Tablets are mostly used for content consumption and entertainment purposes by consumers, but prison inmates from Rikers Island in the US are being offered Galaxy Tab S2 tablets for their education and rehabilitation. The inmates can use educational and vocational apps, read e-books, prepare for upcoming court cases, and in some cases communicate with family members using the provided Galaxy Tab S2. All of this is being done while keeping the prison safe for the inmates.
Christopher Grewe, the CEO and founder of American Prison Data Systems (APDS) said that they've developed special enclosures for the Galaxy Tab S2, which make them safer than usual pen-and-paper solution or even computers with mice and keyboards. These tablets can be controlled remotely, have a custom web browser, and are secured by AirWatch's Mobile Device Management solution. APDS settled for Android tablets because they are more customizable compared to iOS-based iPads.
The Galaxy Tab S2 provided to the inmates are connected to the Internet using Verizon's 4G LTE cellular data network, but Wi-Fi has been disabled for security purpose. It is being reported that most of the inmates who used these tablets reacted positively, and their behavior was improved, especially younger inmates who were addicted to texting, listening to music, and playing games before they were sent to the Rikers Island prison.
