How Can I Use Command Cloud to Perform a Two-Person Headcount?
Headcounts are a critical safety and compliance procedure in correctional facilities, ensuring every inmate is accounted for while maintaining the pri...
What is Inmate Release Verification?
In 2013, an inmate escaped from custody twice in less than eight months using the exact same method: he swapped inmate wristbands with other inmates h...
How to Maintain Your Inmate ID Card Printer for Reliable Performance
When modernizing your agency’s inmate tracking capabilities with GUARDIAN RFID, you can choose how your inmate population is individually identified —...
How Can I Perform Staggered, Irregular Security Rounds?
Every jail, prison, and juvenile detention facility must perform security rounds or observation checks on inmates within a set frequency, such as ever...
How Can I Create a Compliance Check Schedule with Command Cloud?
Keeping both inmates and staff safe is the top priority in correctional facilities—and that starts with regular compliance checks. Routine rounds not ...
5 Things Supervisors Should Do As Soon As They Start Their Shift
The moment a supervisor walks through the door, the clock starts ticking. There are officers to check in with, schedules to review, and incidents to m...
What Are the Most Important KPIs In Running a Jail or Prison?
If you’re a sports fan of any kind, you know how obsessive player and team stats can become. And every sport has a lot of measures, some reasonable – ...
How Can I Effectively Use Command Cloud Despite High Staff Turnover?
According to global professional services company, Accenture, learners forget 70% of training content within 24 hours and nearly 90% within a month. W...
What Corrections Staff Should Do When GUARDIAN RFID Products Are Destroyed
An inmate ripped off their wristband and flushed it down the toilet.
What Can I Expect From Command Cloud If My Facility Experiences a Wi-Fi Outage?
Implementing Wi-Fi in jails or prisons was once a highly debated topic for agencies around the country. However, in recent years, perspectives have sh...
How Command Cloud Tracks Returnable, Non-Returnable, and Dangerous Supplies
In correctional facilities, even the most routine supply item can become a serious threat if it falls into the wrong hands or goes unaccounted for. Fr...
Why Does Command Cloud Not Support Tablets for Officers?
In the 2010s, tablets were all the rage, prompting widespread adoption and adaption of mobile applications by public safety software vendors across bo...
Why is Cell Check Now Called Observation Check in Command Cloud?
As American physicist William Pollard once said, “Without change, there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement.”
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How to Verify an Inmate’s Classification and Observation Check Frequency
One of the most common questions our Academy team gets during training and Go-Live is: How do we make sure that an inmate’s observation check frequenc...
How Can Command Cloud Help With Officer Duress Needs?
You don’t need to work in a jail or prison for long to realize how combustible situations can become, seemingly without warning. Correctional officers...
The Top 4 Risks of Using Your JMS’s Mobile Inmate Tracking App
There are more than 18,000 police departments in the U.S, each of which must deploy and operate certain software applications to meet their primary mi...
What Can I Expect from a Pre-Training of Command Cloud?
As you may have heard from other agencies, GUARDIAN RFID’s training methodology is unique, in a good way.
How to Conduct Observation Checks for Two Residents Sharing One RFID Hard Tag
There are three types of observation checks: low-quality, average quality, and high-quality.
Can We Switch From RFID Wristbands to RFID Cards?
Nearly 40% of facilities using GUARDIAN RFID now rely on RFID cards for inmate identification, double the 20% of customers who utilized them prior to ...
How do I Assign Location Types with the Movement and Recreation Modules?
Correctional facilities are complex environments with several different areas to keep track of. From commissary and visitation rooms to holding cells,...
From Experience to Excellence: How JailOps Ensures Customer Success
The story of how GUARDIAN RFID’s Jail Operations team (JailOps) came to be is based on a commitment to operational excellence and hand-selecting subje...
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3 Common Shortcuts COs Take During Rounds and How Command Cloud Helps Prevent Them
Most correctional officers understand the importance of taking their time and being diligent while conducting their rounds. Still, there are instances...
How do Agencies Use Command Cloud to Monitor Inmates in Restraint Devices?
When an inmate becomes disruptive, there are times when your requests and commands go unheeded. Regardless of what you say, it can feel like nothing i...
How Can Command Cloud Prevent Inmate Suicide?
Mental health challenges are a widespread concern in correctional facilities, often contributing to both attempted and successful suicides. A variety ...
How Command Cloud Can Save Agencies Millions in Litigation
Receiving an official notice to appear in court is rare, but not unheard of, for correctional professionals. Whether the litigation stems from complia...
How Durable Are Hard Tags?
Hard Tags, the first wall-mounted auto-identification for corrections, are shatter-proof, tamper-proof, enclosed RFID tags designed to survive the har...
3 Ways Officer Experience Platforms Modernize Corrections
Outdated inmate tracking methods such as guard tour systems, paper logs, and kitchen timers are no longer sufficient for the complex demands of the co...
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3 Ways Command Cloud Can Increase Round Compliance From 80% to 90%
In corrections, achieving and maintaining high compliance percentages is more than just meeting regulatory checkboxes – it’s about ensuring safety, ac...
What are the Benefits of Replacing our Shift Logbook with Command Cloud?
When prospects ask us who our biggest competitor is and we reply, “It’s the Dixon Ticonderoga Company,” most look completely befuddled. They’ll realiz...
How to Prevent a Dangerous Item Being Issued to an Inmate on Suicide Watch
As a correctional officer, understanding your surroundings, identifying potential threats, and making informed decisions are essential skills for effe...
Is Active RFID the Right Choice For Inmate Tracking?
Active RFID inmate tracking systems have been marketed to correctional facilities for over 25 years as a means to monitor inmates' movements, enhance ...
Who Are GUARDIAN RFID’s Competitors?
Whether you’re looking for an inmate tracking system, the ability to automate your security rounds and guard tour responsibilities, an officer experie...
Do Court Transport Deputies Need Their Own SPARTAN?
Transporting inmates is a dangerous job. On average, there are over 300 reported inmate escapes every year. Of these escapes, 68% were from a caged ve...
How Can I Monitor Inmate Health with Command Cloud?
When a correctional professional takes an oath on their badge, they’re sealing a commitment to protecting the health and safety of individuals in cust...
How Can I Require Observation Checks During Sleeping Hours?
From 20:00 to 06:00, correctional officers may be conducting anywhere from 20 to 100+ checks, depending on the number of inmates under their supervisi...
What Happens if an Inmate Tries to Get More Than One Meal at a Time?
Inmates complain about many things, most of which seem trivial—such as personal space or perceived disrespect. However, access to essential resources,...
How Do I Create and Manage Special Statuses in Command Cloud?
On average, about a third of your total inmate population has one or more Special Status designation. Whether it’s for medical, mental health, securit...
How Can Command Cloud Streamline Task Management?
Task management has been a part of our lives for as long as we can remember—even if we didn’t realize it. As children, we relied on checklists to comp...
What are the Key Differences Between QR Codes and RFID?
You're exploring different mobile inmate tracking systems, and it seems like QR codes and RFID tags serve similar purposes, right? Both are contactles...
GUARDIAN RFID Contracts: Year-to-Year vs. Multi-Year Commitments
In a bacon and egg breakfast, what's the difference between the chicken and the pig? The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed! When it comes ...
What Are Shift Log Reports and How Effective Are They?
Shift log reporting is a critical component of any jail, prison, or juvenile detention facility’s compliance and governance process. It provides valua...
Why Should I Migrate from OnDemand to Command Cloud?
Every now and then a new phone hits the market, letting you know that a newer, improved device is available for download. While you might initially ro...
What is Command Cloud Defender Edition?
While the typical age range of correctional officers today ranges from 21 to 60, the average age of a U.S. correctional officer is 42.5 years. This ag...
Does Command Cloud Alert Staff When Security Rounds are Late?
GUARDIAN RFID often receives the question: Does Command Cloud alert staff when security rounds are late? The answer is clear and concise: YES. GUARDIA...
GUARD1’s PIPE vs. GUARDIAN RFID’s SPARTAN
The purpose of this blog is to break down the core differences between Guard1 vs. GUARDIAN RFID – specifically the PIPE vs. the SPARTAN. Much of this ...
What Kind of Technical Support Does GUARDIAN RFID Provide?
A strong IT or Support department in any software company is essential to ensure seamless customer experience and efficient resolution of technical is...
The One Mistake Nearly Every Correctional Officer Makes Doing Rounds, and How to Fix It
Consistency is typically a good thing in a corrections setting. From the level of detail included in a log to how officers communicate with inmates an...
Three Overlooked Features Every Inmate Tracking System Needs
There are some inmate tracking features that are straightforward. Then, there are some features that are just simply overlooked. If you want to get th...
How Can I Improve Meal Management for My Inmate Population?
