Police recently used their Internet access to aid in the arrest in town of a Florida woman, a fugitive in a child custody case who had lived in 47 locations over the previous two years. Judges and juries have reported that such equipment improves their understanding of key facts during trials. Federal courts in Illinois have or will soon be equipped with high-tech courtrooms, although state courts have been slower to modernize because of the high costs involved. The West Virginia State Parole Board recently held its first parole hearing using videoconferencing equipment that links the state's seven regional jails and three prisons. The new system saves on travel costs for the five-member board, and also allows crime victims to testify without having to be in the same room as the perpetrator.
Family members can join inmates at the jail sites for the hearings.