In 2022, Community Tech Network profiled one of our learners, Charles Hale, who, before participating in CTN’s technology classes, had been incarcerated for 48 years.

Hale entered jail in 1974, many years before things like smartphones and laptops were even invented. He said, “I felt like a Neanderthal when I got out [of prison]. I honestly didn’t even know how to turn a phone on and off … I couldn’t use a touchscreen. When I went to places like grocery stores and even the DMV, I had to ask for help [to fill out on-screen forms and pay at self-checkouts]. People looked at me like they didn’t know what planet I was from.”

Yet, even folks who are incarcerated for much shorter periods than Hale can still be left behind, as technology continues to evolve each day while they remain cut off from the outside world.

Understanding the Digital Divide in Prisons

The digital divide refers to the gap between those who have access to technology and the skills to use it, compared to those who do not. Many correctional facilities restrict or completely deny inmates access to the web due to security concerns, limiting their ability to engage in online activities, education, and communication.

Why This Is a Problem

There are many issues caused by the lack of internet access in prisons, but here are just a few:

• Education and Recidivism: Finding a job after being released from prison can be difficult, as many employers are reluctant to hire folks with a criminal record. This issue is only exacerbated when the released individuals lack the basic technology skills needed in most jobs today. Thus, confronted with unemployment, many people may return to crime. However, educational opportunities have been shown to significantly improve folks’ chances of finding meaningful employment after release, thereby decreasing their likelihood of reoffending. On average across the U.S. there is a 70% to 85% recidivism rate, meaning that about 8 out of 10 people who are released from prison will likely return. This rate drops to just 13.5%, however, if people can access an associate’s degree, and only 5.6% when folks can obtain a bachelor’s degree. Nevertheless, although many universities now offer online classes, prisoners who are not allowed to use the internet cannot access them.
• Lack of Means to Report Abuse: If you’ve ever watched an episode of Orange Is the New Black or any other prison-related show, you’ve likely seen portrayals of horrific conditions in jails and guards grossly mistreating inmates. Unfortunately, this is not just “made for TV.” According to a report by the United Nations, U.S. prisons are “rife with human rights abuses, especially against Black people.” For example, practices like forced unpaid labor and shackling women during childbirth are extremely common. Without technology to take and upload photos and videos, prisoners have no way to show the rest of the world the reality of their conditions and demand change.
• Communication: Many inmates are often transferred to prisons outside of their home states. Imagine being from Georgia and getting sent to a prison in Seattle. Family and friends will probably never be able to visit, especially if they come from low-income households. What if you have a newborn child? A dying parent? Forget about seeing them. Video calls could at least provide an alternative, but this is typically not allowed, thereby increasing inmates’ levels of depression and isolation.

Reentry Challenges: What Is All This New Technology?

The digital divide doesn’t just end at prison walls; it extends to the reentry process. As society becomes more reliant on technology for everyday tasks, individuals like Hale who are released from incarceration may struggle to navigate a world that has evolved during their time away.

Luke Elliot Sommer, in writing for Wired, says, “I’ve been in federal prison for 17 years. During that time, I have watched flip phones become iPhones. … Still, I have been largely unable to use that technology myself. I could only read about it in magazines and newspapers. … When I leave [prison], I will be entering a society that is unrecognizably different from the one I left. Over 20 years in prison will have done nothing to prepare me for the seismic shifts that have occurred. And that needs to change.”

Basic digital skills, essential for employment, housing, and communication, become prerequisites for successful reintegration. Bridging the digital gap is crucial for breaking the cycle of recidivism and fostering a more inclusive society.

Organizations like Community Tech Network can offer digital literacy classes to folks once they are released from prison, but correctional facilities should consider offering technology training themselves in order to ensure that individuals are better prepared for the challenges they will face post-release.

But Isn’t Technology Snuck Into Prisons Anyway?

It is true that cellphones are sometimes snuck into prisons by guards or dropped off by drones. After all, this is how dating sites like Meet an Inmate, Inmate Mingle, and Love a Prisoner exist! Nevertheless, there are often extremely harsh penalties for being caught with a cellphone. For example, in 2019, a group of inmates recorded a hip-hop song on a cellphone and uploaded the video online, receiving more than a million views. As punishment: the seven individuals received a combined 7,000 days (19 years) in solitary confinement.

Additionally, it should also be noted that even if some cellphones do enter prisons through various means, smartphones are not enough to bridge the digital divide.

Bridging the Divide in Prisons: A Flawed Approach

Several initiatives have emerged to address the digital divide among incarcerated individuals, and some prisons are exploring the implementation of secure internet access for educational purposes, allowing inmates to participate in online courses and access relevant information.

However, the current state of affairs is bleak.