While meal management in a correctional facility may seem routine and simple, it comes with its own set of challenges. Ensuring each inmate receives t...
What Happens if I Break My SPARTAN Mobile Device?
In the world of Command Cloud, the SPARTAN is one of the most universally held (pun intended) components of the officer experience platform (OXP).
How is Command Cloud Priced?
You’ve been tasked with looking into GUARDIAN RFID’s Command Cloud. Perhaps you discovered it through an online source or by talking with one of our t...
Does Command Cloud Have a Rest API?
One of the most common technical questions GUARDIAN RFID gets asked about Command Cloud is: What are its integration capabilities and does Command Clo...
The Five Stages of GUARDIAN RFID's Implementation Process
When implementing an inmate tracking system such as GUARDIAN RFID, the time required for deployment can vary based on factors such as the size of your...
4 Ways to Maximize Your Deployment Success With GUARDIAN RFID
Deploying new technology in a facility can be daunting for any agency, even so for those who are adopting GUARDIAN RFID. Warriors will inevitably face...
Can Hard Tags be Mounted Where iButtons Used to be Located?
What was once a commonplace system in jails, iButtons and wands were symbiotic devices compromised of a product category known as “guard tour systems....
What Does the Annual Price of GUARDIAN RFID Include?
Innovative technology can help manage your inmate tracking responsibilities to gain better compliance and stronger business outcomes. However, the cos...
How Do I Use WordBlocks to Log Inmate Observations in Command Cloud?
One of the most commonly asked questions GUARDIAN RFID receives at demos and tradeshows is: Who’s your biggest competitor? The answer may surprise you...
Does Command Cloud Integrate with Tyler Technologies?
A common question that GUARDIAN RFID receives from prospects is: Do you interface with Tyler Technologies' jail management system? Yes, we do. In this...
How Easy is it to Log In and Out of Mobile Command XR?
Let’s face it: you’re drowning in passwords. What was once a simple expression of your personality is now a dizzying mix of alphanumeric combinations,...
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What Happens if Command Cloud is Not Right For My Agency?
To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Suppose your facility implements GUARDIAN RFID’s Command Cloud and later determines it’s not the right fit for yo...
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Does Our Jail Need to Interface GUARDIAN RFID with Our JMS?
A common question among jails considering GUARDIAN RFID technology to help with their inmate tracking needs is: Do I need to interface Command Cloud w...
Where Should I Place My Hard Tags?
Security rounds are undoubtedly one of the most critical responsibilities of a correctional officer. They are the best opportunity for officers to ens...
How Can Correctional Officers Best Manage Keep Separates?
Officers have dozens, if not hundreds, of inmates in their custody to keep track of. As if remembering all of their names isn’t difficult enough, offi...
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Where is GUARDIAN RFID Data Stored?
If you’ve experienced GUARDIAN RFID software in action – whether during a demo or at a neighboring facility – you know that our platform, Command Clou...
Jailbreak: Preventing Another Vicky White and Casey White
Prison breaks have captured the attention of media and civilians for years, but how many times is a correctional officer involved in, or conducting, t...
The Top 10 Questions Asked During a GUARDIAN RFID Introductory Webinar
Every month, GUARDIAN RFID welcomes Warriors from across the nation to join a live, 60-minute demonstration of how Command Cloud, the first-ever offic...
Enhancing Correctional Training with Virtual Learning
The undeniable truth in today’s correctional environment is that staff turnover has reached a historic peak. As a result, officers face the challenge ...
How to Test Your SPARTAN and Hard Tags
Correctional officers regularly monitor inmates' whereabouts, actions, behaviors, meals, supplies, and other tasks as part of their daily responsibili...
How to Build an Inmate Identification Wristband
Implementing an inmate identification method helps officers track inmate movement, activities, and interactions accurately. Whether it’s a name tag, I...
How One Tool Can Improve Your Team's Task Management
The role of a correctional officer demands versatility at every turn. Officers are responsible for many tasks that require them to wear various hats e...
3 Ways to Improve Staff Accountability
Corrections is a fast-paced, high-stress industry where everything can flip upside down at the drop of a hat. If staff are unaware of what their team ...
Inmate Mental Health Crises: What New Officers Should Know
Taking care of your mental health as a corrections officer is difficult enough, let alone managing inmates’ emotional wellness too. Correctional facil...
4 Ways to Conduct Security Rounds
No two facilities’ operations are identical. Each of their standards, goals, and procedures makes them unique. However, there is one thing that all fa...
3 Ways to Improve Your Facility’s Compliance Percentage
Correctional facilities can only be successful when the safety, security, and overall well-being of both the inmates and staff are prioritized. This i...
3 Ways to Manage Your Correctional Facility’s Budget
Times are tough to say at the very least, especially with prices constantly increasing without added funds. Today’s correctional landscape makes it di...
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4 Budget-Friendly Practices to Improve Staff Performance
As a jail administrator, budget limitations are a harsh reality that can feel extremely restricting. It usually results in limited resources and hinde...
Where Should Small Facilities with Budget Restraints Invest?
One of the most important roles of a correctional officer is to efficiently track the inmates in their custody. From performing timely cell checks to ...
You Can Bend the Rules This One Time, Right CO?
“I promise I won’t snitch.” “Everyone stretches the truth a bit.” “Can’t you cut me some slack?” “One favor won’t hurt anybody.” “You can bend the rul...
Hard Tags: Purpose, Placement, Installation
“If it wasn’t documented, it didn’t happen.” This is a statement that every corrections professional has heard at some point during their tenure. Show...
The More Robust the Reporting, the More Accountable the Officer
“How on Earth did we miss that?” This question has likely crossed the mind of every corrections professional at one point or another, especially when ...
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How Technology Ensures Efficient Meal Distribution
Out of all the time-sensitive demands, security-critical protocols, and operational tasks that correctional officers are responsible for, one of the m...
How Does Facility WiFi Bandwidth Impact GUARDIAN RFID Technology?
When an agency is starting to expand its technology landscape, it’s natural to have questions about what the process will look like and what the futur...
Prison Guard vs. Corrections Officer: What’s the Difference?
Over the years, we have increasingly become more aware of the power of terminology. Whether to describe someone's education level, job title, or perso...
How Does Mobile Compliance Monitor Improve Security Round Compliance?
Updated: 03/11/25 Completing rounds is one of the most important duties a correctional officer performs, serving as the foundation of effective inmate...
Mitigating Mental Burnout: Self-Care Strategies for Correctional Officers
Since 2020, most industries have undergone record-breaking numbers of turnover. Studies found that the most significant reason behind these sky-high s...
NFC and RFID: The Tech Siblings
In today’s world, we are all too familiar with accessing anything and everything with just a few clicks of our cell phones. When mobile phones launche...
Building Confidence in New Officers: It’s a Team Sport
Whether they come from a family with a corrections history or are a first-generation correctional officer, walking through the front doors on Day 1 ca...
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Juveniles in Corrections: Is Age Really Just a Number?
A common misconception is that correctional officers only work in jails and prisons with many overlook that COs also work in a variety of other enviro...
How to Remind Disrespectful Inmates of Your Authority
We know that corrections officers have all experienced an inmate act out of pocket. Screaming. Kicking. Cursing. Self-harming. You name it, they’ve se...
How to Recognize Quality Applicants and Help Them Grow Into Quality Officers
Demanding work hours, overcrowding, occupational danger, noncompetitive compensation., staffing shortages, and burnout are only a few of the reasons w...
3 Selling Points That Will Help Your Staff Accept New Technology
Let’s start off with complete transparency, we know technology hasn’t always been a knight in shining armor. We have all had our fair share of tech fa...
Should Inmates Be Allowed to Handle Nail Clippers?
The debate over what items an inmate can have is a tale as old as time. However, this debate becomes a little more heated regarding basic hygiene mate...
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An Inmate Claims They Weren’t Offered a Meal - How to Prove Them Wrong
The clock is ticking down to chow time. You know the drill. As you start to make your way toward the housing units to dispense meals, you realize it’s...
More Than Just a Jailer
Reflecting on the 23 years I have worked at the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, I look back on this journey that started on December 6, 1999,...
3 Quick Tips to Become More Proactive on Shift
If you've used GUARDIAN RFID’s SPARTAN, you're likely familiar with the “purge siren” that sounds when a round is overdue. That blaring alarm can trig...
The Top 15 Signs You’ve Outgrown Your Guard Tour System
Paper logs were once the pinnacle practice of logging rounds. Fortunately, a lightbulb turned on in someone’s head and they recognized that there had ...
How to Address the Fight-or-Flight Moment
As human beings, we are hardwired to experience stress. Whether the feeling is mental or physical, our bodies are trained to respond to stress in a un...
