In January, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP) began rolling out a one-to-one tablet model, transitioning from a shared tablet system introduced in 2021. PDP is one of many facilities across the country to adopt this model, as tablets have rapidly expanded in correctional facilities nationwide since the early 2020s.
PDP launched the one-to-one initiative to individuals at their facilities as “a more personalized and consistent way to stay connected with friends and family through telephone and video visitation services, without having to wait for shared devices,” said Commissioner Michael Resnick. The devices also allow for expanded access to educational and entertainment programming. He said they’re starting to see a positive impact.
“We have already observed anecdotal indications of reduced fighting, which we believe is linked to increased engagement and decreased competition for limited shared resources,” said Commissioner Resnick.
While tablets have the potential to be transformative for incarcerated people’s connection to the outside world, they also come with a host of short-term challenges and long-term concerns—from maintenance issues and exploitative fees to questions about whether they will replace in-person programming. As Philadelphia’s universal device initiative gets underway and tablet use grows in prisons across the state, the Prison Society will continue monitoring their implementation and advocating for best practices.
How do tablets work?
Tablet functions and systems vary depending on the provider and facility. PDP currently contracts with ViaPath Technologies, one of the largest telecommunications providers to correctional facilities in the U.S.
The tablets operate on a secure network and are preloaded with approved applications. They can be used to make phone and video calls, with 15 free phone minutes daily and 60 free video call minutes weekly (15 minutes per call) on the video visitation app. These calls are limited to the five approved people on their phone list. Any additional phone or video calls can be purchased. The devices also include apps that provide access to a limited range of free educational and recreational content, such as books, music, and educational programming.
“Expanding phone call access is particularly beneficial,” says Noah Barth, Prison Society Prison Monitoring Director. “Many facilities have small phone banks in the center of a housing unit. Often phones are broken. With the amount of time people spend out of their cells significantly limited since the pandemic, in many facilities incarcerated people have to fight to get access to phones.”
“Being able to make phone calls from their cells with privacy, without having to put time limits on other people—that is a great thing,” Barth said.
While expanding video calls is also a positive step for maintaining connections with loved ones, it is important that they do not replace in-person visits, Barth said.
Fees can add up
At the Philadelphia Prisons, the majority of free resources are educational and religious content, and free entertainment material is in the public domain, which often means it’s outdated. For additional offerings, costs can add up quickly—users are charged five cents per minute for a range of entertainment content, like video games and movies (six dollars for a two-hour movie), and this fee also applies when searching for entertainment on the home screen.
For entertainment content to be more accessible, Barth said PDP needs to negotiate lower fees with ViaPath.
Tablet issues in other prisons
Like PDP, several facilities across the state, including Allegheny County Jail and Lehigh County Jail, have implemented a one-to-one tablet model or expanded tablet access. Maintenance, connectivity, and access issues have been reported in both facilities.
During the Prison Society’s November 2025 monitoring tour of Allegheny County Jail (ACJ), incarcerated people reported that tablet battery life lasted only two to three hours per day and that access to charging stations was limited. They also cited long wait times for repairs of broken tablets and spotty Wi-Fi. ACJ is currently in the process of finding a new provider to address these issues.
During the Prison Society’s August 2025 walkthrough of Lehigh County Jail, incarcerated people reported difficulties accessing the law library, which is available only via tablets at the facility. Some interviewees said the library was difficult to navigate without assistance from a librarian, and that the tablet size, lack of printer access, and limited usage time posed additional barriers.
“A lot of prisons used to have actual law libraries, with all the books, as well as computer terminals and law librarians who could assist you,” Barth said. “Now you’re just on your own with the tablet.”
“An addition, not a replacement”
Barth believes one area where tablets show significant potential is in digitizing internal systems, such as sick call requests, grievances, and request slips. Some facilities, including ACJ, have already begun this transition.
Digitization could create a “better sense of fairness” by providing digital receipts for submissions, improving efficiency by reducing back-and-forth, and helping ensure requests and grievances are addressed.
However, the possibility that tablets could replace in-person programming remains a top concern, Barth said.
“[Tablets] are an addition, not a replacement,” Barth said.