System for monitoring offender during correctional supervisory program

• US 10,565,851 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2018
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Tel-Link Corporation
• Inventors: Hodge, Stephen Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US15/997,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20180365966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

The present disclosure provides details of a system for monitoring an offender during a correctional supervisory program. The system includes an offender communication device that transmit and receive communications via a communication and monitoring center. The offender communication device include a smart phone or tablet that obtains identity information including biometric information from an offender before a communication is transmitted or received. The offender communication device also stores data including metadata, metrics, or content of a communication and transmits the stored data to the communication and monitoring center. The communication and monitoring center transmits and receives communications from the offender communication device and another communication device. Further, the communication and monitoring center provides monitoring functionality to record a communication and determine that a location of an offender is in an authorized location based on rules and requirements of the correctional supervisory program.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for remotely monitoring an offender in a correctional supervisory program, the monitoring system comprising:

a tracking device configured to track a location of the offender;

a first communication device associated with the offender;

a location server; and

a communication server, wherein the tracking device, the first communication device, the location server, and the communication server are connected over a network;

wherein the location server is configured to;

store location data indicating a required geographic area for the offender to be located within as required by the correctional supervisory program;

receive first location information from the tracking device over the network;

receive an image, video, or audio sample from the first communication device over the network;

corroborate the first location information received from the tracking device with the received image, video, or audio sample from the first communication device; and

perform a location verification by verifying the first location information with the stored location data; and

wherein the communication server is configured to;

connect the first communication device and a second communication device together over a network based on a result of the location verification; and

receive and transmit communications between the first and second communication devices over the network.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the tracking device comprises an ankle monitor or tether worn by the offender in a correctional supervisory program.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the location server is further configured to:

monitor the location of the offender based on the first location information;

receive second location information from the first communication device over the network; and

authenticate a current or past geographic location of the offender based on a verification of the first location information and the second location information.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring server configured to monitor contents of the communications between the first and second communication devices.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to determine whether to monitor some or all of the contents of the communications based on a result of the location verification, a type of the communications, or a jurisdiction requirement.

6. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to transmit, to the first communication device over the network, a first command to record the contents of the communications.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to transmit, to the first communication device over the network, a second command for transmitting the recorded contents.

8. A monitoring system for remotely monitoring an offender, the monitoring system comprising:

an identity server configured to;

store identity data of the offender;

request identity information from the offender via a first communication device; and

perform an identity verification by verifying the identity information with the stored identity data to authenticate the offender; and

a communication server configured to;

connect the first communication device and a second communication device together for real-time communication over a network based on a result of the identity verification; and

receive and transmit communications between the first and second communication devices over the network.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, further comprising:

a location server configured to;

receive first location information from the first communication device over the network; and

monitor a location of the offender based on the first location information.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising:

a tracking device worn by the offender and configured to track a location of the offender, wherein the location server is further configured to;

receive second location information from the tracking device over the network; and

authenticate a current or past geographic location of the offender based on a verification of the first location information and the second location information.

11. The monitoring system of claim 8, further comprising a monitoring server configured to monitor contents of the communications between the first and second communication devices.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to determine whether to monitor some or all of the contents of the communications based on a result of the identity verification, a type of the communications, or a jurisdiction requirement.

13. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to transmit, to the first communication device over the network, a first command to record the contents of the communications.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the monitoring server is further configured to transmit, to the first communication device over the network, a second command for transmitting the recorded contents.

15. A method of remotely monitoring an offender in a correctional supervisory program, the method comprising:

storing, by a location server, location data indicating a required geographic area for the offender to be located within as required by the correctional supervisory program;

receiving, by the location server and over a network, first location information from a tracking device configured to track a location of the offender;

receiving, by the location server and over the network, an image, video, or audio sample from a first communication device associated with the offender;

corroborating, by the location server, the first location information received from the tracking device with the received image, video, or audio sample from the first communication device;

performing, by the location server, a location verification by verifying the first location information with the stored location data;

connecting, by a communication server, the first communication device and a second communication device together over the network based on a result of the location verification; and

receiving and transmitting communications between the first and second communication devices over the network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracking device comprises an ankle monitor or tether worn by the offender in the correctional supervisory program.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

monitoring, by the location server, the location of the offender based on the first location information;

receiving second location information from the first communication device over the network; and

authenticating, by the location server, a current or past geographic location of the offender based on a verification of the first location information and the second location information.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

monitoring, by a monitoring server, contents of the communications between the first and second communication devices.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining, by the monitoring server, whether to monitor some or all of the contents of the communications based on a result of the location verification, a type of the communications, or a jurisdiction requirement.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting, to the first communication device over the network, a command to record the contents of the communications.