|
|
| Cameras saving courts money |
| By timesleader.com - Terrie Morgan-Besecker |
| Published: 06/15/2011 |
|
WILKES-BARRE – Luzerne County is among dozens of counties statewide that have seen significant savings in the cost to transport prisoners, thanks to video conferencing systems that have been installed with the help of the state judiciary. County officials estimated the court system saved $65,601 in March alone by utilizing video conferencing to hold hearings for 66 inmates in the county prison and 71 inmates at state correctional facilities, according to a survey by state Supreme Court. All told, the 55 counties that responded to the survey saved a combined total of $1.75 million in transportation costs in March, according to a report released last week by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. “It’s been a tremendous tool for the court system,” said Fred Pierantoni, who serves a president judge of the county’s district magisterial judges. “It’s a great savings to municipalities and there’s a safety issue of not having to transport an inmate.” Luzerne County began utilizing video conferencing in 2009 thanks to a grant from the AOPC that allowed for the installation of video equipment in all 17 district judge offices and the county prison. Luzerne County Prison Warden Joseph Piazza the video setup has been a huge benefit to the prison and sheriff’s office. “If you have to transport an inmate, you have to take them down, search them and get them ready. Then an officer or deputy sheriff has to transport them. You are tying up personnel, plus you’re creating a security situation,” Piazza said. “Whenever you have to move an inmate out of jail, you’re always at risk of something going wrong.” The setup is relatively simple. An inmate will sit in a room at the county prison that’s equipped with a camera that transmits the image to a monitor in a judge’s courtroom. The inmate is afforded the opportunity to have an attorney present in the hearing room. If there is a need for private consultation, the hearing room can be cleared of all persons but the inmate and attorney. Piazza said he is pushing for the county to do even more hearings via video, particularly for inmates who are known to be a security risk. Read More. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think