PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP) is pleased to announce new state-of-the-art mail-scanning technology for all its facilities that will enhance the detection and identification of contraband that has previously avoided detection and made its way into facilities. This advanced screening process will further ensure the safety of PDP’s dedicated uniformed staff as well as the incarcerated people in custody.

Further, the PDP has recently implemented advanced body-scanning systems designed to prevent the introduction of contraband on the person of incarcerated people into prisons that would have previously gone undetected.

“We have been in pursuit of this equipment for some time, but like many other industries, we had to contend with supply chain issues,” says Commissioner Blanche Carney. “We are pleased to have now obtained this equipment as another technological advancement that will help keep our staff and incarcerated population safe, by intercepting contraband that would otherwise have gone undetected.”

All U.S. mail sent to PDP facilities will now be processed through the newly obtained mail scanning equipment. If there is any suspicious substance detected, the mail will be separated and transported to the Philadelphia Police Department for processing. The incarcerated person for whom the mail was intended will be notified accordingly.

Further, newly implemented body scanning equipment enables the PDP to scan and detect contraband that would not otherwise be detected by pat down searches of an incarcerated person. The equipment scans the entire person and shows items being hidden that could not otherwise be seen by the eye or felt by a pat down search.

Coupling these high-level lines of defense with the dedicated and unparalleled vigilance of PDP’s uniformed staff will significantly enhance the safety of our campus.