The Top 8 Implementation and Go-Live FAQs
As your Go-Live date rapidly approaches, it’s natural to have a flurry of questions and concerns about the transition. This pivotal moment represents ...
The Top 5 Best Practices for Securing Your Wi-Fi in a Corrections Environment
Here at GUARDIAN RFID, we pride ourselves on being the global leader in inmate management and tracking systems. We are dedicated to providing correcti...
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10 Perfect Questions to Ask at a GUARDIAN RFID Demo
When you’re in the market for new goods and services, sitting through monotonous vendor product demonstrations can be quite dreadful. It’s just as muc...
The Impacts of Inmate Rehabilitation
When we hear the term “rehabilitation,” some may initially picture physical therapy after an accident or healing from an addiction. Google defines reh...
How Can I Manage Mandatory Overtime and a Healthy Work-Life Balance?
Unfortunately, the nation has experienced an influx of shortages since the pandemic, including limited staffing across almost every industry. Companie...
Corrections Stresses & Mental Health Messes
The mental health crisis within the corrections industry is reaching unprecedented levels, and the urgency to address this issue has never been greate...
5 Reasons Why You Should Track Supplies Given
Staff issue supplies to inmates regularly, ranging from general hygiene supplies to legal mail, but which ones should you be tracking? Most initial th...
How Can My Agency Pass a Jail Inspection When My Electronic Jail Check System Identifies and Logs Every Single Late Security Check?
Without a doubt, documenting your rounds with pen and paper is the cheapest option. The term "cheapest" was used instead of "most cost-effective" inte...
How to Carry Yourself in Corrections
After learning a new lesson, have you ever thought “Well, that would’ve been nice to know earlier”? We’ve all had moments where we wished we’d known s...
How Do GUARDIAN RFID Key Fobs Work?
*Enters password* “Incorrect password” “Incorrect password” “Incorrect password” Resets password “New password cannot be your previous password” Imagi...
Be a Student of Your Own Profession
From the moment we’re born, our brain is already working overtime. In fact, between birth and the age of five, 85% of the brain is formed. And believe...
One Voice United Appointed Ken Dalley to Serve as Commissioner Focusing on Correctional Staff Wellness
As a global leader in inmate tracking and officer experience platforms (OXPs), GUARDIAN RFID was pleased to announce that Ken Dalley, Founder, Chairma...
The Top 5 Tips New Supervisors Need to Know
Taking on a “supervisor” role in any profession is an impressive advancement. But what does it mean to be a supervisor in corrections? What are you ex...
The Top 5 Tips New Correctional Officers Need to Know
A simple Wikipedia search of “corrections officer” will tell you it’s a “uniformed law enforcement official responsible for maintaining the order and ...
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The Era of Command Cloud: The Officer Experience Platform
GUARDIAN RFID marks an exciting achievement with the launch of Command Cloud, the world’s first officer experience platform (OXP) that uses data fusio...
How Headcount Procedures Can Eliminate the Next Inmate Escape
When it’s time for a headcount, *most* inmates know the drill. They comply, return to their assigned cell or bunk, and wait to be physically identifie...
The Art Behind Inmate Tattoos
It’s easy for an inmate to blend in with the rest of the facility’s population. They’re all wearing the exact same uniform that every other inmate wea...
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3 Major Benefits of Transitioning From Paper to Technology
The transition from paper to inmate tracking technology has continued to grow as a topic of conversation among corrections Consider Mark Cowley from J...
How Staff Can Be Successfully Trained With GUARDIAN RFID Technology
Doesn't it always seem like once you’ve gotten the hang of a particular method, something new and improved comes along? You just bought an iPhone 11 a...
The Hiding Area Depends on What is Being Hidden
In legal terms, contraband is known to be items that are illegal to have in one’s possession, which is ironic, isn’t it? The fact that some inmates do...
What it Takes to Retain Customers
Whether it’s an 8-year-old girl trying to sell Girl Scout cookies or a 17-year-old boy selling popcorn for his football team's fundraiser, it’s always...
Can Grievances Work in My Favor?
If you've worked in a correctional facility, you're no stranger to the complexities of handling grievances. Whether it’s an inmate alleging they misse...
Preventing Inmate Suicide
Suicide affects all different kinds of people from all different walks of life. Different cultures. Different races. Different income classes. Differe...
Which is Better to Have in My Facility: Cameras or an RFID Tracking System?
Jeff Kovar, Strategic Account Executive, has visited over a hundred jails and prisons throughout his career. During this time, a recurring theme emerg...
The Naked Truth About a Strip Search
Buckle up, this blog is about the famous ole’ Squat and Cough. For those who don’t know what this is, search it on Urban Dictionary (not with children...
Prison Puppies... UNLEASHED
Dogs are often called a man’s best friend, especially for those who depend on them for assistance with daily tasks. Professionally trained service dog...
How to Protect the Rights of Disabled Inmates
With a diverse population that includes individuals with various disabilities, correctional facilities need to implement proactive and comprehensive s...
The Importance of Meal Tracking
If you work in corrections, odds are you’re familiar with how often inmates complain about receiving meals. Luckily, there is a way to eliminate inmat...
The Top 3 Factors That Can Help Reduce Your Agency’s Liability Risk
Mark Cowley, Jail Operations at GUARDIAN RFID, brings over thirty-three years of law enforcement experience to the table. His career began with eighte...
The Top 5 Things to Know When Using a Restraint Chair
When you think of a restraint chair, you may think about a drug smuggler who failed his mission duct-taped to a chair, hooded, and beaten. These unrea...
Who Wants to Be a MILLIONAIRE?! (Corrections Edition)
You should know now before reading further, this blog isn’t going to be your every “get rich quick” reading. In fact, this is not a quick fix at all. ...
How to Prevent High-Risk Inmates From Harming Officers
Accepting a position to protect America’s Thin Gray Line can come with dangerous scenarios. Correctional officers are trained to take practical measur...
How Do Correctional Facilities Address the Rights of Inmates With Religious or Allergy Restricted Diets?
If you’ve watched Orange is the New Black, you’d know that in Season 3 there are a group of general population inmates who are jealous of those who ar...
What’s the “Right” Way to Handle My Facility's Incoming Mail?
Inmates are masters at finding loopholes in a facility’s security operations. Whether it is finding a couple of extra minutes for a phone call or an e...
Obstacles That Female Correctional Officers Face
The corrections profession is like none other. Over 400,000 brave men and women work eight to twelve-hour shifts to maintain order within the walls th...
How Widespread is a SPARTAN’s Versatility?
When you first hear the term “SPARTAN,” you might think of the mobile device used by correctional officers for inmate tracking. However, the SPARTAN d...
What Are Less Lethal Munitions and Methods?
Steve Maynard, Strategic Account Executive at GUARDIAN RFID, worked behind the walls of a correctional facility for nearly 15 years. But where did his...
The 3 Common Mistakes Supervisors Make During Difficult Conversations
Mark Penrod, Project Manager at GUARDIAN RFID, has over 12 years of experience with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, finishing his journey as th...
The Top 5 Risks That Will Get Correctional Officers Sued
When the average person thinks about life in prison, they think of the Hollywood movies where prisoners are kept in cages and treated like animals. Ho...
What Does Failure to Comply With Jail Standards and Jail Policy Lead to?
If your agency isn’t required to follow state policies or standards, should you care about officer jail checks? Are you prepared for potential legal i...
5 Benefits of Building a Modern Processing Center
If you’re one of the several counties that have heard the rumor about the new Polk Co. Processing Center being extremely appealing and innovative, buc...
5 Documentation Methods Using a SPARTAN Camera
We’ve all used a camera before to capture meaningful moments. Whether you’ve used a Polaroid to take a photo of your baby’s first steps, or your cell ...
How the Corrections Career Can Impact the Families of Officers
Caterina Spinaris, Ph.D., LPC, Founding Director of Desert Waters Correctional Outreach, has 21 years of experience working with correctional officers...
Why Supervisor Rounds in Your Jail or Prison Facility Are Crucial
Rounds are a critical component in securing the safety of correctional facilities. There are often policies surrounding how rounds are completed to en...
5 Common Budget Sources for Your Jail Facility
Correctional officers are adept at juggling numerous responsibilities and wearing several different hats. So, to be successful in this position, they ...
How to Be Aware of Inmate Manipulation
At the end of the day, jail and prison officers have the same goal of ensuring their inmates’ needs are met. Of course, this can only be accomplished ...
What to Know About the ACA Accreditation Process
Managing a jail or prison facility like a well-oiled machine isn’t a simple task. Integrating standardization within a facility is crucial to creating...
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Change Management: Effectively Navigating Digital Transformation
What do corrections professionals often dislike? Change, and the way things are! Whether it involves a new policy, a new law, new technology, or new l...
