CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Inmates at the Nueces County Jail System will soon get access to computer tablets.
It's something that has been added to facilities across the state.
Nueces County Sheriff J.C. Hooper said they will roll out the program in Corpus Christi locally -- first at the McKinzie Jail Annex.
Inmates will be able to access everything from books to games, educational and religious apps-- even being able to video chat with approved relatives under monitored conditions.
Hooper said that while the possibilities are endless -- the tablets are meant to act as tools to help maintain a more orderly environment in the jail system.
He added that inmates will have more opportunities to continue their educational pursuits.
"All the educational books, the GED programs that are going to be available," said sheriff's office Sgt. Zachary Syler who gave 3NEWS a demonstration.
Hooper adds that the tablets will be monitored and will also act as an incentive for them to behave.
"When they feel boredom and they don't have anything else to do many times they act out and its either destruction to the jail or problems with the correctional officers," said Hooper.
Inmates are required to login using a passcode and face recognition. They'll be able to access therapeutic music -- even the latest news headlines. Hooper said the new technology is providing a way to communicate directly with correctional officers, cutting down paperwork.
"It will create a very traceable complaint or request that is archived. we are not going to lose a request form anymore," he said.
Another added benefit that the tablets will offer is video chatting capabilities. Nueces County Sheriff's correctional officer Gary Thurmond said that while the tablets provide a variety of resources, inmates will not have complete free reign over them.
"The inmates won't be able to play games like Grand Theft Auto or Fortnite, no nothing that is going to be real power based, basic cell phone games," he said.
Their access rights can also be taken away if an inmate becomes disruptive.
"I think it will help create and maintain a much more orderly environment," Hooper said.
While the majority of the content is free, users will also be able to pay for other content like pre-approved movies out of their commissary fund.
"For the most part we are doing something other jails and prison systems across the country have done years ago and have found it to be very successful," Hooper said.
Sheriff Hooper said the program is funded by the vendor and comes at no cost to taxpayers. They will start with 160 tablets at the annex and then another 220 at the main jail complex downtown.