores in America's hard-pushed penitentiaries is the ability to manage the calls of prisoners.

At the American Correctional Association winter conference in Nashville, Tennessee last week, Science Dynamics Corporation demonstrated its latest generation of call control software, and was pretty astute at targeting its message effectively.

Its SciDyn VoIP Technology offers the latest security and call control features to effectively manage inmate telephone call, Science Dynamics Corporation told prison wardens at the conference. According to the firm its software offers "advanced call monitoring, real-time recording and patented three-way call fraud detection". Pretty impressive stuff, especially when you can be sure plenty of your end-users are particular experts at fraud and you want to make sure none of them are discussing ways to get over prison walls.

Science Dynamics Corporation previous generation of call control technology, the Commander, manages 7 000 lines or 70 000 inmate beds across the USA, but this worked with earlier circuit switched systems, and doesn't feature the same level of functionality the introduction of VoIP brings. ®