Protecting Inmates From COVID-19 and Preserving PPE Are Top Priorities for U.S. Correctional Facilities: Here's What's New
Preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is a global priority. From the start of the pandemic, U.S. officials have recogni...
The Correctional Tactical Operator in the Midst of a Pandemic
Pandemics are nothing new to us. Over the past 35 years, we have fought through HIV/AIDS, SARS, EBOLA, MERS, Influenza, and now, COVID-19. What is new...
Does GUARDIAN RFID or Our Jail Management System Manage Inmate Cell Assignments?
Most jails in the United States use their jail management system (JMS) to assign inmates to specific housing units and cells. This practice enhances s...
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Mid-level Supervisors: The Foundation of Jail Supervision
Introduction As is the case in many professions, people want to move up the ladder. Some want an increase in pay, some want a change in workplace duti...
Medication Administration - SPARTAN vs. MAR Paper Logs
Greg Piper here with another shift briefing regarding Medication Administration. Q: How does a Medication Manager benefit corrections professionals as...
COVID-19's Impact on Shift Briefings Now and Moving Forward
COVID-19 has introduced significant challenges and disruptions to everyday life, affecting nearly every aspect of our routines. From mandated social d...
Who Owns GUARDIAN RFID Data?
Some of the most common questions we receive from customers and potential customers concern data ownership: Who owns the data created digitally when w...
5 Ways Corrections Supervisors Can Better Connect With Their Teams
In corrections, staff turnover can reach a staggering 65%. This highlights a critical reality: employees often leave because of their supervisors, not...
A Quick Guide to N95, KN95, and Surgical Masks
Masks are becoming a commonplace part of personal protective equipment (PPE) for many Americans. This includes industries that didn’t use protective m...
Correctional Professionals in the Eye of the Pandemic’s Storm
Article by Aric Asplund, President of International EnviroGuard The brave men and women who work with hardened criminals in the nation’s prison system...
COVID-19: Logging for Lawsuit Prevention Using GUARDIAN RFID’s SPARTAN
How can the GUARDIAN RFID solution, specifically the SPARTAN, help protect your staff and facility with the inevitable lawsuits from an offender claim...
High-Risk Transports
Author: Sidney Lopez, CEO/ Chief Instructor of Tactics & Operations Group-US (TOG-US) LLC.
Prevent and Combat COVID-19 and Contagious Diseases in Corrections
Hi, I'm Ann Spalding and I am a public health physician. I've been trained in internal medicine and infectious disease. I have a Master's in Public He...
How to Digitally Transform Your Jail
We've all heard the saying: "If it wasn’t documented, it didn’t happen." This rings especially true in the field of corrections. Without proper docume...
How Do I Get to 100% Round Compliance?
Believe it or not, people in corrections are very creative and like to make up bad-ass names for many things, like “sallyport,” “prison punch,” or “ja...
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Outsourcing High Liability (Tactical) Training in Corrections
Author: Sidney Lopez, CEO/ Chief Instructor of Tactics & Operations Group-US (TOG-US) LLC.
Legal Defensibility: RFID Data vs. Paper Logs in Court
I have been training correctional staff for nearly a decade and have used the joke “you are a babysitter of adults” just to get a laugh. In all honest...
How Do I Download Data From GUARDIAN RFID?
We frequently get asked: “How do I download our data?” by GUARDIAN RFID users. This is a great question, but it's important to pinpoint exactly what y...
Breaking the “I’m Good” Code of Silence
Desert Waters Correctional Outreach, Inc., is a 2003 Colorado-based 501(c)(3) corporation which helps correctional agencies counter Corrections Fatigu...
How to Feel Your Best When You See the Worst
By Amy Morgan, MSC, CFRC(D), TECC-LEO If asked which we prefer, feeling happy or feeling depressed, I don’t think any of us would choose “I like to fe...
Evolution of the Correctional Tactical Officer
Contemporary issues such as Hostage Rescue and Active Shooter Concepts in a Correctional Setting are all subjects that in past years have been conside...
Inmate Tracking for Jail and Prison Systems
Tracking inmate movements between different facilities within a jail or prison system takes thorough training on policy and procedure. Inmate tracking...
5 Low-cost Ways to Prevent Inmate Suicides
With the recent death of high-profile inmate Jeffery Epstein, a light has been shed on a fundamental problem within correctional facilities regarding ...
Top 2 Misconceptions About Using Mobile Scanners (and Why They’re Wrong)
“Does carrying a mobile scanner pose safety risks to correctional officers?” “Are they too distracting?” “I don’t want my officers staring at a screen...
Top 4 Mistakes Corrections Officers Make While Doing Rounds and How to Fix Them
Whether it’s a simple mistake, forgetfulness, or laziness, mistakes happen. Plain and simple. However, in corrections, even the smallest mistakes can ...
How to Track Inmate Meals at Your Correctional Facility Using GUARDIAN RFID
Although it would make everyone’s job easier, it’s impossible to say there’s a way to eliminate meal complaints and grievances entirely. However, ther...
3 Ways Technology Can Help Minnesota Jails Comply With 2911
You are a corrections professional, and the odds are NEVER in your favor. While the legal system equips you with authority in your jail, it also offer...
One-way vs. Two-way Interface: Which Provides More Value to Your Correctional Facility?
The software platforms used within your facility hold security-critical information, but how do they interact with your enterprise system? An interfac...
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Inmate Identification: Wristbands vs. ID Cards
The Worth Co. Jail in Northwood, Iowa, has an average daily population ranging between two and five inmates. On quieter days, there may only be one. H...
Everything You Need to Know About the Sandra Bland Act
Senate Bill 1849, more commonly known as the Sandra Bland Act, mandates additional compliance requirements by Texas jails to help ensure the safety an...
Why Jails Should Switch to Mobile Inmate Tracking
Nearly 60% of managers report missing critical information daily due to difficulties in locating it when it's stored on paper. Senior leaders, on aver...
How to Deploy GUARDIAN RFID
Getting Started On average, the implementation process for GUARDIAN RFID generally takes around 90 days. There are six phases in our implementation pr...
3 Ways to Improve Guard Tour
Traditional guard tour systems no longer keep pace with the needs of increasingly savvy corrections professionals. Guard tour offers little near and l...
6 Tips for Zone-based Inmate Tracking Success
Zone-based inmate tracking is a powerful, practical alternative to coordinate-based inmate tracking. But how do you determine whether a long-range, zo...
Review: Spillman Flex Jail Management System Integration
DISCLOSURE: GUARDIAN RFID is a Strategic Business Partner of Spillman Technologies. Spillman Flex’s Jail Management System (JMS) is an on-premises sof...
Do I Need to Use Wi-Fi With GUARDIAN RFID?
Whether it be conducting security rounds, ensuring inmates receive their medicine, transporting inmates to different locations, distributing meals, or...
Why 3 Jail Admin Switched From Guard Tour to GUARDIAN RFID
Tired of accumulating and storing boxes upon boxes full of paper logs? How about burning hours upon hours of valuable staff time searching for informa...
What You Need to Know About the Prison Rape Elimination Act
Preventing sexual abuse and harassment is a pertinent objective across many, if not all, industries. In recent years, more and more jobs are implement...
The Debut of the Warrior Technology Campaign
Warrior Technology refers to the constant battle corrections professionals face to execute their responsibilities with courage and valor. This bravery...
Can I Interface OnDemand With My Jail Management System?
When you’re working with and managing inmates, you need as much information about them as possible. Inmate information is usually kept in your jail ma...
4 Tips for Enhancing Officer Documentation
At one point or another, you’ve likely experienced an inmate complaining about you or another officer. What they’ll allege, and how far they’re willin...
Mobile Inmate Tracking Technology in Corrections
The new era of digital transformation has made waves across the correctional industry, leaving many agencies wondering how to keep their facilities up...
Switching from Guard Tour to GUARDIAN RFID
Every day, correctional officers are swamped with seemingly millions of tasks. Their plates are full, to say the least. The last thing they need to wo...
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Five Tips to Maximize Successful Inmate Identification
Performing rounds quickly while staying diligent and providing accurate documentation can be difficult without a little help. When there are hundreds ...
How Can I Use Command Cloud to Perform a Two-Person Headcount?
Headcounts are a critical safety and compliance procedure in correctional facilities, ensuring every inmate is accounted for while maintaining the pri...
What is Inmate Release Verification?
In 2013, an inmate escaped from custody twice in less than eight months using the exact same method: he swapped inmate wristbands with other inmates h...
How to Maintain Your Inmate ID Card Printer for Reliable Performance
When modernizing your agency’s inmate tracking capabilities with GUARDIAN RFID, you can choose how your inmate population is individually identified —...
How Can I Perform Staggered, Irregular Security Rounds?
