Controlled communication between residents of controlled-environment facilities

• US 10,009,456 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Securus Technologies Incorporated (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Edwards, Adam C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc D
• Application Number:
  US15/383,927
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 379 3201, 37911417, 37911421, 37911424, 379188, 37920107
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7652 shared by users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party service or three-way call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/558 Databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2272 Subscriber line supervision circuits, e.g. call detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656

Abstract

Embodiments receive an indication of initiation of communication from a controlled-environment facility resident, using a communications device, with another controlled-environment facility resident. A determination is made whether the residents are allowed to communicate and the communication is established between the communications device and another communications device in use by the other resident. The residents may be residents of different or the same controlled-environment facility(ies). The communication may be monitored and/or a database of residents that communicate with one another may be compiled. The communication between the controlled-environment facility residents may proceed, even despite a determination or predetermination that the residents are not allowed to communicate with one another, so the communication may be monitored. At least one of the residents may be charged for the communication, such as by charging a community communications account maintained to the benefit of at least one of the residents.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one controlled-environment facility communications control system, an indication of initiation of communication from a first controlled-environment facility resident, using a first communications device, with a second controlled-environment facility resident;

establishing a communication link between the first communications device and a second communications device for use by the second controlled-environment facility resident, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, under control of at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system;

receiving, by at least one controlled-environment facility communications control system, an indication of initiation of communication from the first or second controlled-environment facility resident, using the first or second communications device, with a third controlled-environment facility resident; and

extending the communication link between the first and second communications devices to a third communications device for use by the third controlled-environment facility resident, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, under control of at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system whether the first resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident and whether the second resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident; and

establishing the communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device based upon determining that the first resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident and the second resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident and/or that the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident; and

proceeding, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, with establishing the communication between the first communications device and the second communications device, despite determining that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident and/or that the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring the communication, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising alerting an investigator, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first and second residents are communicating.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising compiling, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, a database correlating residents that at least attempt a communication with one another.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resident is a target resident, and the method further comprises alerting an investigator, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first resident is communicating with the target resident.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the residents are residents of different controlled-environment facilities.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the residents are residents of the same controlled-environment facility.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system whether the first resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, whether the second resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, whether the third resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident and whether the third resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising extending the communication link based upon determining that the first resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident and the third resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident, and/or the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident;

proceeding, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, with extending the communication link between the first and second communications devices to the third communications device, despite determining that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident, and/or the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident; and

monitoring the communication, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system and/or alerting an investigator, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first, second and/or third residents are communicating.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising compiling, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, a database correlating residents that at least attempt a communication with one another.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second and/or or third resident is a target resident, and the method further comprises alerting an investigator, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first resident is communicating with the target resident.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resident is a target resident, and the method further comprises alerting an investigator, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the third resident is communicating with the target resident.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the third resident is a target resident, and the method further comprises alerting an investigator, by at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system, that the first and/or second resident is communicating with the target resident.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the residents are residents of the same controlled-environment facility.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the residents are residents of different controlled-environment facilities.

19. A system for controlled communication between residents of one or more controlled-environment facilities, the system comprising:

at least one controlled-environment facility management system; and

at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system configured to;

receive an indication of initiation of communication from the first controlled-environment facility resident, using a first communications device, with the second controlled-environment facility resident;

establish a communication link between the first communications device and a second communications device for use by the second controlled-environment facility resident;

receive an indication of initiation of communication from the first or second controlled-environment facility resident, using the first or second communications device, with a third controlled-environment facility resident;

extend the communication link between the first and second communications devices to a third communications device for use by the third controlled-environment facility resident; and

control the communications link.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one controlled-environment facility management system is further configured to compile a database correlating residents that at least attempt a communication with one another.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first, second and/or third resident is a target resident, and at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system is further configured to alert the investigator that the target resident and the other resident or residents are communicating.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the residents are residents of different controlled-environment facilities.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the residents are residents of the same controlled-environment facility.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein:

at least one controlled-environment facility management system is configured to determine whether the first resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident, whether the second resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident, whether the first resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, whether the second resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, whether the third resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident and whether the third resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein at least two of the residents are residents of the same controlled-environment facility.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein at least two of the residents are residents of different controlled-environment facilities.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system is further configured to establish the communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device based upon a determination, by at least one controlled-environment facility management system, that the first resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident and the second resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system is further configured to establish the communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device despite a determination, by at least one controlled-environment facility management system, that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident and/or that the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident and monitor the communication and/or alert an investigator that the first and second residents are communicating.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system is further configured to extend the communication link between the first and second communications devices to a third communications device for use by the third controlled-environment facility resident based upon a determination, by at least one controlled-environment facility management system, that the first resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident and the third resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one controlled-environment facility communication control system is further configured to extend the communication link between the first and second communications devices to the third communications device despite a determination, by at least one controlled-environment facility management system, that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident, and/or the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident and monitor the communication and/or alert an investigator that the first and second residents are communicating.

27. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more controlled-environment facility systems, cause the controlled-environment facility system to:

receive an indication of initiation of communication from a first controlled-environment facility resident, using a first communications device, with a second controlled-environment facility resident;

establish a communication link between the first communications device and a second communications device for use by the second controlled-environment facility resident;

receive an indication of initiation of communication from the first or second controlled-environment facility resident, using the first or second communications device, with a third controlled-environment facility resident;

extend the communication link between the first and second communications devices to a third communications device for use by the third controlled-environment facility resident; and

control the communications link.

28. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the program instructions stored thereon, upon execution by one or more controlled-environment facility systems, further cause the controlled-environment facility system to:

determine whether the first resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident, whether the second resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident, whether the first resident is allowed to communication with the third resident, whether the second resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, whether the third resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident and whether the third resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident; and

establish the communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device based upon a determination that the first resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident and the second resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident;

extend the communication link between the first and second communications devices to the third communications device based upon a determination that the first resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is allowed to communicate with the first resident and the third resident is allowed to communicate with the second resident;

or, establish the communication link between the first communications device and the second communications device despite a determination that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident and/or the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident, and/or extend the communication link between the first and second communications devices to the third communications device despite a determination that the first resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the second resident is not allowed to communicate with the third resident, the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the first resident, and/or the third resident is not allowed to communicate with the second resident and monitor the communication and/or alert an investigator that the residents are communicating.