Reintegration

Company rededicates itself to transparency and helping formerly incarcerated individuals acquire successful training and employment 

To better reflect its mission and vision, GTL is now ViaPath Technologies. CEO Deb Alderson promised change when she took over the company. Her personal experience with an incarcerated family member became a deep-seated passion for the experience of families of the incarcerated and providing second chances for returning citizens. Under her leadership, ViaPath Technologies has launched an expanded Reintegration Services program and dedicated more than $5 million over the next two years to ensure its success.  

GTL started almost 33 years ago as a provider of secure telephone services for prisons and jails because it recognized the importance of connection between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. As technology expanded, GTL segued into additional communication services and operational systems that were customized to the unique and complex security concerns of correctional facilities, all of which contribute to higher costs.  

Under Alderson’s leadership, GTL has worked to lower calling rates and provide free communication options, which have saved customers over $100 million. For the past year, the company has provided a baseline of free communications to all individuals using its systems across the U.S., and a continuing commitment of ViaPath Technologies will be to lower costs further so that families and support networks can stay in touch without financial worry. Complementary to its commitment to decreasing costs is ViaPath’s focus on increasing transparency, which includes evaluating policies and systems to simplify and improve clarity for consumers. 

ViaPath Technologies will continue to provide communication products for incarcerated individuals and their loved ones while also expanding its offerings, services, and programs. For example, the company introduced tablets in 2013, it expanded its free resources last year, and will add more in-depth content and curriculum in 2022. “Taking a holistic approach to reintegration programs to break the cycle of incarceration, our solutions deliver the support and resources individuals need to move forward as well as realize the potential of tomorrow,” said Alderson. “We want to deliver resources that forge a path through enrichment, education, and new opportunities.” 

According to the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS), more than 600,000 individuals across the U.S. are released from state and federal prisons each year. HHS also finds that more than two-thirds of those released are likely to be  re-arrested within three years. This is often attributed to a lack of training, reintegration skills, and employment opportunities. 

With this in mind, ViaPath has refocused its efforts on reintegration. The company is working with partners to provide more free education and training content on its tablets, as well as job boards and an employment arm that will assist in finding jobs. “We’re finalizing partnerships with multiple companies and organizations that will assist us in helping formerly incarcerated individuals connect with employers,” Alderson added. “With so many employment needs across numerous industries countrywide, we hope to be able to provide a solution to the employment crisis.” 

ViaPath Technologies is committed to delivering the products and services that set new industry standards. “The pandemic has shown all of us the need for connectivity, the importance of believing in a better tomorrow, and how technology can transform lives,” Alderson explained. “We want to make sure that individuals everywhere have the same opportunities—criminal records or not. As ViaPath, we can do so with purpose.” 

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