Every jail, prison, and juvenile detention facility must perform security rounds or observation checks on inmates within a set frequency, such as ever...
How Can I Create a Compliance Check Schedule with Command Cloud?
Keeping both inmates and staff safe is the top priority in correctional facilities—and that starts with regular compliance checks. Routine rounds not ...
5 Things Supervisors Should Do As Soon As They Start Their Shift
The moment a supervisor walks through the door, the clock starts ticking. There are officers to check in with, schedules to review, and incidents to m...
What Are the Most Important KPIs In Running a Jail or Prison?
If you’re a sports fan of any kind, you know how obsessive player and team stats can become. And every sport has a lot of measures, some reasonable – ...
How Can I Effectively Use Command Cloud Despite High Staff Turnover?
According to global professional services company, Accenture, learners forget 70% of training content within 24 hours and nearly 90% within a month. W...
What Corrections Staff Should Do When GUARDIAN RFID Products Are Destroyed
An inmate ripped off their wristband and flushed it down the toilet.
What Can I Expect From Command Cloud If My Facility Experiences a Wi-Fi Outage?
Implementing Wi-Fi in jails or prisons was once a highly debated topic for agencies around the country. However, in recent years, perspectives have sh...
How Command Cloud Tracks Returnable, Non-Returnable, and Dangerous Supplies
In correctional facilities, even the most routine supply item can become a serious threat if it falls into the wrong hands or goes unaccounted for. Fr...
Why Does Command Cloud Not Support Tablets for Officers?
In the 2010s, tablets were all the rage, prompting widespread adoption and adaption of mobile applications by public safety software vendors across bo...
Why is Cell Check Now Called Observation Check in Command Cloud?
As American physicist William Pollard once said, “Without change, there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement.”
How to Verify an Inmate’s Classification and Observation Check Frequency
One of the most common questions our Academy team gets during training and Go-Live is: How do we make sure that an inmate’s observation check frequenc...
How Can Command Cloud Help With Officer Duress Needs?
You don’t need to work in a jail or prison for long to realize how combustible situations can become, seemingly without warning. Correctional officers...
The Top 4 Risks of Using Your JMS’s Mobile Inmate Tracking App
There are more than 18,000 police departments in the U.S, each of which must deploy and operate certain software applications to meet their primary mi...
What Can I Expect from a Pre-Training of Command Cloud?
As you may have heard from other agencies, GUARDIAN RFID’s training methodology is unique, in a good way.
How to Conduct Observation Checks for Two Residents Sharing One RFID Hard Tag
There are three types of observation checks: low-quality, average quality, and high-quality.
Can We Switch From RFID Wristbands to RFID Cards?
Nearly 40% of facilities using GUARDIAN RFID now rely on RFID cards for inmate identification, double the 20% of customers who utilized them prior to ...
How do I Assign Location Types with the Movement and Recreation Modules?
Correctional facilities are complex environments with several different areas to keep track of. From commissary and visitation rooms to holding cells,...
From Experience to Excellence: How JailOps Ensures Customer Success
The story of how GUARDIAN RFID’s Jail Operations team (JailOps) came to be is based on a commitment to operational excellence and hand-selecting subje...
3 Common Shortcuts COs Take During Rounds and How Command Cloud Helps Prevent Them
Most correctional officers understand the importance of taking their time and being diligent while conducting their rounds. Still, there are instances...
How do Agencies Use Command Cloud to Monitor Inmates in Restraint Devices?
When an inmate becomes disruptive, there are times when your requests and commands go unheeded. Regardless of what you say, it can feel like nothing i...
How Can Command Cloud Prevent Inmate Suicide?
Mental health challenges are a widespread concern in correctional facilities, often contributing to both attempted and successful suicides. A variety ...
How Command Cloud Can Save Agencies Millions in Litigation
Receiving an official notice to appear in court is rare, but not unheard of, for correctional professionals. Whether the litigation stems from complia...
How Durable Are Hard Tags?
Hard Tags, the first wall-mounted auto-identification for corrections, are shatter-proof, tamper-proof, enclosed RFID tags designed to survive the har...
3 Ways Officer Experience Platforms Modernize Corrections
Outdated inmate tracking methods such as guard tour systems, paper logs, and kitchen timers are no longer sufficient for the complex demands of the co...
3 Ways Command Cloud Can Increase Round Compliance From 80% to 90%
In corrections, achieving and maintaining high compliance percentages is more than just meeting regulatory checkboxes – it’s about ensuring safety, ac...
What are the Benefits of Replacing our Shift Logbook with Command Cloud?
When prospects ask us who our biggest competitor is and we reply, “It’s the Dixon Ticonderoga Company,” most look completely befuddled. They’ll realiz...
How to Prevent a Dangerous Item Being Issued to an Inmate on Suicide Watch
As a correctional officer, understanding your surroundings, identifying potential threats, and making informed decisions are essential skills for effe...
Is Active RFID the Right Choice For Inmate Tracking?
Active RFID inmate tracking systems have been marketed to correctional facilities for over 25 years as a means to monitor inmates' movements, enhance ...
Who Are GUARDIAN RFID’s Competitors?
Whether you’re looking for an inmate tracking system, the ability to automate your security rounds and guard tour responsibilities, an officer experie...
Do Court Transport Deputies Need Their Own SPARTAN?
Transporting inmates is a dangerous job. On average, there are over 300 reported inmate escapes every year. Of these escapes, 68% were from a caged ve...
How Can I Monitor Inmate Health with Command Cloud?
When a correctional professional takes an oath on their badge, they’re sealing a commitment to protecting the health and safety of individuals in cust...
How Can I Require Observation Checks During Sleeping Hours?
From 20:00 to 06:00, correctional officers may be conducting anywhere from 20 to 100+ checks, depending on the number of inmates under their supervisi...
What Happens if an Inmate Tries to Get More Than One Meal at a Time?
Inmates complain about many things, most of which seem trivial—such as personal space or perceived disrespect. However, access to essential resources,...
How Do I Create and Manage Special Statuses in Command Cloud?
On average, about a third of your total inmate population has one or more Special Status designation. Whether it’s for medical, mental health, securit...
How Can Command Cloud Streamline Task Management?
Task management has been a part of our lives for as long as we can remember—even if we didn’t realize it. As children, we relied on checklists to comp...
What are the Key Differences Between QR Codes and RFID?
You're exploring different mobile inmate tracking systems, and it seems like QR codes and RFID tags serve similar purposes, right? Both are contactles...
GUARDIAN RFID Contracts: Year-to-Year vs. Multi-Year Commitments
In a bacon and egg breakfast, what's the difference between the chicken and the pig? The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed! When it comes ...
What Are Shift Log Reports and How Effective Are They?
Shift log reporting is a critical component of any jail, prison, or juvenile detention facility’s compliance and governance process. It provides valua...
Why Should I Migrate from OnDemand to Command Cloud?
Every now and then a new phone hits the market, letting you know that a newer, improved device is available for download. While you might initially ro...
What is Command Cloud Defender Edition?
While the typical age range of correctional officers today ranges from 21 to 60, the average age of a U.S. correctional officer is 42.5 years. This ag...
Does Command Cloud Alert Staff When Security Rounds are Late?
GUARDIAN RFID often receives the question: Does Command Cloud alert staff when security rounds are late? The answer is clear and concise: YES. GUARDIA...
GUARD1’s PIPE vs. GUARDIAN RFID’s SPARTAN
The purpose of this blog is to break down the core differences between Guard1 vs. GUARDIAN RFID – specifically the PIPE vs. the SPARTAN. Much of this ...
What Kind of Technical Support Does GUARDIAN RFID Provide?
A strong IT or Support department in any software company is essential to ensure seamless customer experience and efficient resolution of technical is...
The One Mistake Nearly Every Correctional Officer Makes Doing Rounds, and How to Fix It
Consistency is typically a good thing in a corrections setting. From the level of detail included in a log to how officers communicate with inmates an...
Three Overlooked Features Every Inmate Tracking System Needs
There are some inmate tracking features that are straightforward. Then, there are some features that are just simply overlooked. If you want to get th...
How Can I Improve Meal Management for My Inmate Population?
While meal management in a correctional facility may seem routine and simple, it comes with its own set of challenges. Ensuring each inmate receives t...
What Happens if I Break My SPARTAN Mobile Device?
In the world of Command Cloud, the SPARTAN is one of the most universally held (pun intended) components of the officer experience platform (OXP).
How is Command Cloud Priced?
You’ve been tasked with looking into GUARDIAN RFID’s Command Cloud. Perhaps you discovered it through an online source or by talking with one of our t...
Does Command Cloud Have a Rest API?
One of the most common technical questions GUARDIAN RFID gets asked about Command Cloud is: What are its integration capabilities and does Command Clo...
