While Alcatraz is now a tourist attraction, the nearby San Quentin prison remains the nation’s oldest prison, having been built in 1854. Of course, prisons can be renovated, but the criminal justice system is too often stuck in the past — including when it comes to technology.

Now, the current coronavirus epidemic has placed a premium on the ability of many government systems to find alternatives to unnecessary in-person interactions. This brings into sharp relief the need to better utilize technology in our criminal justice system.