Sheriff Matt Rice would like to announce the installation of video visitation equipment at Faulkner County Detention Center Unit Two. This new system allows the detainee and visitor to communicate via analog or digital videoconferencing equipment. Under the old method of face-to-face visitation, detainees were transferred from their housing area to the visitation area by detention officers. This will replace the face to face visits at Unit Two only. The jail administrator will still grant a face to face visit if someone request it.

With video visitation, detainees will use a video visitation station located in their cell or cell block, while visitors can use a corresponding station at Unit Two or their computers from home. This greatly reduces the amount of manpower needed to conduct visits by reducing the movement of detainees. We truly believe this system will be extremely helpful for families living more than five to ten miles away from our location.

One of the main goals of the new visitation system is, to provide both the detainee and his or her family an easy and convenient way to keep in touch frequently while minimizing security related incidents or concerns with walk-in visits. The internet visitation reduces the number of visitors entering the detention facility. The interactive web based system allows detainees to initiate visits directly with approved visitors with no operator assistance required. 

Use of the system by detainees is restricted by detention facility administrators and only allowed during the hours of 7:00 A.M – 10:00 P.M., Sunday-Monday. All calls are recorded and can be monitored for improper use to include lewd and explicit activity at which time system access can be denied.

Another benefit is that detainees will be able to have the detention rules and regulations, Law Library, medical requests, grievance forms, and other inmate related request forms available electronically in their cell 24 hours a day, instead of waiting on paper forms that have to be given out by detention officers. All requests will be filed electronically to the jail administrator or his/her designee. This will also free up detention personnel to perform other duties.

The video visitation has been installed by City Tele Coin Company from Bossier City, Louisiana. This is the same company that furnishes the inmate telephone system for our jails. There was no upfront cost to the county for having this system installed. There will be a $9.75 set up video visitation fee for computer or cell phone access. After that you will be required to pay fifty cents per minute. Our maximum security unit and juvenile division will come online in a few months.

More information regarding rules, regulations, and visitation hours are available at www.fcso.ar.gov and click on the jail tab on the left-hand side of the page.