SCI Rockview Tablets: What They Do, How Families Can Help Buy One, and What Happens After Release
If your loved one is at SCI Rockview and wants a DOC-approved tablet, the rules are specific: the inmate orders it through commissary, families help by sending funds, and the device has built-in restrictions while they're incarcerated. Here's what the tablets can do, how purchasing works, and what to expect after release.
SCI Rockview inmates can use DOC-approved tablets for a handful of functions that make day-to-day time more manageable. The biggest draw for most families? Email. The tablet lets inmates send and receive messages with family and friends. Beyond communication, the tablets offer entertainment and reading options within DOC-approved boundaries. Inmates can access a music library with more than 3 million songs, play 45 pre-approved games, and read from a collection of more than 8,500 eBooks. Everything is limited to what's approved and loaded on the device - but these options can still make a real difference in staying occupied and connected.
Just as important: what the tablet can't do while someone is incarcerated. DOC-approved tablets don't have Wi‑Fi, and they can't take photos - there's no camera function. If you're expecting something like a normal consumer tablet, this is where you'll need to adjust expectations.
The tablet has to be ordered by the inmate through the Pennsylvania DOC commissary system. You can't place the order for them directly as a family member or friend. Tablets are purchased through ViaPath Technologies. In practice, your role is financial support (if you're able), while your loved one handles the actual ordering process inside.
- Set up a JPay account - a JPay account is required if you want to send money for a tablet purchase.
- Send funds to your loved one - family and friends send money to the inmate so the inmate can purchase the tablet through commissary.
- Know one thing the tablet can help with - inmates can add funds to the inmate’s trust account through a Lobby Kiosk using the tablet interface.
Vendor Contact
- ✓ ViaPath Technologies (tablet vendor for purchases and post-release service)
- ✓ Phone: 877-650-4249
These tablets have a "mortality timer" - a built-in lockout feature that requires syncing to a prison kiosk every 30 days. Miss that window, and the tablet locks. So even after your loved one gets a tablet, keeping it usable means staying on top of that regular kiosk sync.
Note: If the tablet locks because it wasn't synced, your loved one loses access until it's updated at a prison kiosk. The tablet can also be used to add funds to the inmate's trust account through a Lobby Kiosk interface - another reason to think of regular syncing as part of keeping things running smoothly.
After release, the tablet stays with the person. But there's a key step to keep it working: once home, they need to send the tablet to ViaPath Technologies to have the mortality timer removed. This removal ensures the tablet won't lock after they're no longer inside and can't sync at a prison kiosk.
ViaPath Technologies also loads Wi‑Fi and camera software after receiving the tablet post-release. So if your loved one comes home expecting the tablet to work like a normal device right away, this is why it won't - those functions get enabled after the tablet is sent in.
Practical Tips for Families
- ✓ Confirm you have a JPay account set up before you try to send money for a tablet purchase
- ✓ Call ViaPath Technologies at 877-650-4249 if you have vendor or tablet questions
Note: Tablet pricing can change and depends on the current DOC commissary list. This article focuses on the ordering process, requirements, and what the device can do - not specific costs.
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