This article from the Winter 2011 edition of TechBeat discusses implementation of an improved electronic key system used by a county jail in Oregon.
This article describes the successful implementation of an electronic key system by the county jail in Lincoln County, OR. Law enforcement officials at the jail were searching for an alternative method for recording hourly cell checks in a manual logbook, and for handling the large number of physical keys required to maintain security at the jail. The jail implemented a system in the minimum-security housing unit that replaces traditional keys with electronic keys that are reprogrammed on a daily basis. The system reduces the need for a large number of keys, records data related to the hourly security checks, and disables information on keys to prevent lost keys from being used to improperly gain access to the jail. Due to the success of the test site, jail officials plan to phase in implementation of the system throughout the rest of the jail.