Close The Gaps in Correctional Security

You walk into your correctional workplace every day, relying on security technology to keep you, your staff, and your inmates safe. And chances are, you’ve got a solid system in place, including some or all of the following:

• Archway metal detectors
• K9 units
• Hand wands
• Body imaging equipment
• SERT units
• Search teams

Did you know that even with all of these systems, you may still have large gaps in protection?

With correctional facilities managing more inmates with fewer resources, it’s important to identify these gaps and consider new solutions. No one system is a “silver bullet,” but new security technology can add critical layers of safety.

GAP 1: INADEQUATE DETECTION SENSITIVITY

Traditional archway metal detectors can do a lot to keep people safe — but there’s a lot they miss, too. That’s because these detectors work by sensing only those objects whose metallic signature is above a certain threshold.

Adding a layer of security with advanced detection systems is one way to close this gap. This technology doesn’t rely on metallic
mass and detects a wide range of steel-based materials of any size — the material most associated with dangerous contraband.

What contraband easily passes through traditional metal detectors?

• Razorblades
• Bobby pins
• Handcuff keys
• Cell phones
• Cigarette lighters
• Drug paraphernalia
• Tattoo needles

GAP 2: SECURITY SYSTEMS LACK PORTABILITY

Different day, same screening location. Most correctional facilities concentrate their security systems at entrances or other fixed locations. It’s an essential strategy but one that creates a dangerous side effect: inmates know when to expect screening and can prepare in advance.

Hand wands, pat-downs and K9 units offer much-needed portability but are subject to higher risk of human error as well as limited hours of use in the case of K9s. They’re also more likely to cause aggressive inmate behavior because of the closer human contact.

Fixed security leads to new risks:

• Throwovers
• Mailed contraband
• Dron pickups and deliveries
• Weapons created from materials inside

GAP 3: CONCEALMENT OPPORTUNITIES

You know that archway metal detectors are relegated to predictable, fixed locations, and they can’t detect a wide range of objects. But here’s another vulnerability of relying on these systems: they’re easy to game. There are plenty of online videos demonstrating exactly how to beat an archway metal detector, which opens up new possibilities for concealment.

How to fool a traditional metal detector:

• Wrap an item in foil or electrical tape to deflect the magnetic field
• Tuck items into clothing or belongings such as mattresses
• Conceal in the body, such as the mouth or other cavities

And while body scanners can see through bodies, prices are a barrier as they can cost up to $200k.

GAP 4: SCREENING INEFFICIENCY

There are always many inmates needing to be screened, but only a small group of guards manage the task. It’s a situation ripe for disruption and escalating tension. Security methods such as hand wands, K9 units, and body imaging can make things worse by being slow and cumbersome. They require more costly investment, staff, and training, too. Archway metal detectors can screen a higher volume of inmates, but it’s still a struggle to keep up with the numbers. And, as we know, this method can let in a large amount of contraband.

Solutions That Close The Gap

1. Use the element of surprise
   Make security checkpoints and screenings less predictable by setting up security checkpoints at unexpected or
   unconventional locations, such as loading docks. Inmates know these areas serve as gateways in and out of the
   facility. Or rotate your more portable systems to other areas. Keep inmates from preparing and keep staff from
   becoming complacent.
2. Make structural adjustments
   Security needs to move beyond the front doors and become more portable. Consider a broader net of security using alternate processes and technology strategically placed across your facility. High fences and defensive netting can prevent throw overs. Drone detection software can be an effective, if costly, way to secure the perimeter and overhead area.
3. Find the needle in the haystack: Metrasens Advanced Detection Systems
   Adding to — not replacing — your current systems with innovative, affordable advanced detection systems help efficiently close gaps. Metrasens technology, in the form of a portable, freestanding screening system, screens a large number of inmates for items that traditional systems could miss.