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Northern Illinois county jail to allow inmates tablet access

Inmates at a northern Illinois jail will have access to tablets that can be used as phones and for approved classes.
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ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — Inmates at a northern Illinois jail will have access to tablets that can be used as phones and for approved classes.

The Rockford Register Star reports the tablets will be fully activated Tuesday at the Winnebago County Jail.

The tablets can’t be used to browse the internet and don’t have social media, video or camera capabilities. Instead, they’re intranet-based, meaning they’ll only allow content the sheriff approves. That includes anger management and parenting classes. Inmates with money in their commissary accounts can make calls.

Inmate access to tablets will be between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Mike Delgado is a Winnebago County corrections officer and union vice president. He says he visited the Kenosha County Jail in Wisconsin that lets inmates use tablets and credits them with reducing jail fights.

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