The use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in the corrections field has the potential to improve the safety and security of jails, prisons, and other correctional facilities. The following resources focus on the use of BWCs in criminal justice and correctional settings.
Body-worn Camera Activation in Prisons: Understanding Correctional Officers’ Decision-making and Use of Discretion
No studies to date have explored the decision-making of correctional officers around BWCs. Thus, this article details a mixed-methods study of correctional officers’ use of BWCs in Queensland, Australia. This study demonstrates how correctional officers exercise their discretion around BWC use, including how and in what situations they activate their camera and the ways they navigate the use of this technology amidst prisoner privacy and security concerns.
Comparing the Uses and Benefits of Stationary Cameras Versus Body-Worn Cameras in a Local Jail Setting
This brief from CNA seeks to examine the footage of response-to-resistance (RTR) events produced by BWCs compared to stationary closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in a correctional setting. Sections describe the background of the current study, the approach to reviewing BWC and stationary CCTV camera footage, and key findings.
Death of Robert Brooks Emphasizes the Need for Body-worn Cameras in Prisons
The death of Brooks was a tragedy. Corrections systems can make meaningful changes that prevent these incidents from happening again. In policing, BWCs are now ubiquitous after years of hard work and lessons learned. Corrections, too, should embrace the use of these devices to improve the safety and security of everyone who lives and works in these institutions.
Deploying Body-worn Cameras in a Jail Setting: Impacts and Lessons Learned
This study, the first known randomized controlled trial (RCT) of BWCs in a correctional jail setting, concluded that BWCs have the potential for improving the safety and security of jails and other correctional facilities and have shown evidentiary value.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of Body-worn Cameras in the Loudoun County, VA, Adult Detention Center
This publication represents the final research report of the CNA Corporation’s evaluation of BWCs in the Loudoun County, Virginia, Adult Detention Center. The goal of this study was to conduct a rigorous process and impact evaluation of BWCs in a correctional setting to inform researchers and practitioners about the implementation and potential impacts of BWCs on critical correctional outcomes.
Why Body Cameras in Corrections?
Although few would argue the need for police agencies to have BWC programs, not everyone has considered the value of BWCs in the corrections setting. This article discusses the success of BWCs in the field and the value of BWCs in correctional institutions. From these findings, it is easy to understand the rationality of implementing a BWC program in a correctional facility.
