Videoconferencing in court systems goes global
As reported by this blog, videoconferencing services have risen in the past few years as more court systems realize how useful the cost-effective technologies can be. In fact, these services have started to penetrate the international market.
An example of this takes place in Goa, India, where the long-running trial on the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling is using videoconferencing services to examine a United Kingdom-based witness. According to the Hindustan Times, the witness saw the victim with the two murder suspects on the night she was killed. The witness's testimony is a critical argument for the case, and videoconferencing services made it possible for this individual's voice to be heard.
Videoconferencing has also made its way to the Caribbean, as officials in the Bahamas have announced they will implement a videoconferencing service that will allow them to save millions while eliminating any "traffic hazard" that can be caused by transporting prisoners to and from courts, reports the Bahama Tribune. According to the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Allyson Maynard-Gibson, the installation of this system cost the government "less than $50,000."
In another example, the Yakima County Corrections Center enjoyed an update to its videoconferencing system. The Washington prison system had its videoconferencing center moved from the correctional center to the General Administration Building next door, which allows for more access, safety and convenience for those that use the service to communicate with inmates.
"It will be easier for us and it's always nice to have more staff nearby in case there's a problem. And of course, it's more convenient for everybody," Chief Karen Kelley of the Department of Corrections told KNDO, the local NBC affiliate.
By partnering with Wisconsin court reporters that offer video deposition services, litigators can also save expenses while ensuring their clients get a fair trial with thorough and accurate deposition transcripts, which can be corroborated through videoconferencing.
