Some changes are coming for inmates at the Grimes County Jail. The jail has added technologies for video conferencing and such recently, but they will be tagging a new thing onto that system: paperless mail.
An addendum to a system service agreement was presented at Wednesday’s meeting of Commissioner’s Court by Lieutenant David Use (EW-S), which would shift inmate personal mail to digital form, by way of scanning. This will keep physical copies out of the inmates hands, and Use explained why it may sound harsh, but is necessary.
“Officer safety, and preventing contraband from coming into the jail. It has become known that inmates families spray paper with controlled substances, and sneak it into them. Then, by ingestion or smoking, they can then take the drugs,” said Lt. Use. “With the prevalence of Fentanyl, and other dangerous substances…it is an officer safety issue. As we are required to open, and read the mail…it has happened where officers have been exposed to some deadly chemicals.”
He reassured folks that the mail, itself, will remain intact, and the inmates will receive the letters written as is, just not the original copy.
As for the cost of the service?
“It is at no cost to the inmates, or their families, and also, no cost to Grimes County,” said Lt. Use.
Commissioners approved the addendum to the service agreement.
He also said this system has been proven to work, and is commonplace in many jails.