New technology in prison systems strives to make mail safer

By GABRIEL S. MARTINEZ 

Capital News Service

LANSING —The Department of Corrections will implement a new system in January designed to significantly reduce the amount of contraband sent to prisoners and ensure the safety of the staff and inmates.

The system called TextBehind is a multi-purpose document system designed to minimize contraband getting into correctional facilities, in part by streamlining bulk mail management.

Mail is a particular concern because blotter paper can absorb fentanyl and other narcotics like LSD, which then can be distributed through the mail. That poses risks to inmates and to the mail handlers, experts say.

Jenni Riehle, a Corrections public information officer, said the department is in the beginning stages of implementing TextBehind. The system requires those wishing to send mail to an inmate to register.

“We are in the infancy of this. We’ve only had that system open for registration for two weeks now,” Riehle said. “We’re already seeing the benefits of a service like this for our personnel, and it’s also going to be beneficial to the population receiving this mail.” 

The new mail process also will help prisoners working on appeals related to their convictions.

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