The Five Stages of GUARDIAN RFID's Implementation Process
When implementing an inmate tracking system such as GUARDIAN RFID, the time required for deployment can vary based on factors such as the size of your...
4 Ways to Maximize Your Deployment Success With GUARDIAN RFID
Deploying new technology in a facility can be daunting for any agency, even so for those who are adopting GUARDIAN RFID. Warriors will inevitably face...
Can Hard Tags be Mounted Where iButtons Used to be Located?
What was once a commonplace system in jails, iButtons and wands were symbiotic devices compromised of a product category known as “guard tour systems....
What Does the Annual Price of GUARDIAN RFID Include?
Innovative technology can help manage your inmate tracking responsibilities to gain better compliance and stronger business outcomes. However, the cos...
How Do I Use WordBlocks to Log Inmate Observations in Command Cloud?
One of the most commonly asked questions GUARDIAN RFID receives at demos and tradeshows is: Who’s your biggest competitor? The answer may surprise you...
Does Command Cloud Integrate with Tyler Technologies?
A common question that GUARDIAN RFID receives from prospects is: Do you interface with Tyler Technologies' jail management system? Yes, we do. In this...
How Easy is it to Log In and Out of Mobile Command XR?
Let’s face it: you’re drowning in passwords. What was once a simple expression of your personality is now a dizzying mix of alphanumeric combinations,...
What Happens if Command Cloud is Not Right For My Agency?
To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Suppose your facility implements GUARDIAN RFID’s Command Cloud and later determines it’s not the right fit for yo...
Does Our Jail Need to Interface GUARDIAN RFID with Our JMS?
A common question among jails considering GUARDIAN RFID technology to help with their inmate tracking needs is: Do I need to interface Command Cloud w...
Where Should I Place My Hard Tags?
Security rounds are undoubtedly one of the most critical responsibilities of a correctional officer. They are the best opportunity for officers to ens...
How Can Correctional Officers Best Manage Keep Separates?
Officers have dozens, if not hundreds, of inmates in their custody to keep track of. As if remembering all of their names isn’t difficult enough, offi...
Where is GUARDIAN RFID Data Stored?
If you’ve experienced GUARDIAN RFID software in action – whether during a demo or at a neighboring facility – you know that our platform, Command Clou...
Jailbreak: Preventing Another Vicky White and Casey White
Prison breaks have captured the attention of media and civilians for years, but how many times is a correctional officer involved in, or conducting, t...
The Top 10 Questions Asked During a GUARDIAN RFID Introductory Webinar
Every month, GUARDIAN RFID welcomes Warriors from across the nation to join a live, 60-minute demonstration of how Command Cloud, the first-ever offic...
Enhancing Correctional Training with Virtual Learning
Jane Steel
The undeniable truth in today’s correctional environment is that staff turnover has reached a historic peak. As a result, officers face the challenge ...
How to Test Your SPARTAN and Hard Tags
Correctional officers regularly monitor inmates' whereabouts, actions, behaviors, meals, supplies, and other tasks as part of their daily responsibili...
How to Build an Inmate Identification Wristband
Implementing an inmate identification method helps officers track inmate movement, activities, and interactions accurately. Whether it’s a name tag, I...
How One Tool Can Improve Your Team's Task Management
The role of a correctional officer demands versatility at every turn. Officers are responsible for many tasks that require them to wear various hats e...
3 Ways to Improve Staff Accountability
Corrections is a fast-paced, high-stress industry where everything can flip upside down at the drop of a hat. If staff are unaware of what their team ...
Inmate Mental Health Crises: What New Officers Should Know
Taking care of your mental health as a corrections officer is difficult enough, let alone managing inmates’ emotional wellness too. Correctional facil...
4 Ways to Conduct Security Rounds
No two facilities’ operations are identical. Each of their standards, goals, and procedures makes them unique. However, there is one thing that all fa...
3 Ways to Improve Your Facility’s Compliance Percentage
Correctional facilities can only be successful when the safety, security, and overall well-being of both the inmates and staff are prioritized. This i...
3 Ways to Manage Your Correctional Facility’s Budget
Times are tough to say at the very least, especially with prices constantly increasing without added funds. Today’s correctional landscape makes it di...
4 Budget-Friendly Practices to Improve Staff Performance
As a jail administrator, budget limitations are a harsh reality that can feel extremely restricting. It usually results in limited resources and hinde...
Where Should Small Facilities with Budget Restraints Invest?
One of the most important roles of a correctional officer is to efficiently track the inmates in their custody. From performing timely cell checks to ...
You Can Bend the Rules This One Time, Right CO?
“I promise I won’t snitch.” “Everyone stretches the truth a bit.” “Can’t you cut me some slack?” “One favor won’t hurt anybody.” “You can bend the rul...
Hard Tags: Purpose, Placement, Installation
“If it wasn’t documented, it didn’t happen.” This is a statement that every corrections professional has heard at some point during their tenure. Show...
The More Robust the Reporting, the More Accountable the Officer
“How on Earth did we miss that?” This question has likely crossed the mind of every corrections professional at one point or another, especially when ...
How Technology Ensures Efficient Meal Distribution
Out of all the time-sensitive demands, security-critical protocols, and operational tasks that correctional officers are responsible for, one of the m...
How Does Facility WiFi Bandwidth Impact GUARDIAN RFID Technology?
When an agency is starting to expand its technology landscape, it’s natural to have questions about what the process will look like and what the futur...
Prison Guard vs. Corrections Officer: What’s the Difference?
Over the years, we have increasingly become more aware of the power of terminology. Whether to describe someone's education level, job title, or perso...
How Does Mobile Compliance Monitor Improve Security Round Compliance?
Updated: 03/11/25 Completing rounds is one of the most important duties a correctional officer performs, serving as the foundation of effective inmate...
Mitigating Mental Burnout: Self-Care Strategies for Correctional Officers
Since 2020, most industries have undergone record-breaking numbers of turnover. Studies found that the most significant reason behind these sky-high s...
NFC and RFID: The Tech Siblings
Paul Baze, MPA, CJM, CCT, NJLCA
In today’s world, we are all too familiar with accessing anything and everything with just a few clicks of our cell phones. When mobile phones launche...
Building Confidence in New Officers: It’s a Team Sport
Whether they come from a family with a corrections history or are a first-generation correctional officer, walking through the front doors on Day 1 ca...
Juveniles in Corrections: Is Age Really Just a Number?
A common misconception is that correctional officers only work in jails and prisons with many overlook that COs also work in a variety of other enviro...
How to Remind Disrespectful Inmates of Your Authority
We know that corrections officers have all experienced an inmate act out of pocket. Screaming. Kicking. Cursing. Self-harming. You name it, they’ve se...
How to Recognize Quality Applicants and Help Them Grow Into Quality Officers
Demanding work hours, overcrowding, occupational danger, noncompetitive compensation., staffing shortages, and burnout are only a few of the reasons w...
3 Selling Points That Will Help Your Staff Accept New Technology
Let’s start off with complete transparency, we know technology hasn’t always been a knight in shining armor. We have all had our fair share of tech fa...
Should Inmates Be Allowed to Handle Nail Clippers?
The debate over what items an inmate can have is a tale as old as time. However, this debate becomes a little more heated regarding basic hygiene mate...
An Inmate Claims They Weren’t Offered a Meal - How to Prove Them Wrong
The clock is ticking down to chow time. You know the drill. As you start to make your way toward the housing units to dispense meals, you realize it’s...
More Than Just a Jailer
Clair R. Swain
Reflecting on the 23 years I have worked at the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, I look back on this journey that started on December 6, 1999,...
3 Quick Tips to Become More Proactive on Shift
If you've used GUARDIAN RFID’s SPARTAN, you're likely familiar with the “purge siren” that sounds when a round is overdue. That blaring alarm can trig...
The Top 15 Signs You’ve Outgrown Your Guard Tour System
Cpt. Daniel Quam, MBA
Paper logs were once the pinnacle practice of logging rounds. Fortunately, a lightbulb turned on in someone’s head and they recognized that there had ...
How to Address the Fight-or-Flight Moment
Mark Cowley
As human beings, we are hardwired to experience stress. Whether the feeling is mental or physical, our bodies are trained to respond to stress in a un...
The Top 8 Implementation and Go-Live FAQs
Chris Riedmueller
As your Go-Live date rapidly approaches, it’s natural to have a flurry of questions and concerns about the transition. This pivotal moment represents ...
The Top 5 Best Practices for Securing Your Wi-Fi in a Corrections Environment
Nick Lane
Here at GUARDIAN RFID, we pride ourselves on being the global leader in inmate management and tracking systems. We are dedicated to providing correcti...
