'Text Connect' From Securus Helps Friends and Family Stay Connected to Incarcerated Loved Ones

"Text Connect means instant connection for incarcerated individuals, which is important because staying connected with loved ones is foundational to successful reentry."

 – Dave Abel, Aventiv Technologies CEO

DALLAS, Aug. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies, the leading technology company driving efforts to better serve the incarcerated through rehabilitative justice, has launched Text Connect, an instant messaging program in select correctional facilities. As one of the first programs to provide real-time, instant communication for incarcerated people and their families, Text Connect has the potential to revolutionize the correctional communications landscape. In just the first fifty days of the pilot, friends and family added over 500,000 messages to current communications plans and have already sent nearly 450,000 real-time messages to communicate with their incarcerated loved ones.

"For too long, correctional facilities were digital deserts. We are changing that. We listened to our consumers seeking the convenient connection tools that technology can provide and created Text Connect. This new offering mirrors the quick and easy text messaging most people take for granted today, however it's built with the security measures needed to operate successfully in a corrections environment," said Dave Abel, CEO of Aventiv Technologies, the parent company of Securus Technologies. "Our initial sites are demonstrating that demand for instant communication among incarcerated people and their loved ones is strong. Instant communication provides instant connection, and connection gives hope and inspiration."

"When Securus approached us to see if we wanted to be a pilot site for Text Connect, we jumped at the opportunity to be first in line. They offer many communication services that make it easier for our population to get the support they need from their loved ones. Text Connect has offered a fast and easy solution since March 2022. This service was an absolute success and I would recommend it to any facility that is interested in streamlining communications between incarcerated individuals and their friends and family," said LaPorte County Jail Commander, Captain Al Ott.

Friends and family can access Text Connect through the Securus mobile app on their smartphones, and the incarcerated can use it on the Securus tablets. With a nominal charge per message, Text Connect prioritizes affordability alongside instant communication.

Text Connect overcomes logistical barriers that often impede instant communication between incarcerated people and their loved ones. Security software can flag any dangerous or inappropriate messages in real-time, so communications aren't impeded by the manual screening that traditional mail requires. Text Connect allows incarcerated people the chance to be more integrated into their loved ones' day-to-day lives, creating unprecedented opportunities for relationship-building and communicating with the people who matter most in their lives.

Headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, Aventiv Technologies serves more than 3,450 public safety, law enforcement and corrections agencies and over 1,100,000 incarcerated individuals across North America, Aventiv is committed to serve and connect by providing emergency response, incident management, public information, investigation, biometric analysis, communication, information management, incarcerated self-service, and monitoring products and services in order to make our world a safer place to live. For more information, please visit www.Aventiv.com. Aventiv is a portfolio company of Platinum Equity. Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world.

SOURCE Aventiv