Prisoners in Ajman can now place orders to supermarkets from their cells

Ajman - They can even make calls and get in touch with their families through their screens.

Prisoners can now order the items they need from an online supermarket using electronic screens installed in their cells, according to the Ajman Police that launched this e-service project for the Ajman Punitive and Reformatory Establishments (APRE) on Wednesday.
Designed to promptly meet the inmates' needs and streamline the facility's operations, the Smart Supermarket service was inaugurated by Major-General Sheikh Sultan Al Nuaimi, commander in chief of Ajman Police, and was set up in coordination with the General Directorate of Resources and Support Services.
With just a few taps on the screen, the inmates' requests directly go to the supermarket staff who will then process the order accordingly. What used to be a process that took 24 hours can now be completed in 50 minutes.
Aside from the online store services, the smart system also issues receipts for the personal belongings that the inmates have surrendered upon their entry. They can even make calls and get in touch with their families through their screens.
Brigadier Mubarak Al Rezi, director of APRE, said that the online service also helps the facility get rid of all the coupons that inmates had to use before, the printing of which usually costs Dh 45,000 a year.
Both staff and inmates are now being trained on how to use the service, which is in the trial phase. Once proven successful, it will be fully implemented, Brig Al Rezi said.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

• Ajman