SHOULD IDOC REMOVE CRT TVs FROM AUTHORIZED INMATE PROPERTY LISTS?
The CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) type televisions currently allowed for inmate use in the IDOC should be removed from the offender authorized property list in the interest of safety, security, efficiency, cost-savings and environmental impact.
Since mid-2010, Keefe Commissary Network (KCN) has sold only flat screen televisions to inmates in the IDOC [FN 1]. This means that each CRT television owned by an IDOC prisoner is at least 8 years old - well exceeding the life expectancy of such an appliance which is operated on average more than 10 hours per day in less than optimal conditions. It is also very unlikely that analog/CRT sets will ever again be sold to prisoners.
Dealing with CRT TV sets creates a number of problems in the prison setting. The most obvious of these problems has to do with available space where the bulky footprint of the CRT sets owned by inmates are at least 5 times greater than even the largest flat screen set available. In addition to the space they take up in housing units, the need to store, transport - even to search under these sets (especially by smaller staff) makes them not only unwieldy, but a liability.
CRTs are also considerably more dangerous than flat-screen TV sets in the prison setting. While both CRT and flat-screen sets, and the parts from which they are constructed can be used as weapons, the CRT, if dropped upon a person from any height, can be fatal. The glass, aluminum and steel heat sinks and razor sharp shadow mask inside a CRT also create secondary dangers not present in flat-screen sets. Unlike flat-screens, CRT sets also contain a large electromagnetic coil, yards of copper wire, and are capable of generating over 100,000 volts of electricity.
CRT sets, even when operating at peak efficiency draw an average 5 times more (electrical) power than a flat-screen of comparable size, and generate nearly 10 times the heat. To illustrate, when 30 CRT computer monitors in the Computer lab at ISCC were replaced with flat screen units, the average temperature of the room dropped by nearly 10 degrees, and where electrical circuit breakers were tripped 4 to 5 times per week due to the overloaded circuits, after the installation of the flat-screen monitors, the breakers were rarely tripped, and the lab was able to add 5 additional computer stations for students.
Another benefit of removing the CRT sets from the authorized property list for prisoners is the reduction of costs associated with the transmission of TV signals to individual living areas. Because most (but not all) of the inmate CRT sets are incapable of processing a standard digital television signal (the FCC required all full-power television stations to transmit digital broadcast signals as of June 12, 2009), IDOC facilities have been converting digital TV signals from over-the-air broadcasters and satellite receivers to an analog signal, then pumping the analog signal out over cableing to housing areas in an effort to accomodate the roughly 5% of the inmates that legitmately own analog (non-digital) TVs.
Digital-to-Analog (TV) signal conversion is not only detrimental to the quality of the picture, it also prevents inmates from utilizing many of the features of the digital television. Despite broadcast availability, analog tuners in these sets are not capable of processing stereo sound, high definition picture, SAP, Descriptive Services (for the Blind) or allowing the use of built-in Electronic Programming Guides (EPGs). D/A signal conversions also require the use, maintenance and upkeep of special equipment, much of which is obsolete, and use more power than simply receiving, amplifying and sending the digital signal through existing cabeling.
Removing the D/A converters and replacing the outdated analog signal amplifiers with digital (as are the industry standard) would not only provide better picture quality and reduce overall maintenance costs, but would free up 18 satellite receivers (at ISCC) which are currently being used to provide local programming. Indeed, placing a simple TV antenna on the roof of a building would (concurrently) allow the reception of nearly 70 local (Boise area) television channels, leaving the 18 receivers now used for local programming to be used for (satellite-only) channels. Conversions (at ISCC) should take less than a week.
While there might be minimal up-front costs in moving from analog to digital, the quality, reliability and long term savings to the IDOC make the venture worthwhile. Other costs, such as mailing legitimately owned inmate CRT sets out of the facilities (SOP provides that items once sold, but later disallowed will be sent out at state expense) would be negligible as most prisoners would likely opt to donate or destroy the old sets. Prisoners who might consider litigating the matter would soon find that the cost of a new television would far less than even the filing fee in most instances.
On the issue of costs, the IDOC should consider "incentivizing" KCN to reduce the cost of a flat-screen (with remote) from nearly $300 to a price more in line with what KCN and similar companies charge inmates in other states for the same product). Units currently sold by KCN to IDOC prisoners go for less than $100 in any retail store (such as WalMart) and less than $200 to prisoners in other states purchasing from KCN, Walkenhorst, etc.
Were the IDOC to distribute a notice of SOP change, indicating that all CRT sets are to be removed from the facilities on or before February 1, 2019 (or another date certain), inmates would likely be able to acquire funds for a new set before that time.
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[FN 1] Mid-states and out of state commissaries sold CRT and flat screens to offenders, and it is unclear when the sale of CRT sets ended in those faciities.
