Westmoreland lockup cashing in with online books, movies

Westmoreland County collected more than $161,000 last year from jail inmates who rented movies and books and made phone calls on tablet computers.

Warden John Walton said the money from the first year of the program, which allows inmates recreational use of the tablets from the privacy of their cells, could increase in 2020.

“We’re always looking for ways to bring in additional money to the county,” Walton said.

About 150 tablets were provided by Global Tel Link, the private company that operates the telephone system at the jail. The company pays the county an annual fee of $472,000 to operate the phone system used by inmates.

Fees generated from movie and book rentals, video game play and telephone calls made on the tablets are in addition to the annual phone fees paid to the county. Walton said the first year generated more cash than expected. The money was turned over to the county’s general operating fund this month.

The extra revenue comes at a time when the county is seeking every dollar it can find. A budget crunch is expected to leave the government with less than $300,000 in its surplus account at the end of the year.

For more than a decade, the county relied on its surplus to balance the budget. The 2020 budget, which included a 2.4% raise in property taxes, relies on the transfer of about $5.5 million from the surplus to balance revenues and expenses.

Use of the tablets, provided to the jail at no cost, started in earnest last year.

Movie and book rentals are controlled by jail officials, Walton said. Jail administrators gave pre-approval to movies and books available for rent by inmates. Inmates cannot rent pornographic materials, the warden said.

“They can only watch and read what we approve,” Walton said.

Jail officials said Monday that additional uses for the tablets are being explored, including allowing inmates to use them for video visits.

Officials are also exploring allowing inmates to use tablets to send text messages.

“We think that will decrease the flow of mail into the jail,” Walton said.

Over the past year, officials have become increasingly concerned that drugs, specifically synthetic marijuana, is being smuggled into the facility through the mail. Officials now open and inspect all mail before copies of letters are forwarded to inmates.