Page 36 - 254988_AJA_JF22_NEW-1

The RAND Corporation, a think issues could be better monitored, words of Captain James T. Kirk,
tank initially created to assist the cared for, and managed by “You know the greatest danger
U.S. military, held its own expert using better surveillance and facing us is ourselves, an irrational
panel on jail and prison deaths monitoring capabilities. The fear of the unknown. But there’s
in 2017, concluding “most forms use of more modern technology no such thing as the unknown—
of deaths in correctional facilities would, in essence, create a way only things temporarily hidden,
are preventable with proper to preventively monitor inmates temporarily not understood.”
interventions” (Brannon, 2020). The before they attempt suicide by
majority of California jails were not tracking heart rate spikes or drops, References
built to contain inmates for long and monitoring episodes. This Bala, N., & Trautman, L. (2019, April
periods of time, especially those gives staff the ability to respond 30). ‘Smart’ technology is coming
who need substantial mental health before a crisis situation presents for prisons, too. R Street. Retrieved
services. In June 2021, the California or gets completely out of control from www.rstreet.org/2019/04/30/
Department of State Hospitals necessitating a cell extraction. smart-technology-is-coming-for-
reported that between January 2021 Take, for example, a suicide prisons-too/
and May 2021 there were up to attempt by hanging. County jails Brannon, M.(2020, October 7). With
1,687 county jail inmates statewide are required to monitor inmates jail deaths on the rise, California
waiting for a state hospital bed. visually a number of times counties look to improve. Center
By May of 2021, there were 1,497 throughout the night while inmates for Health Journalism. Retrieved
inmates still waiting. At its worst, sleep. A determined inmate could from centerforhealthjournalism.
org/fellowships/projects/jail-
the wait can be over six months to wait for a deputy to do a night deaths-rise-california-counties-look-
obtain a spot for a severely mentally round visual check and be fairly improve
ill inmate in an appropriate confident the next check won’t Grothous, M. (2020, December 22). A
custodial care facility. occur for at least an hour. By the brief history of the Apple Watch:
These kinds of inmates time the next check happens, the How it became the world’s #1
present unique needs that are not inmate, determined on a course wearable...” Know Your Mobile,
necessarily within the county jails of self-harm, could be beyond Kinsta.com. Retrieved from www.
ability to properly monitor and help when found. It is precisely knowyourmobile.com/wearable-
keep safe. They present a situation a situation like this where a heart technology/a-brief-history-of-the-
where 253873 jail managers must rate monitoring device would be apple-watch/
identify these inmates early in order invaluable. Gruessner, V. (2015, November 6).
to develop security and treatment The history of remote monitoring,
plans in collaboration with jail To Go Where No Jail Has telemedicine technology.”
nursing, mental health, and deputy Gone Before MHealthIntelligence. Retrieved from
mhealthintelligence.com/news/
staff. Captain’s Log, star date- the-history-of-remote-monitoring-
The barriers of an aging facility 301404.43182394735. Part of the telemedicine-technology
must be addressed head on, and solution was to create forward- Wickes, R. (2020, April 15). Coronavirus:
each inmate’s special situation thinking law enforcement leaders How COVID-19 is changing the
planned until transportation to a and partners who could continually world. Lens.monash.edu. Retrieved
more appropriate facility can be scan and identify technology in from lens.monash.edu/@politics-
made. Until more space is available other fields to adapt it for use in society/2020/04/15/1380013/how-
for the mentally ill in hospitals and the corrections field. Agencies covid-19-is-changing-the-world.
care facilities, we will continue to wishing to develop better solutions
see our local jails providing basic assessed their current facilities
healthcare for people who need and determined needed upgrades. Nina Snyder is a lieutenant with
much more services than what a Once that work was done, they the Marin County Sheriff’s Office in
county jail can provide on a daily transformed vision into reality. California and has served over 27 years
in a number of positions to include
basis. Therefore, utilizing better The next generation jail was built assignments in Custody Division,
technology to monitor inmates by solution seekers. Old facilities Patrol Division, & Investigations. She is
during their incarceration is a first were upgraded; new facilities drew currently the Marin County Jail Admin
important step to preventing many in partnerships with healthcare Lieutenant and is a CA POST Command
useless deaths, emergencies, and providers who were essential College Graduate: a 14-month program
designed to prepare law enforcement
lawsuits. to determining what advanced leaders of today for the challenges of
Imagine how many county technologies could be used for the future. She can be contacted at
jail inmates with these special inmate and public safety. In the NinaMSnyder@gmail.com.

34 | JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022 AMERICANJails