Alertus Solutions for Correctional Facilities
Alertus serves a variety of mass notification and critical communication needs. From providing accommodations for institutionalized individuals who may be hard of hearing, deaf, or disabled to Security Programs that help inform staff, officers, and visitors of critical events like escapes and breaches — our solutions have you covered.
Mass Notification Products for Correctional Facilities
Reliable emergency notification is a crucial part of providing a safe environment. Alertus works with prisons and jails across the United States and Caribbean and offers a variety of industry-leading solutions to notify entire facilities or select individuals through these flexible, preferred solutions:
Alert Beacon®
A wall-mounted, audible-visual device that ensures institutionalized individuals, staff, and visitors receive critical alerts even when the internet is down or the power is out.
Alert Display
The Alertus Alert Display is a commercial display that correctional facilities can use to reinforce audible alerts and communicate critical messages across indoor areas, such as corridors and building entrances.
High Power Speaker Array (HPSA)
Cover outdoor areas with siren tones and clear voice messages using text-to-speech technology.
Activation Button
Instantly activate pre-set alerts from the Alertus System in one step.
Two-Way Radio
Deliver site-specific communication to security officers regarding safety protocols.
Achieve Inclusive Alerting Across Facilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires detention and correctional facilities to communicate as effectively with prisoners with disabilities as they would with prisoners without disabilities (28 CFR § 35.160(a)(1)).
The ADA Title II regulations identify the auxiliary aids and services that a state or local correctional facility may have to provide, including: “[q]ualified interpreters, notetakers, computer-aided transcription services, written materials, telephone handset amplifiers, assistive listening devices, assistive listening systems, telephones compatible with hearing aids, closed caption decoders, open and closed captioning, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDDs) [also called teletypewriters or TTYs], videotext displays, or other effective methods of making aurally delivered materials available to individuals with hearing impairments.” (28 C.F.R. § 35.104).
Alertus’ innovative products are scalable and designed with inclusivity in mind. Your correctional facility can customize its Alertus System to meet your unique needs and provide reasonable accommodations for all individuals, including those with disabilities.
LED Marquee
LED Marquees are a cost-effective, visual way to reach large indoor or outdoor public areas, like housing units and common areas, with emergency notifications or simple announcements. They require a wall-mounted Alert Beacon to drive them.
Digital Signage Override
Override digital signage with customized, full-screen alerts that scroll to allow easy viewing from a distance and playback alert tones and voice messages on systems with audio output capabilities.
At least two percent of general holding and housing cells must be equipped with communication features designed to accommodate individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. These features include telephones with volume control, where telephones are provided in cells, and visible alarm signals, where audible emergency alarm systems are provided for cell occupants and occupants are allowed to evacuate independently (Sections 232 and 807, ADA Standards).
Strobes
Alertus offers unique strobe devices with multicolored light options and, in some cases, clear sound to deliver various alerts from a single device. With the Alertus System, visual signaling is zoneable to enable safety officials to notify specific areas, buildings, and corridors.
VoIP Phones
Transform inmate (if applicable) and personnel phones into a unified emergency communication system to activate audible-visual notifications on all or select supported VoIP phones.
Leveraging Existing Solutions
The Alertus System is a comprehensive solution that empowers your correctional facility to keep staff, officers, institutionalized individuals, and visitors safe. By leveraging your existing infrastructure and IT assets, our system streamlines emergency notifications under one powerful platform, giving you the control and adaptability you need in critical situations.
Fire Alarm Control Panel Interface
Fire alarm integration allows fire panel events to activate the Alertus System, extending to the Alert Beacon and text-to-speech functionality to provide spoken voice output. The system also ties in with existing strobes and sounders.
Camera Integration
Amplify security by integrating Alertus’ Mass Notification System with legacy cameras to identify threats and automatically disperse emergency notifications. Smart camera analysis detects threats such as disgruntled individuals or intruders and activates the Alertus System to send alerts to select emergency personnel or all staff.
Additional Resources
Case Study: Laclede County
Solutions Sheet: Correctional Facilities
White Paper: Selecting an Emergency Mass Notification System