Video Conferencing Helps District Courts and Jails

It goes without saying that there are many uses for videoconferencing. Yet another use that’s been seeing more attention lately has been has been in legal and penal institutions in India, seen in the video conferencing facility between the District Courts complex and the Burail Jail.

While the video conferencing facility is still in its early stages, it’s off to a great start. It’s not only great for saving time, but also greatly reduces the risks normally associated with transporting convicts between the jail and courts, not to mention the manpower it usually requires.

In the first month of its introduction, approximately a third of the accused presented were done so virtually. Once it’s fully streamlined, the video conferencing can also be used for examining witnesses, helping make the proceedings faster and safer. As it requires less manpower, there hasn’t been a shortage on police units either, as they can be sent where they’re needed the most.

“We were facing a great difficulty to produce the accused in the court,” explains DSP Suman (News - Alert) Kumar in a statement. “But after starting of the video conferencing, we are now able to produce the accused in other states also. If the process successfully continues, many police personnel will be available for various other duties.”

While appearing virtually for a trial may be unusual now, there’s no doubting its effectiveness in saving time and manpower while minimizing risks. There’s no chance of any criminals trying to escape in the middle of a video chat as there’s nowhere to go, and the eliminated need for transportation also helps save on gas as well as the risks associated with transporting the accused. As of now, no lawyers seem to be complaining about the means of appearing in court or how it affects their ability to cross examine anyone, which strikes me as another sign it’s working nicely.

All in all, this is a good idea that’s been proven very helpful since its implementation.

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