Some prisons (not all) have signed contracts with companies such as Jpay, that have designed simplistic tablets for prisons. According to The Guardian, these devices look like “a less colorful version of a tablet designed for preschoolers, but with a clear case that prevents inmates from hiding contraband materials inside.” However, using these tablets can cost prisoners and their families exorbitant amounts. Paul Wright, director of the Human Rights Defense Center, says companies like Jpay “charge an arm and a leg for crappy substandard service.”

First, the tablets themselves are overpriced. Second, inmates must pay for almost everything on the tablet. Want to send a message? It might cost about $1. Receive a reply? It’ll be another $1 to open it. Want to download a game or song? Gotta pay for that too. In some cases, even just logging in to the device and letting it sit idly can incur charges!

Making matters worse, if families attempt to transfer money into their loved one’s tablet accounts so that they can text and call them, prisons can claim more than 40% of the amount as “fees.” (For example, If $120 is deposited in someone’s tablet account, only $70 may actually be transferred. The other $50 will be given to the jail.)

Some prisons limit time on these tablets, with extensions rewarded for good behavior.

Promising Initiatives to Promote Digital Equity in Prisons

While the idea of allowing tablets in prisons is still relatively new, several jails have initiated slightly more promising initiatives. For example, Edovo has created secured versions of Samsung Galaxy Tabs that contain a plethora of educational materials from sources like Kahn Academy and Ted Talks. The tablets are distributed each morning, monitored remotely 24/7, and allow inmates to earn points by taking educational and rehabilitative courses, which can then be spent later on games, music, or videos.

In Texas, some pilot programs have brought computer labs to prisons and allow inmates to enroll in online coursework. In San Quentin, California, a coding program, Code 7370, teaches prisoners to build their own websites.

Additionally, Ameelio, a technology nonprofit, created the nation’s first free-to-use video prison calling platform, which allows inmates to call family members at no cost. It also allows them to participate in online classes and attend virtual guidance counselor sessions and office hours with professors.

However, while such innovations are extremely promising, none have been adopted across the U.S. on a wide scale.

Outside of the U.S., there are also several approaches to look towards. In Finland, prisoners are learning about artificial intelligence (AI) by taking online tech classes. In Belgium, a system called PrisonCloud allows individuals to access the internet, albeit in a limited and controlled manner. In Denmark (PDF), there are different levels of internet access afforded to individuals based on their risk profile. There is (1) “tightly-controlled classroom use through a secure network,” as well as (2) “internet cafes that allow prisoners expanded access to the internet, primarily for educational purposes, job applications, and other communication,” and (3) “fairly unrestricted access.” Access is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Challenges and Controversies on Internet Access in Prisons

While the need to bridge the digital divide in prisons is evident, it is not without challenges and controversies. Security concerns often dictate the limitations on internet access, with fears of cybercrime, unauthorized communication, or exploitation of technology for illicit purposes. Striking a balance between security measures and providing meaningful digital access remains a complex task that requires careful consideration and innovation.

One argument claims that if inmates have access to technology, they could contact witnesses to threaten them, thereby interfering with judicial proceedings. Additionally, there are fears that prisoners could harass victims (such as if a stalker continues to message the victim even from behind prison walls), arrange to bring drugs into the prison, or continue to manage their drug circles or other illicit businesses by contacting their group members that have not yet been locked up.

However, most activists argue that technology is so advanced nowadays that monitoring prisoners’ activities online would be quite straightforward and easy. Just as elementary children can use the internet safely with parental locks and controls, a system could be designed with certain locks for inmates.

According to two experts, “A prisoner’s every keystroke can be readily tracked. Every single type of interaction that an inmate has via the internet can be monitored.” They also claim that artificial intelligence techniques can flag any suspicious behavior online for human guards to investigate.

They continue: “Occasional use violation will occur, but the solution to this is obvious. The prisoner who committed the breach should have internet use suspended or canceled. Depending on the nature of breach, they may also be charged with a criminal offense. It is a grossly disproportionate response to punish all prisoners for the possible or actual infractions of a few.”

Moving Forward

The digital divide among incarcerated individuals is not often the face of media attention, but it is a crucial issue. How can recently released individuals be expected to reintegrate into modern society if they are not equipped with the most up-to-date technological skills?

The internet is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity and a basic human right (as declared by the United Nations) that is used for everything from ordering medication, finding housing, applying for jobs, learning new skills, calling a taxi, using QR codes to order at restaurants, and even starting small businesses by selling products or services on websites like Etsy, among so much more.

As society progresses into an increasingly digital age, neglecting the needs of those within the prison system perpetuates inequities and hinders rehabilitation efforts. By acknowledging the challenges, advocating for policy changes, and supporting initiatives that promote digital access and education, we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all members of society, regardless of their past mistakes.

Bridging the digital divide in prisons is not just a matter of technological progression; it is a commitment to justice, rehabilitation, and the belief in the transformative power of education and connectivity.