When the Federal Bureau of Prisons first introduced the Score 7 tablets, in late 2022, a gleam of technological hope arrived. There was much anticipation among those in custody here at the Federal Correctional Institution at Otisville, about 80 miles north of New York City. I hoped to use the tablet to learn German, my wife’s mother tongue, or to see her face through video calls.
But nearly two years in, the tablets have become a symbol of what could have been. Residents have grown deeply frustrated with the device’s limited functionalities, especially in terms of educational benefits.
“I just don’t get it,” Julion Parker said. “I’m in prison and am supposed to be trying to improve myself. This great opportunity arises with the introduction of tablets, and what does the BOP feel is the most important programing to give us? Movies and video games.”
The tablets are sold to the federal prison system by Advanced Technologies Group, a subsidiary of Keefe Group, and can be purchased by adults in custody for about $125. According to the company, they are “purpose-built, locked-down, computing devices that help offenders pass their time constructively while improving themselves and preparing to re-enter society.” To entice prison officials, the company says: “Your facility will benefit from a calmer, better-behaved offender population and a safer corrections environment.”
But our usage tells a starkly different story. The company website claims the tablets come with education apps, such as Khan Academy Lite (which includes thousands of instructional videos on a vast range of subjects) and Project Gutenberg e-books (including over 50,000 books in the public domain), but those are nowhere to be found on our devices. And ours aren’t the only ones.
Rather than encouraging personal growth and preparing detainees for reentry, the tablet largely serves as a digital pacifier. It offers a selection of entertainment options that, while occasionally enjoyable, do not align with the goal of equipping adults in custody with new skills or knowledge.
The music, outdated PG or PG-13 movies, and simplistic video games provide a temporary escape and may serve to reduce tensions by keeping people occupied. But they should not be mistaken for substantive, transformative content that would truly prepare individuals for life beyond the prison walls.
The Score 7 devices available here have been significantly stripped. Typical features on most ordinary tablets — cameras, speakers and an internet connection — are disabled for what the prison deems “safety and security” purposes. Standard Android apps that one would expect on such a device are absent, including e-book readers, email, Google Maps and YouTube, among most others. There is no word processing application, and even fundamental tablet features, from alarms to battery-saver settings, have been disabled.
People here are frustrated with these limitations. More than anything, they advocate for better educational apps and improved communication capabilities.
“I really want to see my people when I call them,” Guillermo Negron said. “I have five kids, and I haven’t been home in 30 years. I don’t get to see them too much.”
Juaquin Pineda agreed. “I wish [these tablets] had video chat so I could see my family when I talk to them since I don’t get visits.”
A Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson declined to answer specific questions from Prison Journalism Project about the Score 7 tablet and its offerings, and instead offered a statement that it “works in conjunction with internal stakeholders to establish a commissary secure media device program that is used for leisure activities with services and functionality that meet FBOP security requirements.”
Other educational apps cited by people here as potential tools for cognitive and skill development include the DragonBox series of math apps; the language-learning platforms Duolingo and Babbel; Lumosity, a brain-training program; Monument Valley and The Room, puzzle games that encourage problem-solving; Minecraft: Education Edition, a game-based learning platform; TED Talks, for insightful talks; Quizlet, a study tool; and the Wikipedia app, which offers access to a wealth of knowledge. None of these require an internet connection.
Moreover, adults in custody argue that the reintroduction of standard Android features and word processing software would empower them to write essays, learn applicable real-world computer skills, maintain journals, draft professional letters, and read e-books, all of which can contribute to personal growth and rehabilitation.
Instead, “they gave us a binky,” Parker said. “They just want us to lay down in our bunks and waste our days away.”