PORTLAND, OREGON – JANUARY 29, 2016 –  Telmate today announced The Northwest Regional Re-Entry Center’s (NWRRC) adoption of Telmate Guardian — a technically advanced, low-cost, smartphone-based, GPS solution to its pre-release populations. Working together with the Bureau of Prisons, United States Probation and Pretrial Services, and other community agencies, the Reentry Center serves up to 150 men and women in a transitional supervised environment in their Portland facility.

The Reentry Center is offering Telmate Guardian to their low-risk, federal, pre-release population as an option to other traditional means such as ankle bracelets. “With Guardian, we’re looking at those individuals that don’t need the level of monitoring that an ankle monitor provides, so it’s incentivizing for them to get the ankle monitor off and to be placed on the smartphone app,” reports Case Manager Supervisor Troy Esera. “So far, the feedback has been positive” he added.

Individuals enrolled in NWRRC’s program are working to reunite with society by gaining suitable employment, securing housing, and reuniting with friends and family. “Familiarizing themselves with the latest technology like using smartphones is absolutely essential for them to make these connections,” Esera said. “Imagine going into prison during a time we didn’t even have smartphones, and coming out to the society we have today… talk about culture shock!”

The newly adopted Telmate Guardian app is compatible with both Android and Apple smartphones, and requires no new hardware or equipment making it a low cost, robust and easy to use monitoring solution. Guardian offers case managers real-time supervision, easy to read reports, and check-in controls, along with features like photos, voiceprints, and location compliance zones that make it simple to actively pinpoint and supervise enrollees.

With Guardian, case managers create an account online and provide a unique PIN to the enrollee; the enrollee then downloads the app and signs in. Based on their program, enrollees are prompted to check in by reading a series of randomized numbers. Voice and facial detection confirm the check-in as successful. Check-ins are reported and delivered to the case manager, which adds unprecedented human insight for case managers, who can determine not only where enrollees are, but how they are. Additionally, case managers can easily increase supervision coverage as a result of Telmate Guardian.

“We are proud to offer Telmate Guardian to non-violent, federal offenders,” said Telmate Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Hansen. “With Guardian, offenders have a better choice with a progressive, low-cost and discreet way of transitioning back to society without compromising security and control for case managers,” he said.

Telmate is giving live demos of Telmate Guardian at the American Probation and Parole Association’s (APPA) 2016 Winter Training Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 31st through February 2nd.

For more information about Telmate Guardian, visit https://www.telmate.com/guardian/.

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About Telmate: Telmate is the fastest growing provider of inmate phones and video visitation, secure messaging, mobile applications, inmate tablets and investigator tools. Telmate’s cutting-edge platforms are deployed in over 300 correctional facilities in North America spanning nearly all U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Telmate is headquartered in San Francisco, California. To find out more about Telmate, visit www.telmate.com.

About The Northwest Regional Re-entry Center: The Northwest Regional Re-entry Center (NWRRC) helps offenders make a safe and successful transition from prison to their communities. Working together with the Bureau of Prisons, United States Probation and Pretrial Services, and other community agencies, we serve up to 125 men and women in a transitional supervised environment. While in our program, these individuals are working to gain suitable employment, secure housing, and reunite with family. Securing employment, an appropriate residence, and adequate mentoring support is essential to reducing recidivism and strengthening our communities.

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