​The Best Specialty Access Doors and Security Systems for Prison Facilities

Maintaining a secure perimeter and ensuring the safety of the staff is paramount in correctional facilities. Prison security operators have a unique set of security needs based on their ability to balance many moving parts - including facility layout, visitors, resident management, and employee safety - without mitigating efficiency and the quality of security.

A comprehensive security system for prisons and correctional facilities is essential since it can be a deciding factor in potentially dangerous situations. While everyone knows that prisons are secure, an average individual may not fully comprehend the various security systems used in jails and the facility, which involves more than just locks and bars.

Surveillance cameras are no longer efficient in prisons when they have a more advanced and unified security system. Surveillance methods must be designed in consideration of the specific needs of each individual in the facility as prisons vary in size, capacity, and level of security required.

Difference Between Jails and Prisons

Jails and prisons may be synonymous by definition, but these facilities are very different from each other. Local authorities operate jails as short-term holding quarters for people awaiting their trial or serving time for misdemeanor acts. If you need to find an inmate or know more about a correctional facility near you, here are some sample keywords that you can use to search online:

• correctional facility near me
• correctional facility inmate lookup
• correctional facilities examples
• correctional facility inmate search

On the other hand, prisons are long-term facilities run by the state of the federal government. The prison population consists of convicted criminals that have committed felonies. The period of the prisoner's incarceration varies depending on their crime where they will be placed in either minimum, medium, or maximum-security cells.

Security Systems - The Old and The New

Customizing a facility's security system provides many benefits in ensuring the safety of the officers, staff members, prisoners, and the public. Jails and prisons have unique challenges that other establishments don't possess - such as escape attempts, hostage situations, gang riots, possession of illegal contrabands, and overcrowding - in addition to the constantly increasing security regulations.

All security personnel must always remain vigilant of the inmates' activities for the safety of the staff and their own. The rise of security advancements has made this formidable task more manageable and more precise. Here are some of the standard security systems correction facilities use and the new devices slowly taking over.

• Video Surveillance - Although video surveillance is not as effective on its own, it is still widely considered an essential security tool. It allows the officers to keep a close eye on every individual's actions inside the facility. Despite the prison's size, video surveillance is still prevalent throughout the compound. Due to age degradation, many facilities have upgraded their video systems with additional features such as increased coverage, video clarity, inmate tracking, facial recognition, perimeter surveillance, and mobility.

• Network Security - While jails and prisons primarily benefit from technological advancements in security, it also poses a formidable risk in the facility's defense system. As the system within correctional facilities becomes more integrated, it's critical to ensure that the network is guarded against cyber invasion. Today, it's vitally important that there is active coordination between all networks to properly establish firewalls and other necessary protection.

• Temperature Screening - Temperature monitoring systems significantly impact the prison's current visiting procedures and identify inmates' health conditions. Now that the threat of COVID-19 is still prevalent in many areas, the early identification of potential ill inmates or visitors is critical so they can be immediately isolated or not allowed to the facility.

• Remote Services - Due to system integration, many facilities can remotely manage and access essential data and security systems privately. The technology allows officers to gain access, providing convenience and faster response time remotely.

• Security Access Doors - When it comes to secured facilities, it is ideal for installing access doors with tamper-proof locks and latches to prevent unauthorized access to valves and controls, which are both critical components in the facility. Many credible suppliers have specialty access doors that are highly useful in correctional compounds. These include ligature resistant access panels, weatherproof access doors, stainless steel access doors, cleanroom access panels, general-purpose security access panels, custom access doors for specialized needs, the Acudor anti-ligature access door, and even watertight access panel for wet applications. Understanding the Acudor access panel installation, setting your expectations, and knowing the purpose of each entry can benefit the facility in many ways other than providing secured and convenient access.

• Drone Detection - Modern threats from drones change how the corrections industry secures the surrounding areas beyond the perimeter. As these threats persist, the facility's ability to monitor and detect drones from delivering contraband is becoming more crucial. Drone mitigation involves four steps, including detection, verification, tracking, and alerting.

The recent innovation in technology has brought new challenges to light by exposing the vulnerability of security systems in jails and prisons that they never knew existed. Nevertheless, this vulnerability has pushed the facilities to adopt security advancements and technological acceleration. These technologies will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in assisting the federal bureau of prisons and even minimum-security prisons to reevaluate and redefine their current security strategies.

When it comes to secure access doors, you can rely on Best Access Doors to fulfill your security needs. Call us now at (800) 483-0823 to know more about our high-quality panels.