UAE to provide prisoners with ‘smart wristbands’

The Punitive and Reformatory Establishment in Sharjah will soon provide its prisoners with barcoded smart wristbands with a built-in database of their details and a tracking system.

A first of its kind in the region, the bracelet will carry an integrated database of each prisoner, which includes the crime they committed and the penalty they will face among other information. It will also be linked to a smart screen, complete with a tracking system, and installed in a specialized room.

Ahmed Abdulaziz Shuhail, director-general of Sharjah’s Punitive and Reformatory Establishment, told Khaleej Times that the smart bracelet system is designed to simplify access to prisoners’ information related to personal identifications, health records, attendance, and legal case.

“It will be operational very soon, as they are working on setting it up and entering the information of the prisoners,” he added.

The tracking system will determine where a prisoner is allowed to go, and will track his or her movements. It will also grant them access to certain areas, like a cafeteria or a clinic, as well as other services areas within the facility. If an inmate attempts to escape using unauthorized doors, the wristband will alert police guards immediately.

Shuhail added that the smart bracelet’s barcode can also be used in bank transactions to withdraw money that the families deposit into prisoners’ accounts.

He explained that the wristband screen will display a number of options including, complaints and inquiries, family visit requests and medical services.

The Ministry of the Interior has plans to implement artificial intelligence-based electronic services in all its prisons