&quot;The prisons that I&#x27;m aware of that are looking deeper into video visitation are interested in its potential to increase visit frequency and virtual, remote, visitation. It makes the stigma and difficulty of visitation easier (on the visitor) which gives a prisoner a visitor that may not have had one otherwise.&quot;<p>The kickbacks, sorry, commissions, that the prison gets from these systems probably has little to nothing to do with that decision... distance is really the only reason to -augment- the visitation system, to my mind. Augmentation I&#x27;m fine with, reduction of existing visitation, not so much. It&#x27;s a little condescending too - &quot;We&#x27;re reducing visitation and increasing paid video visitation, but it&#x27;s to make you more comfortable, and not have to be around other prisoners&quot;.<p>I somewhat DO think it&#x27;s the actual motivation of the prison system, or at least parts of it, which is why you see these same companies lobbying FOR three strikes laws, lobbying FOR mandatory minimums, lobbying AGAINST legalization of marijuana because, in their own words, these things increase numbers of convicts in beds.<p>I&#x27;m also of the thought that the strength of will of people who come into the prison system with altruistic goals to fight a suffocating cynicism of grim reality can only be found in a minority.