The debate over prison reform seems sharply divided between those who want to see stricter sentencing and harsher punishment and those who want to move toward a more rehabilitative system. Despite very real differences between these two philosophies, there may be one issue that both sides can agree on – inmate tablets.

Inmate tablets are the most effective inmate management tool I have seen in my 25 years as a corrections professional. Although some would argue that they are a luxury offering that criminals don’t deserve, the results we’ve seen at my facility in Pima County, Ariz, speak for themselves. Since implementing the tablet program, our suicide attempts and ideations are down 66 percent and our successful suicides are down 100 percent. Staff assaults are down 60 percent, and our inmate-on-inmate assaults are down 40 percent as well.