Securus Technologies: Correctional Grade Tab
Our Solution
How we helped create a communications device for Inside the Wall use
The Result
A product that enabled NEXA to enter the correctional facilities support industry.
The Story
Building a communication device friendly yet secure for the correctional system.
NEXA is an emerging force in enterprise mobility, combining telecom services with custom Android hardware. As an Android Enterprise Gold Partner, NEXA supports organizations that need device fleets to remain reliable, manageable, and available far beyond standard consumer refresh cycles. Their model provides long term inventory stability, predictable hardware availability, and tailored support for specialized operational environments.
Securus Technologies, part of the Aventiv group, provides communication tools, education services, and technology infrastructure to correctional facilities across the United States. Their platforms allow inmates to maintain contact with family members, participate in rehabilitative programs, and access essential services within the prison system. One of their key offerings is a tablet based solution that enables secure video calls through the Securus app and serves as a controlled digital resource for inmates.
Inside American correctional facilities, inmates participate in a commissary system where they can use earned funds to purchase authorized goods and communication services. The tablet program is central to this system. However, Securus faced a severe design challenge. Inmates often attempted to pry open tablets at parting lines. Once opened, the devices could be tampered with, repurposed, or even used to hide contraband. At the same time, Securus needed a rapid solution and could not invest in creating an entirely new tablet architecture from scratch. They needed a hardened, tamper resistant enclosure built around a reliable commercial platform.
NEXA identified their T100 10 inch tablet as the hardware foundation. Bang Design was brought in to redesign the physical integration for correctional grade expectations.
Designing a Tablet That Cannot Be Opened, Repurposed, or Weaponized
1. Eliminating All Opportunities for Tampering
Inmates have time, ingenuity, and incentive to pry open any accessible parting line. The design needed to remove all lateral seams and eliminate any feasible pry points.
2. Preventing Hardware Access and Concealment of Contraband
Any opening created by force could allow internal tampering or provide space to hide dangerous or banned substances.
3. Rapid Development Timeline
Securus needed a commercially viable solution quickly and preferred to avoid a full ground up tablet design.
4. Compatibility with Existing Gang Chargers
Prisons use shared charging systems to manage large fleets of devices. The new enclosure had to support dock style gang charging without compromising tamper resistance.
5. Ruggedness and Impact Safety
Broken plastic from a shattered device can become a dangerous weapon. The enclosure needed to be impact tolerant and resist fracture.
6. A Friendly, Non Institutional Aesthetic
Securus wanted a visual language that felt supportive and human centered rather than cold or punitive. The product facilitates family connection, so the design needed to reflect that purpose.
A Seamless Bucket Design That Removed Side Parting Lines
Our first step was to strip the T100 of its original plastic housing. We then created a new bucket style enclosure that wrapped around the tablet as a single continuous piece on all sides. By eliminating side parting lines entirely, we removed the most common pry points. This transformed the enclosure from a typical multi part shell into a correctional grade protective architecture.
Integration of Docking Features for Gang Charging
Since the devices must be charged in large batches, we engineered docking geometry directly into the enclosure. These features interfaced with Securus’s existing charging racks while maintaining the sealed, tamper resistant exterior.
A Tamper Detection System That Activated an Audible Alarm
Even with strengthened geometry, inmates could attempt to insert tools under the display edge. To mitigate this, we developed a tamper detection mechanism that triggered a loud alarm if any separation force was applied. This system ensured that guards would be alerted immediately and offenders apprehended before damage or contraband placement could occur.
Double Shot Moulded Housing for Strength and Safety
For impact resilience and user safety, we recommended a double shot moulded construction. The enclosure’s inner layer used a rigid thermoplastic for structural strength. The outer layer used TPU or TPE to create a shock absorbing skin that prevented shattering on impact. This avoided the creation of sharp fragments that could be misused as weapons, a critical requirement in correctional settings.
Color and Finish Exploration for a Supportive Aesthetic
Securus wanted the tablet to feel approachable and unisex. The product exists to enable emotional connection with family, not to reinforce institutional severity. We explored CMF options beyond traditional black and grey to convey a friendlier presence while still meeting durability and cleaning requirements.
Seamless Collaboration With NEXA and Securus
We coordinated closely with NEXA’s engineering teams and Securus’s product managers to ensure every constraint was understood and preserved through to manufacturing. This allowed NEXA’s hardware to be repurposed quickly while still meeting stringent correctional expectations.
THE RESULT
A Secure, Scalable Communication Platform for Correctional Facilities
The final design became Securus’s primary tablet housing for correctional use.
The solution:
- Eliminated side access points through a seamless bucket enclosure
- Integrated gang charging compatibility into the mechanical architecture
- Included an active tamper detection alarm to discourage prying attempts
- Used double shot moulding to prevent breakage and reduce safety risks
- Adopted color and finish choices that aligned with Securus’s human centered intent
- Delivered a fast, manufacturable solution without requiring a new tablet platform
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Our work enabled NEXA to offer a hardened correctional grade device that addressed Securus’s security, safety, and usability needs. This strengthened NEXA’s presence in the correctional technology sector and provided Securus with a dependable, scalable solution for their system wide deployment.