When Denver jail inmates receive a visitor, they typically meet over a video system instead of in person. It’s been the practice for over a decade, but this week jail officials will begin vetting a change to allow in-person visits.

That news from Denverite, which reported earlier this week details about a working group forming, including jail officials and community members, to discuss a change in visitation policy at Denver jails.

More from Erica Meltzer at Denverite:

Division Chief Elias Diggins said there is no timeframe for making a recommendation but the group will “work expeditiously.”

“We understand this is very important to the community,” he said. “We want to make sure we do this right.”

City Council members including President Albus Brooks and Paul Kashmann have expressed interest in restoring in-person visits a city jails, Denverite reported.

In October, Denver’s Independent Monitor Nicholas Mitchell, the city’s civilian police watchdog, recommended Denver jails make the change in its visitation policy, citing data suggesting in-person visits ultimately reduce the likelihood of recidivism.

Academic research cited by the Mitchell’s office points to in-person visits reducing inmate recidivism rates by as much as 30 percent, with potentially larger reductions in violent crime. The office argues in-person visits could be impactful in Denver jails where one out of every two people released are back behind city bars within one year.

Recently, the city begin considering bids for a new video visitation system, which Mitchell argued would diminish the likelihood of a change in visitation practice. A $1.4 million contract was approved this week in committee and is headed to the full council.