VIDEO COURT HEARINGS: GOOD USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Video court appearances by prisoners in the Cape Girardeau County Jail who otherwise would be escorted in chain-gang fashion to the courthouse seems a wise use of video technology.

Groups of up to 35 prisoners walking with as few as two deputy escorts from the jail to the courthouse have always posed a threat. The walk and close quarters in the courtroom allowed narcotics and other contraband to be smuggled into the jail despite security measures. And there always existed the possibility of a prisoner trying to escape and someone getting hurt or killed.

The video appearances along with some other improvements that are streamlining the initial court process, including consolidating various legal procedures, is much more efficient. Attorneys now can conduct initial interviews in the jail instead of waiting for prisoners to be moved from the courtroom to their cells, which saves everyone time.

Cape Girardeau County is the first in Southeast Missouri to use the video appearances, and it was initiated with an investment of just $4,000. In safety and time savings, that is an outstanding bargain.