Android in prisons: Meet the man who put Galaxy Tab S2s in Rikers Island

Christopher Grewe is the CEO of the American Prison Data Systems, a startup that brings tablets to inmates around the U.S. for education and rehabilitation. The United States has a prison problem—namely, the largest prison population in the world and the second-highest per-capita incarceration rate. These statistics are partly what inspired me to speak with Christopher Grewe, the CEO and founder of American Prison Data Systems, or APDS. Grewe may not be an Android developer, or even a die-hard Android user, but what he’s doing with Android tablets in the U.S. prison system is remarkable. The concept is simple: Seed inmates with feature-limited Galaxy Tab S2s. The inmates typically have access to only educational and vocational apps, through in some cases they can use the tablets to read ebooks, prepare for upcoming court cases, or communicate with family members. “We provide technology solutions that provide better outcomes for the incarcerated,” Grewe said at the beginning of our interview. “Prisons don’t need to be dangerous places. They can be constructive.” Click to read the rest of the article