As community supervision becomes modernized to fit today’s digital climate, technology is becoming increasingly important to support departments and clients alike. More probation and parole departments are relying on software and mobile apps to not only streamline client supervision but to also overcome challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCRAM TouchPoint® now has a way to integrate video chat functionality to help community corrections departments communicate with clients face-to-face, safely and effectively.
Video Chat with Clients Using Any Platform
As the 2020 pandemic forced community corrections departments to begin using video and web conferencing software, many developed a preferred platform. Officers frequently use video conferencing technology to connect with clients for virtual office visits, quick check-ins, or as a follow-up to any remote client activity an officer may have concerns about.
TouchPoint can be used with any platform—including GoToMeeting™, Microsoft® Teams, Zoom, and more—so departments can continue using their web conferencing software of choice. Depending on the platform’s capabilities, officers can perform scheduled or on-demand video meetings to increase efficiency and minimize face-to-face contact.
Virtual Visits: The New Normal
Using the TouchPoint secure messaging or Text-to-All feature, officers can schedule secure, two-way video meetings with one or multiple clients via their preferred platform and simply send the meeting link to the client. The client can tap the link to join the meeting on the video conferencing app directly, creating a seamless experience. Officers can also use this to confirm a client’s location by having them show street signs or nearby landmarks.
Additionally, officers can record the meeting via the video chat platform and share it with the client using TouchPoint’s messaging functionality or the document management feature for meeting transcripts. This helps clients stay on track with their supervision requirements and can also act as an audit trail to ensure officers and clients have a record of video conferencing activities. Clients can also set up meetings with officers the same way—by scheduling a meeting on their preferred video chat platform and sending a link to the officer, creating an open line of communication.
With corrections departments turning to new and modern solutions to supervise their clients, it is becoming more common to rely on technology to get the job done effectively. Mobile video chats are beginning to supplement or even replace in-person contact, a trend that flourished during the pandemic but anticipated to continue well into the future.
