Prisoners and corrections staff across 47 states are watching episodes of Visitation 2.0, a digital video series produced and distributed by 4th Purpose Foundation to offset the loss of prison visitation rights during the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the consequences of increased isolation and anxiety within the criminal justice system.
COVID-19 has increased the isolation of the more than two million men, women and juveniles in custody.
With an estimated audience of 6,000 facilities nationwide including state, federal, juvenile facilities and jails, this number represents an enormous at-risk population comforted by messages of reassurance and encouragement during these unprecedented times. “The videos have brought the inmates encouragement and joy during this tough season. It’s made my duties a little lighter and the atmosphere within our facility brighter,” said Chaplain Mark Lopez, whose ministry work includes the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona.
The series currently offers six 45-minute-long episodes featuring actors, comedians, singers and performers, motivational speakers, plus personal messages from friends, family members and other supporters interspersed throughout each program. While a few facilities nationwide have begun allowing discretionary visits, the majority remain closed to all outside visitors. The video series has been part of a series of changes made by correctional authorities across the country to offset the isolation brought on by the Coronavirus.
In Tennessee, its state Department of Corrections partnered with 4th Purpose Foundation to distribute Visitation 2.0 videos to all of its facilities and sought to ensure inmates could maintain some level of communication with the outside world. “Along with the Visitation 2.0 videos, our agency is offering free telephone calls as well as launching a 24-hour information line for families to gain information about their loved ones,” said TDOC Commissioner Tony Parker.
The creation of Visitation 2.0 is a product of the COVID-19 crisis and its ongoing impact on the more than two million men, women and juveniles in custody in American prisons and jails, and the more than 700,000 people who work in the correctional field. Virtual visitation should never take the place of real visitation or be used as an excuse to limit real visitation. 4th Purpose Foundation is committed to serving as a catalyst to make prison a place of transformation by investing in research and programs that help prepare inmates for release from prison.