Dale Shackelford is a Certified Electronics Technician and has been published in a variety of professional electronics magazines.
Since mid-2010, Keefe Commissary Network (KCN) has sold only flat screen televisions to inmates in the IDOC [FN 1]. This means that each CRT television owned by an IDOC prisoner is at least 8 years old - well exceeding the life expectancy of such an appliance which is operated on average more than 10 hours per day in less than optimal conditions. It is also very unlikely that analog/CRT sets will ever again be sold to prisoners.
Dealing with CRT TV sets creates a number of problems in the prison setting. The most obvious of these problems has to do with available space where the bulky footprint of the CRT sets owned by inmates are at least 5 times greater than even the largest flat screen set available. In addition to the space they take up in housing units, the need to store, transport - even to search under these sets (especially by smaller staff) makes them not only unwieldy, but a liability.
CRTs are also considerably more dangerous than flat-screen TV sets in the prison setting. While both CRT and flat-screen sets, and the parts from which they are constructed can be used as weapons, the CRT, if dropped upon a person from any height, can be fatal. The glass, aluminum and steel heat sinks and razor sharp shadow mask inside a CRT also create secondary dangers not present in flat-screen sets. Unlike flat-screens, CRT sets also contain a large electromagnetic coil, yards of copper wire, and are capable of generating over 100,000 volts of electricity.
CRT sets, even when operating at peak efficiency draw an average 5 times more (electrical) power than a flat-screen of comparable size, and generate nearly 10 times the heat. To illustrate, when 30 CRT computer monitors in the Computer lab at ISCC were replaced with flat screen units, the average temperature of the room dropped by nearly 10 degrees, and where electrical circuit breakers were tripped 4 to 5 times per week due to the overloaded circuits, after the installation of the flat-screen monitors, the breakers were rarely tripped, and the lab was able to add 5 additional computer stations for students.
Another benefit of removing the CRT sets from the authorized property list for prisoners is the reduction of costs associated with the transmission of TV signals to individual living areas. Because most (but not all) of the inmate CRT sets are incapable of processing a standard digital television signal (the FCC required all full-power television stations to transmit digital broadcast signals as of June 12, 2009), IDOC facilities have been converting digital TV signals from over-the-air broadcasters and satellite receivers to an analog signal, then pumping the analog signal out over cableing to housing areas in an effort to accomodate the roughly 5% of the inmates that legitmately own analog (non-digital) TVs.
Digital-to-Analog (TV) signal conversion is not only detrimental to the quality of the picture, it also prevents inmates from utilizing many of the features of the digital television. Despite broadcast availability, analog tuners in these sets are not capable of processing stereo sound, high definition picture, SAP, Descriptive Services (for the Blind) or allowing the use of built-in Electronic Programming Guides (EPGs). D/A signal conversions also require the use, maintenance and upkeep of special equipment, much of which is obsolete, and use more power than simply receiving, amplifying and sending the digital signal through existing cabeling.
Removing the D/A converters and replacing the outdated analog signal amplifiers with digital (as are the industry standard) would not only provide better picture quality and reduce overall maintenance costs, but would free up 18 satellite receivers (at ISCC) which are currently being used to provide local programming. Indeed, placing a simple TV antenna on the roof of a building would (concurrently) allow the reception of nearly 70 local (Boise area) television channels, leaving the 18 receivers now used for local programming to be used for (satellite-only) channels. Conversions (at ISCC) should take less than a week.
While there might be minimal up-front costs in moving from analog to digital, the quality, reliability and long term savings to the IDOC make the venture worthwhile. Other costs, such as mailing legitimately owned inmate CRT sets out of the facilities (SOP provides that items once sold, but later disallowed will be sent out at state expense) would be negligible as most prisoners would likely opt to donate or destroy the old sets. Prisoners who might consider litigating the matter would soon find that the cost of a new television would far less than even the filing fee in most instances.
On the issue of costs, the IDOC should consider "incentivizing" KCN to reduce the cost of a flat-screen (with remote) from nearly $300 to a price more in line with what KCN and similar companies charge inmates in other states for the same product). Units currently sold by KCN to IDOC prisoners go for less than $100 in any retail store (such as WalMart) and less than $200 to prisoners in other states purchasing from KCN, Walkenhorst, etc.
Were the IDOC to distribute a notice of SOP change, indicating that all CRT sets are to be removed from the facilities on or before February 1, 2019 (or another date certain), inmates would likely be able to acquire funds for a new set before that time.
_______
[FN 1] Mid-states and out of state commissaries sold CRT and flat screens to offenders, and it is unclear when the sale of CRT sets ended in those faciities.
Dale Shackelford is a Certified Electronics Technician and has been published in a variety of professional electronics magazines.