Florida detention center allows inmates to use tablets, mental health apps

Telmate, which bills itself as an "inmate communications" company, donated more than 200 Google Nexus 7 tablets to the Land O' Lakes (Fla.) Detention Center, WUSF News reports.

The inmates share the tablets, with roughly one tablet for every eight inmates. Each inmate can use the tablet for 10 minutes at a time, accessing apps like "Calm," a mental health app that helps users with anxiety, substance abuse or emotional trauma through activities like breathing exercises. The tablets are not connected to the internet.

The inmates also have access to education apps, such as "Kahn Academy," which provides users with short lectures for GED and college preparation. Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said these tablet programs offer positive social benefits to inmates, and may even reduce recidivism.

"A lot of these people are going to be going back into the community," he told WUSF News. "If you don't give them the opportunity to succeed, they're going to be right back in here again."

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