Providing Remote Visitation and Other Services to Non-Residents of Controlled-Environment Facilities via Display Devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing remote visitation and other services to non-residents of controlled-environment facilities via display devices. In some embodiments, a method may include performing, by one or more computer systems, receiving a command to initiate a remote visitation session between a resident and a non-resident of a controlled-environment facility, and enabling the non-resident's participation in the remote visitation session, wherein the non-resident participates in the remote visitation session using a display device selected from the group consisting of: a display device set, a projector, and a monitor.

1 . A system for providing visitation services to residents of a controlled-environment facility, the system comprising:
 a video visitation device configured to allow a resident of the controlled-environment facility to issue a request for a video visitation session with a non-resident of the controlled-environment facility;   a visitation scheduling system operable to receive the request for the visitation video session between the resident and the non-resident and further operable to determine whether the requested video visitation session is available to the resident based upon a schedule of the resident and a schedule of the controlled-environment facility; and   a visitation system operable to interoperate with a streaming plug-in used by the non-resident and the video visitation device of the resident, wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a television display device, and wherein the visitation system provides a user interface that allows the resident and non-resident to participate in the video visitation session, and wherein the non-resident operates the user interface via the streaming plug-in, and wherein the resident operates the user interface via the video visitation device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a resident management system operable to maintain a commissary account on behalf of the resident, wherein the resident management system is operable to interoperate with the streaming plug-in used by the non-resident.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein resident management system allows the non-resident to perform a transaction related to the commissary account via the streaming plug-in. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a streaming plug-in device coupled to the television display device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a cable or satellite service provider device coupled to the television display device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a video game controller coupled to the television display device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the video visitation device is further configured to allow the resident to issue a request for the video visitation session with a category of non-residents of the controlled-environment facility. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the visitation scheduling system is further operable to determine the availability of the non-residents comprising the category of non-residents specified in the request. 
     
     
         9 . A method for providing visitation services to residents of a controlled-environment facility, the method comprising:
 receiving a request from a video visitation device used by a resident of the controlled-environment facility for a video visitation session with a non-resident of the controlled-environment facility;   determining whether the requested video visitation session is available to the resident based upon a schedule of the resident and a schedule of the controlled-environment facility; and   providing a user interface that allows the resident and non-resident to participate in the video visitation session, wherein the user interface is operated by the non-resident via a streaming plug-in that is accessed by the resident via a television display device, and wherein the user interface is operated by the resident via the video visitation device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 maintaining, by a resident management system, a commissary account on behalf of the resident; and   allowing the non-resident to access the resident management system via the streaming plug-in.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the resident management system allows the non-resident to perform a transaction related to the commissary account via the streaming plug-in. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a streaming plug-in device coupled to the television display device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a cable or satellite service provider device coupled to the television display device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a video game controller coupled to the television display device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the resident for the video visitation session with a category of non-residents of the controlled-environment facility.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining the availability of the non-residents comprising the category of non-residents specified in the request.   
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for providing visitation services to residents of a controlled-environment facility, upon execution by a one or more processors, the program instructions cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a request from a video visitation device used by a resident of the controlled-environment facility for a video visitation session with a non-resident of the controlled-environment facility;   determine whether the requested video visitation session is available to the resident based upon a schedule of the resident and a schedule of the controlled-environment facility; and   provide a user interface that allows the resident and non-resident to participate in the video visitation session, wherein the user interface is operated by the non-resident via a streaming plug-in that is accessed by the resident via a television display device, and wherein the user interface is operated by the resident via the video visitation device.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , the program instructions further causing the one or more processors to:
 maintain a commissary account on behalf of the resident; and   allow the non-resident to access the commissary account via the streaming plug-in.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 18 , wherein the non-resident performs a transaction related to the commissary account via the streaming plug-in. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the non-resident accesses the streaming plug-in via a streaming plug-in device coupled to the television display device.