10 Perfect Questions to Ask at a GUARDIAN RFID Demo
Paul Baze, MPA, CJM, CCT, NJLCA
When you’re in the market for new goods and services, sitting through monotonous vendor product demonstrations can be quite dreadful. It’s just as muc...
The Impacts of Inmate Rehabilitation
When we hear the term “rehabilitation,” some may initially picture physical therapy after an accident or healing from an addiction. Google defines reh...
How Can I Manage Mandatory Overtime and a Healthy Work-Life Balance?
Mark Cowley
Unfortunately, the nation has experienced an influx of shortages since the pandemic, including limited staffing across almost every industry. Companie...
Corrections Stresses & Mental Health Messes
Mark Cowley
The mental health crisis within the corrections industry is reaching unprecedented levels, and the urgency to address this issue has never been greate...
5 Reasons Why You Should Track Supplies Given
Chris Riedmueller
Staff issue supplies to inmates regularly, ranging from general hygiene supplies to legal mail, but which ones should you be tracking? Most initial th...
How Can My Agency Pass a Jail Inspection When My Electronic Jail Check System Identifies and Logs Every Single Late Security Check?
Jeff Kovar
Without a doubt, documenting your rounds with pen and paper is the cheapest option. The term "cheapest" was used instead of "most cost-effective" inte...
How to Carry Yourself in Corrections
Chris Riedmueller
After learning a new lesson, have you ever thought “Well, that would’ve been nice to know earlier”? We’ve all had moments where we wished we’d known s...
How Do GUARDIAN RFID Key Fobs Work?
*Enters password* “Incorrect password” “Incorrect password” “Incorrect password” Resets password “New password cannot be your previous password” Imagi...
Be a Student of Your Own Profession
Paul Baze, MPA, CJM, CCT, NJLCA
From the moment we’re born, our brain is already working overtime. In fact, between birth and the age of five, 85% of the brain is formed. And believe...
One Voice United Appointed Ken Dalley to Serve as Commissioner Focusing on Correctional Staff Wellness
As a global leader in inmate tracking and officer experience platforms (OXPs), GUARDIAN RFID was pleased to announce that Ken Dalley, Founder, Chairma...
The Top 5 Tips New Supervisors Need to Know
Taking on a “supervisor” role in any profession is an impressive advancement. But what does it mean to be a supervisor in corrections? What are you ex...
The Top 5 Tips New Correctional Officers Need to Know
A simple Wikipedia search of “corrections officer” will tell you it’s a “uniformed law enforcement official responsible for maintaining the order and ...
The Era of Command Cloud: The Officer Experience Platform
GUARDIAN RFID marks an exciting achievement with the launch of Command Cloud, the world’s first officer experience platform (OXP) that uses data fusio...
How Headcount Procedures Can Eliminate the Next Inmate Escape
When it’s time for a headcount, *most* inmates know the drill. They comply, return to their assigned cell or bunk, and wait to be physically identifie...
The Art Behind Inmate Tattoos
It’s easy for an inmate to blend in with the rest of the facility’s population. They’re all wearing the exact same uniform that every other inmate wea...
3 Major Benefits of Transitioning From Paper to Technology
The transition from paper to inmate tracking technology has continued to grow as a topic of conversation among corrections Consider Mark Cowley from J...
How Staff Can Be Successfully Trained With GUARDIAN RFID Technology
Doesn't it always seem like once you’ve gotten the hang of a particular method, something new and improved comes along? You just bought an iPhone 11 a...
The Hiding Area Depends on What is Being Hidden
In legal terms, contraband is known to be items that are illegal to have in one’s possession, which is ironic, isn’t it? The fact that some inmates do...
What it Takes to Retain Customers
Whether it’s an 8-year-old girl trying to sell Girl Scout cookies or a 17-year-old boy selling popcorn for his football team's fundraiser, it’s always...
Can Grievances Work in My Favor?
If you've worked in a correctional facility, you're no stranger to the complexities of handling grievances. Whether it’s an inmate alleging they misse...
Preventing Inmate Suicide
Suicide affects all different kinds of people from all different walks of life. Different cultures. Different races. Different income classes. Differe...
Which is Better to Have in My Facility: Cameras or an RFID Tracking System?
Jeff Kovar, Strategic Account Executive, has visited over a hundred jails and prisons throughout his career. During this time, a recurring theme emerg...
The Naked Truth About a Strip Search
Buckle up, this blog is about the famous ole’ Squat and Cough. For those who don’t know what this is, search it on Urban Dictionary (not with children...
Prison Puppies... UNLEASHED
Dogs are often called a man’s best friend, especially for those who depend on them for assistance with daily tasks. Professionally trained service dog...
How to Protect the Rights of Disabled Inmates
With a diverse population that includes individuals with various disabilities, correctional facilities need to implement proactive and comprehensive s...
The Importance of Meal Tracking
If you work in corrections, odds are you’re familiar with how often inmates complain about receiving meals. Luckily, there is a way to eliminate inmat...
The Top 3 Factors That Can Help Reduce Your Agency’s Liability Risk
Mark Cowley, Jail Operations at GUARDIAN RFID, brings over thirty-three years of law enforcement experience to the table. His career began with eighte...
The Top 5 Things to Know When Using a Restraint Chair
When you think of a restraint chair, you may think about a drug smuggler who failed his mission duct-taped to a chair, hooded, and beaten. These unrea...
Who Wants to Be a MILLIONAIRE?! (Corrections Edition)
You should know now before reading further, this blog isn’t going to be your every “get rich quick” reading. In fact, this is not a quick fix at all. ...
How to Prevent High-Risk Inmates From Harming Officers
Accepting a position to protect America’s Thin Gray Line can come with dangerous scenarios. Correctional officers are trained to take practical measur...
How Do Correctional Facilities Address the Rights of Inmates With Religious or Allergy Restricted Diets?
If you’ve watched Orange is the New Black, you’d know that in Season 3 there are a group of general population inmates who are jealous of those who ar...
What’s the “Right” Way to Handle My Facility's Incoming Mail?
Inmates are masters at finding loopholes in a facility’s security operations. Whether it is finding a couple of extra minutes for a phone call or an e...
Obstacles That Female Correctional Officers Face
The corrections profession is like none other. Over 400,000 brave men and women work eight to twelve-hour shifts to maintain order within the walls th...
How Widespread is a SPARTAN’s Versatility?
When you first hear the term “SPARTAN,” you might think of the mobile device used by correctional officers for inmate tracking. However, the SPARTAN d...
What Are Less Lethal Munitions and Methods?
Steve Maynard, Strategic Account Executive at GUARDIAN RFID, worked behind the walls of a correctional facility for nearly 15 years. But where did his...
The 3 Common Mistakes Supervisors Make During Difficult Conversations
Mark Penrod, Project Manager at GUARDIAN RFID, has over 12 years of experience with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, finishing his journey as th...
The Top 5 Risks That Will Get Correctional Officers Sued
When the average person thinks about life in prison, they think of the Hollywood movies where prisoners are kept in cages and treated like animals. Ho...
What Does Failure to Comply With Jail Standards and Jail Policy Lead to?
If your agency isn’t required to follow state policies or standards, should you care about officer jail checks? Are you prepared for potential legal i...
5 Benefits of Building a Modern Processing Center
If you’re one of the several counties that have heard the rumor about the new Polk Co. Processing Center being extremely appealing and innovative, buc...
5 Documentation Methods Using a SPARTAN Camera
We’ve all used a camera before to capture meaningful moments. Whether you’ve used a Polaroid to take a photo of your baby’s first steps, or your cell ...
How the Corrections Career Can Impact the Families of Officers
Caterina Spinaris, Ph.D., LPC, Founding Director of Desert Waters Correctional Outreach, has 21 years of experience working with correctional officers...
Why Supervisor Rounds in Your Jail or Prison Facility Are Crucial
Jeff Kovar
Rounds are a critical component in securing the safety of correctional facilities. There are often policies surrounding how rounds are completed to en...
5 Common Budget Sources for Your Jail Facility
Correctional officers are adept at juggling numerous responsibilities and wearing several different hats. So, to be successful in this position, they ...
How to Be Aware of Inmate Manipulation
At the end of the day, jail and prison officers have the same goal of ensuring their inmates’ needs are met. Of course, this can only be accomplished ...
What to Know About the ACA Accreditation Process
Managing a jail or prison facility like a well-oiled machine isn’t a simple task. Integrating standardization within a facility is crucial to creating...
Change Management: Effectively Navigating Digital Transformation
Paul Baze, MPA, CJM, CCT, NJLCA
What do corrections professionals often dislike? Change, and the way things are! Whether it involves a new policy, a new law, new technology, or new l...
