Unified Communications Featured Article

ConnectNetwork Adds Photo Messaging for Mobile Devices

By Michael Guta
Contributing Writer

Communication between inmates and their families in the outside world still continues to rely on traditional mail. For the families, inmates and correctional facilities that have to process the mail, it is both costly and time-consuming. As more facilities adopt digital communications technology, it is allowing the family members of the inmates to communicate more often. And with the new photo messaging feature ConnectNetwork has introduced, families can now use their mobile devices to send photographs from their phone or tablet anytime.

ConnectNetwork is the friend or family member website created by GTL, provider of correctional technology solutions. The company serves correctional facilities for local, state and national public and private organizations, with 1.9 million inmates currently having access to the solutions it provides.

In 2016, GTL (News - Alert) made several improvement to the ConnectNetwork website, and according to Steve Montanaro, Vice President, Consumer Channels at GTL, “We are continuing in 2017 with another blockbuster addition to our mobile offerings—photo messaging.”

Montanaro went on to say, “With this application, friends and family members can select photos from their photo library to send to an incarcerated loved one, with or without a written message. By finding new and innovative ways to improve on ease-of-use and increase the frequency of contact between inmates and their friends and family, GTL is furthering its goal of having a positive effect on recidivism rates.”

The company said the new features it has been incorporating in the past year are responsible for increasing the messaging between inmates and their friends and family by more than 1,200 percent. Montanaro says the photo messaging feature will have similar growth in 2017.

The GTL communications solutions extend to services inmates can access with inmate tablets. These tablets are designed with five layers of security so they cannot access unauthorized content. The company's Inspire inmate tablet now has a comprehensive educational offering with a learning management system that tracks the progress they are making and provides customized lessons based on the current grade level of the inmate. Additional services were also introduced in 2016, including the first corrections-grade streaming music service in the market and added subscription-based e-books and games.

ConnectNetwork is an all-in-one solution designed to provide important information for inmates and their families, deposit funds into an inmate's accounts, schedule and conduct video visits, and send messages.