I used to monitor and record inmate phone calls years ago, and your link made me ask AI if California gives tablets to inmates now. I got this..
Yes — California prisons do provide electronic tablets (e‑tablets) to many inmates, though the rollout and usage vary by facility and security level.
Program overview
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The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) began distributing tablets statewide in 2023–2024.
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The devices are supplied through contractors like GTL/ViaPath and Securus under the California Connect initiative.
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Tablets are free to inmates and funded through state contracts and communication‑service revenue sharing.
- All 34 state prisons have begun integration.
- CDCR reports over 90,000 tablets distributed statewide as of early 2026.
A lot of things to unpack, and I am not a bleeding heart by any means.
But if done right and with the right policy, I am not against this.
What inmates can do with them
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Education | GED prep, college courses, vocational training modules |
| Rehabilitation | Cognitive‑behavioral therapy, anger‑management, substance‑abuse programs |
| Communication | Secure messaging and video calls with approved contacts |
| Entertainment | Music, e‑books, and limited games (all monitored) |
| Legal access | Digital law library and grievance forms |
All activity is monitored and filtered — no open internet or social media.
What policies would you put in place?
There’s some kind of program here in CA, then people started complaining, OMG, the prisoners are accessing porn.
Believe it or not, there are some really smart inmates, especially in the Feds who would be able to hack these things.
I would probably have them swapped out randomly and scrubbed every week or so.
Very limited programs installed and any email allowed on them monitored.
Probably no cameras.
I am sure I could think of more if I were given more time, but like I said, there are a lot of good things that can come out of this.
Yes agreed.
In addition to the security measures you mentioned, my mind also thinks of waste being likely rampant in a program like this.
Tracking what serial numbers are given to what inmate is required. Security footage that will capture someone stealing it, etc (thinking one inmate stealing it from another).
I don’t expect these measures to be adequately implemented, btw. My guess is prisons have some combination of short staffing and poor management, and I imagine accountability for a $700 tablet will be the last thing on the warden’s and guards’ minds.
Even if it starts off well, give it a couple years.
Doesn’t mean I’m automatically against it — educational opportunities are good for prisoners. But hopefully the waste does not exceed the benefits.
Not only education, but contact with family, which made me think of another rule, a very strict list of approved emails.
This could be a benefit that the inmates would “police themselves”. If they don’t hold themselves accountable they lose the privilege all together.
When I worked in the prison system one of the most coveted programs was the “hobby shop”. Not only would they not fuck in there, the inmates with a “hobby card” were some of the most well behaved for fear of losing their spot if they went to the hole.
Can’t help but wonder what this means. Did you accidentally omit the word “around,” or are you saying they didn’t drop the soap in there?
I will put my money on anal intercourse.
Yes, my bad.
Long day
Thank you for that clarification
Lol
I figured. I was almost hoping it was the latter though.