Video mail between residents of controlled-environment facilities and non-residents

Abstract

Providing video mail to and from residents of controlled-environment facilities may include presenting a resident or non-resident a user interface and receiving a selection to send video mail. Whereupon, the user may be offered a selection to either upload a video or image or to capture a video or image. A selection by the user is accepted and in response to a selection to upload a video or image file, the user may be presented a file selection interface to enter a video or image filename and/or browse for a video or image file. In response to a selection to capture a video or image, the user may be presented a video or image capture interface for capturing the video or image, such as by using a camera of the host device. The selected or recorded video or image may then be uploaded and presented to the recipient for viewing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing an inmate of a correctional facility with video mail services, comprising:
 providing the inmate with a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to allow the inmate to send a video message to a non-inmate, wherein the graphical user interface allows the inmate to select the video message by uploading a recorded video message file and wherein the graphical user interface further allows the inmate to generate the video message by recording a video file;   confirming the identify of a participant in the video message as the inmate;   dispatching an alert if the participant cannot be confirmed as the inmate; and   sending the video message to a graphical user interface provided to the non-inmate, if the participant is confirmed as the inmate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 determining an amount of storage required to store the video message for delivery to the non-inmate; and   determining a storage limit applicable to the video message; and   providing the inmate an option to increase the applicable storage limit via the provided graphical user interface.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the storage limit applicable to the video message comprises a storage duration, after which time the video message will be deleted. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the storage limit applicable to the video message comprises a file size. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the option to increase the applicable storage limit is provided if the required storage for the video message is determined to exceed the applicable storage limit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, wherein the identity of the participant in the video message is confirmed based on biometric recognition information associated with the inmate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein biometric recognition information is used to compare the biometric recognition information of the inmate versus information describing the participant in the video message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the biometric recognition information comprises one or more of speech recognition information and facial recognition information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising;
 providing an investigative graphical user interface configured to allow review of the video message prior to sending the video message to the non-inmate and further configured to receive the alert.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the alert identifies a particular portion of video message that contains prohibited content. 
     
     
         11 . A system for providing an inmate of a correctional facility with video mail services, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory device coupled to the one or more processors, the memory device storing computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
 provide the inmate with a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to allow the inmate to send a video message to a non-inmate, wherein the graphical user interface allows the inmate to select the video message by uploading a recorded video message file and wherein the graphical user interface further allows the inmate to generate the video message by recording a video file; 
 confirm the identify of a participant in the video message as the inmate; 
 dispatch an alert if the participant cannot be confirmed as the inmate; and 
 send the video message to a graphical user interface provided to the non-inmate, if the participant is confirmed as the inmate. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determine an amount of storage required to store the video message for delivery to the non-inmate; and   determine a storage limit applicable to the video message; and   provide the inmate an option to increase the applicable storage limit via the provided graphical user interface.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the storage limit applicable to the video message comprises a storage duration, after which time the video message will be deleted. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the storage limit applicable to the video message comprises a file size. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the option to increase the applicable storage limit is provided if the required storage for the video message is determined to exceed the applicable storage limit. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the identity of the participant in the video message is confirmed based on biometric recognition information associated with the inmate. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein biometric recognition information is used to compare the biometric recognition information of the inmate versus information describing the participant in the video message. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the biometric recognition information comprises one or more of speech recognition information and facial recognition information. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , the memory device storing additional computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:
 provide an investigative graphical interface allowing review of the video message prior to sending the video message to the non-inmate   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the investigative graphical interface allows the identification of particular portions of video message that include prohibited content.