Leo Technologies has created an integrated platform that transforms existing infrastructure into intelligent, operationally aware systems.
By Lindsey Coulter
Correctional News | Planning & construction 2026 | Volume 29 | Number 5
When correctional leaders face unprecedented staffing shortages, aging infrastructure and the relentless pressure to maintain safety while supporting rehabilitation, technology is no longer a luxury — it is a lifeline. One company, Leo Technologies, is stepping forward with a suite of AI-powered tools that promise to improve how a facility responds. The company’s Verus platform — encompassing Verus ION, Verus Vision AI and Verus Voice AI — is gaining traction as a comprehensive solution designed by people who understand the unique demands of corrections.
Correctional officers often spend countless hours on manual inmate counts that are prone to human error. Investigators sift through mountains of recorded communications, combing for threats buried in slang, code or languages other than English, a task that grows harder as call volumes rise. Facility leaders struggle to connect disparate data sources (from video feeds to phone records to offender management systems), creating dangerous information silos. In too many institutions, staff respond to incidents rather than preventing them.
Leo Technologies is changing that. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the company has developed an agentic AI ecosystem purpose-built for public safety. Unlike traditional AI systems that simply analyze data, agentic AI continuously identifies relationships across disparate records, prioritizes potential risks and surfaces actionable intelligence for human operators. Rather than offering isolated point solutions, Leo Technologies has created an integrated platform that transforms existing infrastructure into intelligent, operationally aware systems. Early adopters report improvements in investigative efficiency, enhanced situational awareness and a meaningful shift toward intelligence led operations.
Verus Voice AI: Uncovering Hidden Threats in Communications
At the heart of daily facility operations is video surveillance. Yet for decades, cameras have primarily served as tools for after-the-fact review. Verus Vision AI changes that by drawing on existing camera infrastructure to deliver real-time insights that were previously impossible without significant additional staffing.
The platform automates inmate counts with impressive accuracy, freeing officers from a labor-intensive process that can consume hours each day.
“The goal is not to replace correctional professionals; the goal is creating capacity to perform the law enforcement functions that drive illegal contraband out of the facilities while keeping staff and inmates safe,” saidSteve Harpe, Chief Product and Technology Officer for Leo Technologies.
Verus goes far beyond counting heads. It identifies behavioral risks, including signs of isolation, escalating tensions or unusual movement that might precede a conflict, alerting staff before situations spiral.
“Every administrator wants to prevent the incident before it happens,” said Ricky Myrick, former Chief of Staff for the Georgia Department of Corrections. “Earlier visibility into movement, tension or behavioral changes can materially improve how a facility responds.”
Perimeter monitoring, environmental awareness and detailed interaction analysis add depth that helps correctional professionals understand facility dynamics at a granular level.
Post-incident reviews also benefit significantly. Objective AI analysis of use-of-force events provides clear, data-driven documentation that supports accountability, training and legal defense. Correctional leaders using the platform report recovering millions of labor hours that can be redirected toward direct supervision and programming — a workforce multiplier needed amid national staffing crises.
Verus ION: The Intelligence Hub that Ties it All Together
Communication monitoring has long been a cornerstone of institutional intelligence, but the volume and complexity of inmate calls have overwhelmed traditional methods. Verus Voice AI brings proprietary voice biometrics and advanced analytics to the task, transforming raw audio into searchable, actionable intelligence.
The tool identifies specific voices across vast datasets, detects Personal Identification Number (PIN) swapping and identity fraud, and matches known individuals even when they attempt to conceal their identities. Multilingual transcription and contextual understanding allow investigators to cut through slang, coded language and conversations in various languages that might otherwise hide contraband networks or coordinated criminal activity extending beyond facility walls.
“PIN abuse is one of largest threats that enable criminal logistics to run out of jails and prisons,” said John Hamm, former Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections. “Having the technology to identify abuse and automatically surface alerts to our staff is a true game changer.”
By flagging concerning language in real time, the platform also supports wellness and suicide-prevention efforts, enabling timely interventions. This dual focus on security and humanity reflects a maturing approach in corrections technology that treats safety and rehabilitation as complementary goals.
Verus Vision AI: Turning Passive Cameras into Active Intelligence
The true power of Leo Technologies’ offering emerges when these capabilities converge in Verus ION. This unified intelligence dashboard fuses data from video analytics, voice communications, offender management systems, healthcare records, financial transactions and investigative files. Correctional leaders no longer need to toggle between multiple disconnected systems. A single query can surface connections that might have taken weeks to uncover manually.
“Corrections systems have historically operated in silos,” said Jeremy Turner, Chief AI and Data Officer at Leo Technologies. “Verus ION was designed to unify operational, investigative and intelligence data into a single operational picture for decision-makers.”
Equipped with Verus ION, facilities can anticipate and prevent incidents rather than react to them, connecting a suspicious phone conversation, unusual movement on camera or an anomalous financial transaction into a coherent risk picture.
Leading Through Innovation
What sets Leo Technologies apart is its focus on practical deployment. The platform integrates with existing infrastructure, minimizing costly overhauls while delivering immediate returns. Early implementations, including partnerships with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, demonstrate improvements in investigative efficiency and operational capacity without adding headcount. The company’s recent five-year contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, valued at more than $106 million, also reflects growing confidence in these solutions at the highest levels of the corrections system. As federal and state facilities navigate the legacy of the First Step Act and ongoing reform efforts, tools like Verus are providing the operational backbone needed to turn policy into practice.
Critics of increased technology in corrections rightly raise concerns about privacy, bias and over-reliance on automation. Leo Technologies addresses these issues by positioning its AI as a decision-support tool rather than a replacement for human judgment. The systems are designed with transparency and auditability, keeping correctional professionals in control.
As America’s correctional system pursues greater efficiency, safety and humanity, companies like Leo Technologies are proving that innovation can serve both security and rehabilitation. By solving some of the most persistent operational challenges facing today’s leaders, from staffing strains to information overload, the Verus platform is helping write a new chapter in corrections management. The facilities that embrace these tools today may well become the models for the smarter, safer institutions of tomorrow. In an industry long constrained by outdated methods, Leo Technologies is showing that a better path forward is within reach.
This article is part of a paid sponsorship by Leo Technologies.