Protecting Inmates From COVID-19 and Preserving PPE Are Top Priorities for U.S. Correctional Facilities: Here's What's New
Aric Asplund, President of International EnviroGuard
Preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is a global priority. From the start of the pandemic, U.S. officials have recogni...
The Correctional Tactical Operator in the Midst of a Pandemic
Pandemics are nothing new to us. Over the past 35 years, we have fought through HIV/AIDS, SARS, EBOLA, MERS, Influenza, and now, COVID-19. What is new...
Does GUARDIAN RFID or Our Jail Management System Manage Inmate Cell Assignments?
Ken Dalley, Jr.
Most jails in the United States use their jail management system (JMS) to assign inmates to specific housing units and cells. This practice enhances s...
Mid-level Supervisors: The Foundation of Jail Supervision
Lt. Gary F. Cornelius (Ret.)
Introduction As is the case in many professions, people want to move up the ladder. Some want an increase in pay, some want a change in workplace duti...
Medication Administration - SPARTAN vs. MAR Paper Logs
Greg Piper
Greg Piper here with another shift briefing regarding Medication Administration. Q: How does a Medication Manager benefit corrections professionals as...
COVID-19's Impact on Shift Briefings Now and Moving Forward
Greg Piper
COVID-19 has introduced significant challenges and disruptions to everyday life, affecting nearly every aspect of our routines. From mandated social d...
Who Owns GUARDIAN RFID Data?
Ken Dalley, Jr.
Some of the most common questions we receive from customers and potential customers concern data ownership: Who owns the data created digitally when w...
5 Ways Corrections Supervisors Can Better Connect With Their Teams
Greg Piper
In corrections, staff turnover can reach a staggering 65%. This highlights a critical reality: employees often leave because of their supervisors, not...
A Quick Guide to N95, KN95, and Surgical Masks
Masks are becoming a commonplace part of personal protective equipment (PPE) for many Americans. This includes industries that didn’t use protective m...
Correctional Professionals in the Eye of the Pandemic’s Storm
Aric Asplund, President of International EnviroGuard
Article by Aric Asplund, President of International EnviroGuard The brave men and women who work with hardened criminals in the nation’s prison system...
COVID-19: Logging for Lawsuit Prevention Using GUARDIAN RFID’s SPARTAN
Greg Piper
How can the GUARDIAN RFID solution, specifically the SPARTAN, help protect your staff and facility with the inevitable lawsuits from an offender claim...
High-Risk Transports
Author: Sidney Lopez, CEO/ Chief Instructor of Tactics & Operations Group-US (TOG-US) LLC.
Prevent and Combat COVID-19 and Contagious Diseases in Corrections
Hi, I'm Ann Spalding and I am a public health physician. I've been trained in internal medicine and infectious disease. I have a Master's in Public He...
How to Digitally Transform Your Jail
Paul Baze, MPA, CJM, CCT, NJLCA
We've all heard the saying: "If it wasn’t documented, it didn’t happen." This rings especially true in the field of corrections. Without proper docume...
How Do I Get to 100% Round Compliance?
Paul Baze, MPA, CJM, CCT, NJLCA
Believe it or not, people in corrections are very creative and like to make up bad-ass names for many things, like “sallyport,” “prison punch,” or “ja...
Outsourcing High Liability (Tactical) Training in Corrections
Author: Sidney Lopez, CEO/ Chief Instructor of Tactics & Operations Group-US (TOG-US) LLC.
Legal Defensibility: RFID Data vs. Paper Logs in Court
I have been training correctional staff for nearly a decade and have used the joke “you are a babysitter of adults” just to get a laugh. In all honest...
How Do I Download Data From GUARDIAN RFID?
We frequently get asked: “How do I download our data?” by GUARDIAN RFID users. This is a great question, but it's important to pinpoint exactly what y...
Breaking the “I’m Good” Code of Silence
Caterina G. Spinaris, Ph.D., LPC
Desert Waters Correctional Outreach, Inc., is a 2003 Colorado-based 501(c)(3) corporation which helps correctional agencies counter Corrections Fatigu...
How to Feel Your Best When You See the Worst
Amy Morgan, MSC
By Amy Morgan, MSC, CFRC(D), TECC-LEO If asked which we prefer, feeling happy or feeling depressed, I don’t think any of us would choose “I like to fe...
Evolution of the Correctional Tactical Officer
Contemporary issues such as Hostage Rescue and Active Shooter Concepts in a Correctional Setting are all subjects that in past years have been conside...
Inmate Tracking for Jail and Prison Systems
Tracking inmate movements between different facilities within a jail or prison system takes thorough training on policy and procedure. Inmate tracking...
5 Low-cost Ways to Prevent Inmate Suicides
Tessa Miller
With the recent death of high-profile inmate Jeffery Epstein, a light has been shed on a fundamental problem within correctional facilities regarding ...
Top 2 Misconceptions About Using Mobile Scanners (and Why They’re Wrong)
“Does carrying a mobile scanner pose safety risks to correctional officers?” “Are they too distracting?” “I don’t want my officers staring at a screen...
Top 4 Mistakes Corrections Officers Make While Doing Rounds and How to Fix Them
Greg Piper
Whether it’s a simple mistake, forgetfulness, or laziness, mistakes happen. Plain and simple. However, in corrections, even the smallest mistakes can ...
How to Track Inmate Meals at Your Correctional Facility Using GUARDIAN RFID
Camille Knighton
Although it would make everyone’s job easier, it’s impossible to say there’s a way to eliminate meal complaints and grievances entirely. However, ther...
3 Ways Technology Can Help Minnesota Jails Comply With 2911
Frank Montemorano
You are a corrections professional, and the odds are NEVER in your favor. While the legal system equips you with authority in your jail, it also offer...
One-way vs. Two-way Interface: Which Provides More Value to Your Correctional Facility?
Camille Knighton
The software platforms used within your facility hold security-critical information, but how do they interact with your enterprise system? An interfac...
Inmate Identification: Wristbands vs. ID Cards
The Worth Co. Jail in Northwood, Iowa, has an average daily population ranging between two and five inmates. On quieter days, there may only be one. H...
Everything You Need to Know About the Sandra Bland Act
Senate Bill 1849, more commonly known as the Sandra Bland Act, mandates additional compliance requirements by Texas jails to help ensure the safety an...
Why Jails Should Switch to Mobile Inmate Tracking
Camille Knighton
Nearly 60% of managers report missing critical information daily due to difficulties in locating it when it's stored on paper. Senior leaders, on aver...
How to Deploy GUARDIAN RFID
Camille Knighton
Getting Started On average, the implementation process for GUARDIAN RFID generally takes around 90 days. There are six phases in our implementation pr...
3 Ways to Improve Guard Tour
Joe Lewis
Traditional guard tour systems no longer keep pace with the needs of increasingly savvy corrections professionals. Guard tour offers little near and l...
6 Tips for Zone-based Inmate Tracking Success
Zone-based inmate tracking is a powerful, practical alternative to coordinate-based inmate tracking. But how do you determine whether a long-range, zo...
Review: Spillman Flex Jail Management System Integration
Camille Knighton
DISCLOSURE: GUARDIAN RFID is a Strategic Business Partner of Spillman Technologies. Spillman Flex’s Jail Management System (JMS) is an on-premises sof...
Do I Need to Use Wi-Fi With GUARDIAN RFID?
Whether it be conducting security rounds, ensuring inmates receive their medicine, transporting inmates to different locations, distributing meals, or...
Why 3 Jail Admin Switched From Guard Tour to GUARDIAN RFID
Tired of accumulating and storing boxes upon boxes full of paper logs? How about burning hours upon hours of valuable staff time searching for informa...
What You Need to Know About the Prison Rape Elimination Act
Preventing sexual abuse and harassment is a pertinent objective across many, if not all, industries. In recent years, more and more jobs are implement...
The Debut of the Warrior Technology Campaign
Warrior Technology refers to the constant battle corrections professionals face to execute their responsibilities with courage and valor. This bravery...
Can I Interface OnDemand With My Jail Management System?
When you’re working with and managing inmates, you need as much information about them as possible. Inmate information is usually kept in your jail ma...
4 Tips for Enhancing Officer Documentation
At one point or another, you’ve likely experienced an inmate complaining about you or another officer. What they’ll allege, and how far they’re willin...
Mobile Inmate Tracking Technology in Corrections
The new era of digital transformation has made waves across the correctional industry, leaving many agencies wondering how to keep their facilities up...
Switching from Guard Tour to GUARDIAN RFID
Every day, correctional officers are swamped with seemingly millions of tasks. Their plates are full, to say the least. The last thing they need to wo...
Five Tips to Maximize Successful Inmate Identification
Performing rounds quickly while staying diligent and providing accurate documentation can be difficult without a little help. When there are hundreds ...