... Verus is a third-party add-on service integrated into existing inmate phone systems in jails and prisons... [It] is not voice recognition software... [or a] biometrics-based tool... Verus was developed to be a non-biased, objective tool. The natural language processing technology behind AI focuses only on the actual words transcribed from a phone call—not the caller’s identity. Verus has no way to search by federally protected classes... LEO Technologies was built on a strong foundation of upholding the United States Constitution, as well as federal, state, and local laws... [W]hen inmates make or receive phone calls, the facility phone service announces to both the caller and recipient that calls are recorded and monitored. Both caller and recipient must consent to the call being monitored before they are connected... Verus cannot access or monitor privileged communications.

... Inmates are frequently afraid to speak up about health needs due to fears of retaliation... Inmates may speak more frankly in phone calls to friends and family. That’s why we use Verus to monitor calls for keywords related to COVID-19... It also helps staff be alert to multiple risks, including situations where inmates may not have basic necessities... In 2019 alone, Verus was involved in 88 suicide prevention incidents... Information from Verus has been used to solve and mitigate real-world crimes, including two kidnapping and murder cases in 2019.