Correctional institution legal postal mail processing system and method
AssigneeHLFIP Holding, Inc.
InventorJonathan D Logan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for eliminating contraband in legal postal mail at a correctional facility comprising of a facility-use legal mail scanning station and a network of inmate-accessible devices and or messaging systems such that correctional institution staff can inspect the legal mail for contraband without violating an inmate's right to privacy for such mail. The legal mail is scanned by the staff member or inmate under the supervision of a staff member and then shredded or placed into the inmate's personal property in secure storage. The scanned mail may then be made available to the intended inmate through the inmate-accessible devices or printed at the scanning station to ensure the elimination of contraband.
Claims20
A computer implemented method for reducing the likelihood of legal postal mail, which is sent to an inmate at a correctional institution, being a conduit for contraband while retaining privacy associated with the legal postal mail, the computer implemented method comprising:
- receiving recipient inmate information associated with the legal postal mail;
- determining whether the recipient inmate is valid to receive legal postal mail;
- obtaining, from a computerized legal mail station, a scanned image copy of the legal postal mail if the recipient inmate is valid to receive legal postal mail and if a scanned image copy of the legal postal mail is generated;
- storing the scanned image copy of the legal postal mail;
- obtaining, from a video recording device, a recording of opening and scanning process associated with opening and scanning a copy of the legal postal mail;
- and
- transmitting the scanned image copy to a computerized display that is viewable by the recipient inmate, wherein the computer display is capable of displaying the scanned image copy of the legal postal mail.
A computer implemented method for reducing the likelihood of legal postal mail, which is sent to an inmate at a correctional institution, being a conduit for contraband while retaining the privacy of legal mail, the computer implemented method comprising:
- receiving recipient inmate information associated with the legal postal mail;
- determining whether the recipient inmate is valid to receive legal postal mail;
- generating user interface elements for display on a computerized legal mail station, the user interface elements providing instructions for generating a copy of the legal postal mail, the legal mail station further comprising a copier;
- obtaining an indication from the computerized legal mail station that a copy function is executed;
- generating second user interface elements providing instructions to re-copy the legal postal mail if the first copy is not readable;
- obtaining, from a video recording device, a recording of opening and copying process associated with opening and copying the legal postal mail;
- and
- storing the video recording;
- and
- associating the stored video recording to the legal postal mail.
A computerized legal mail station for reducing the likelihood of legal postal mail, which is sent to an inmate at a correctional institution, being a conduit for contraband while retaining privacy associated with the legal postal mail, the legal mail station comprising:
- a display for displaying user interface elements to enable a recipient inmate to interface with the legal mail station, wherein the display in capable of instructing the recipient inmate to at least one of, enter information associated with the legal postal mail, enter information associated with the recipient inmate, indicate whether a scanned image copy and/or an image copy of the legal postal mail is acceptable, and instructing the recipient inmate to destroy the legal postal mail if the scanned image copy and/or the image copy is acceptable;
- a computing device capable of interfacing with at least one other computing device, wherein at least the computing device and the other computing device is capable of determining whether the recipient inmate is valid to receive legal postal mail based on information associated with the recipient inmate;
- at least one of a scanning device and a copying device, the scanning device capable of generating a scanned image copy of the legal postal mail, and the copying device capable of generating an image copy of the legal postal mail;
- a video recording device capable of recording opening and at least one of scanning and copying process associated with opening and scanning and/or copying of the legal postal mail, wherein the video recording may be associated with the legal postal mail by the computing device;
- a shredder for shredding legal postal mail once it has been scanned and/or copied;
- and
- at least one wheel to form a portable legal mail station, wherein the at least one wheel may be used to move the legal mail station to a location associated with the recipient inmate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.