Artificial intelligence (AI), once a sci-fi concept, is a dynamic technology that works in all industries for all kinds of purposes.
Even California’s prison system is benefitting from the impact that AI delivers, enhancing everything from correctional facility design to the security solutions which work hand in hand with this.
To help you understand how transformative this technology can be in this context, here is an exploration of the role of AI in corrections and security state-wide.
Big data analytics allows for improved access & insight
Prisons are large institutions that generate a lot of data, and without the help of modern platforms and the power of AI and automation, a lot of the value contained within this information would be lost.
Firstly, big data services ensure that insights can be gleaned from all sorts of data sources, enabling everything from improvements to conditions for inmates to more cost-effective management of resources for facility administrators.
Secondly, there is the improved level of access to data both inside and outside of each of California’s correctional institutes.
Providing an offender lookup service so friends and family can find and follow inmates without this being an administrative burden on the system is a huge plus point. And at a time when external events are disrupting prison populations more than ever, this type of resource is increasingly essential.
Video monitoring is enhanced
Surveillance is an important part of ensuring security and safety in prisons, as well as more generally across public premises as well as private property in California.
The problem with traditional video monitoring solutions is that they relied either on a perpetual human presence to respond to issues in real time, or were only useful as an after-the-fact way of gathering evidence after an incident had already occurred.
AI is the answer to this conundrum, because the latest machine learning software is able to scrutinize as many video feeds as necessary, and be on the lookout for anomalies that give cause for concern.
This could be something as overt as a fight breaking out between inmates, but can also be far more subtle. AI is excellent at pattern detection, and when patterns are broken and the unexpected occurs, they are more capable of noticing this than human security staff.
Inmate protections are increased
The purpose of most prisons is rehabilitation, and if we want inmates to return to society as better human beings than when they were put away, their physical safety as well as their mental wellbeing needs to be prioritized at correctional facilities in California and elsewhere.
Once again, the predictive power of AI is a boon in this scenario. Delving into the data relating to each and every inmate, as well as every prison employee, can detect everything from individuals who are more likely to self harm, to preventing violence towards prisoners by guards.
All this means that AI offers ample enhancements for all involved in California’s prison infrastructure, and its use should be encouraged.
