Access control and monitoring in a prison environment

Electronic access control systems and tracking systems are now a firmly established means of regulating the movement of personnel into, out of and within sites and buildings. The use of fully automated systems minimises the use of valuable staff resources and allows instant location of individuals. Such systems also provide a historical log of movements of personnel and therefore hold useful diagnostic information should a security breach occur, or for simple 'time and attendance' monitoring. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) commissioned the Home Office Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) to review available control and tracking systems with the objective of examining the feasibility of monitoring and controlling the movements of all individuals, including prisoners, entering and occupying a prison. At present, Scottish prisons utilise swipe cards and digitised facial images for staff control. One establishment has been equipped with a fingerprint verification unit to identify long term contractors. Otherwise, conventional lock and key systems operate. This paper presents an overview of the types of access control and tracking systems available and discusses them in the context of use in a prison.