PARAGOULD — An official with an eastern Arkansas county jail says he expects video visitation services for inmates to begin this week.
Greene County jail administrator Dave Tierney told the Paragould Daily Press that inmates and their visitors should be able to talk to each other through video calls starting Wednesday. Tierney said that before, visitors would meet face-to-face in what he called a "chaotic" and "free-for-all" process.
He said his plan is to streamline the process into remote video conferencing made only by appointments. He said all visits will be recorded.
The new 75,000-square-foot jail opened last month and can house nearly 500 inmates. Voters in Greene County passed a sales tax increase in November 2012 to help pay for its construction.