One of the first correctional facilities in the United States to have contact-free monitors is the Pulaski County Jail.
Through the use of a sensor that is attached to the wall, the new technology is able to determine the heart rate and respiration rate of an inmate.
According to Anthony McCollum, the jailer for Pulaski County Jail, this technology is helpful in saving lives. A beep will be heard that will alert the medical staff to any deviation that a patient may be experiencing. A reading of an individual is required. Following that, the medical staff can establish criteria for whether the heart rate and blood pressure are above or below predetermined levels.
According to McCollum, the team makes rounds every twenty minutes for any patient who is considered to be at high risk, but a lot can happen in just twenty minutes. He stated that a person’s heart could cease beating and that they could experience cardiac arrest. Now, in the interim between such times, staff members can be notified immediately.
In addition, McCollum reports that they have been in possession of the system for about a year now. During this period, they have been fortunate not to require its extensive use. While there have been a few instances where alerts were triggered, none of them have escalated to the point of becoming life-threatening situations.
This monitoring system helps to guarantee that detainees are cared for in the event that something does occur in the custody of the Pulaski County Jail. While there are approximately five monitors at the jail at the moment, there are approximately 400 inmates
McCollum envisions an increase in the number of monitors in the future. He suggests planning for at least half, stating that monitoring everyone in a facility with 400 inmates would be ideal, but it poses significant cost challenges.
Source: https://www.wtvq.com/pulaski-county-jail-introduces-new-monitoring-system/