Editorial: Keeping a smart watch on jail technology
August 02, 2026
TribLive: “Every jail has challenges when dealing with people who have serious medical needs.
People who have been arrested can have the same health problems anyone might face. They may have cardiac or respiratory conditions. They may be diabetic. They may be in the throes of an active incident that is material to their legal problems, like drug and alcohol use.
The National Association of Counties reports about 40% of inmates have some kind of medical condition. That figure does not include the 60% with mental health issues and up to 75% with addiction.
Jails, as they take custody of these individuals, assume responsibility for their health and well-being. Meeting that obligation is daunting.
Allegheny County is addressing it with technology….
While Beryl Lipton of the Electronic Frontier Foundation acknowledges good intentions, she is skittish about collecting and storing data. Tanisha Long of the Abolitionist Law Center is more blunt.
‘I’m not a fan of this,’ she said. ‘This is another piece of surveillance technology under the guise of safety and wellness.'”