The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced on Friday a new video surveillance pilot at one of its prisons in Northern California.
The testing will occur at the maximum security High Desert State Prison, nine miles east of Susanville, Calif. CDCR is partnering with Stanley Security Solutions of Fremont, Calif., for the pilot.
"The overall objective is to design a video surveillance solution to improve the safety and well-being of all CDCR staff, visitors and inmates in its institutions and facilities across the state," CDCR said.
The video surveillance project is part of a "multi-layered" approach to combating contraband in state prisons, the department said.
"Video surveillance equipment will be deployed to more comprehensively monitor inmate activity, improve visual coverage around the institution, and provide visual evidence in cases of illegal activity.It will assist CDCR in more effectively maintaining the safety and security of staff and inmates by reducing the amount of contraband that is successfully introduced into California’s prisons and will help foster a more rehabilitative environment for inmates," CDCR announced.
Trafficking of drugs and contraband inside California state prisons is a very serious public safety issue, CDCR said. "The illicit underground economy is controlled by prison gangs who use violence, threats and intimidation that threaten the safety and security of staff and inmates alike. It causes many problems, including increases in assaults on both inmates and staff, power struggles within the inmate population, staff corruption and an inability for inmates to benefit from rehabilitative programming."
