Visitation between inmates in the Bexar County Jail and family members will be moving to video.
Guests will use a video computer system at a nearby building to communicate with inmates.
The Bexar County Commissioners Court, on Tuesday, approved two contracts totaling more than $6 million to implement the system.
Sheriff Susan Pamerleau showed a picture of people crowding in the jail, waiting to visit inmates on July 4.
People were waiting six to eight hours.
"And even last week there were people still waiting at 2 a.m. in the morning to see their loved ones,” said Pamerleau. “So it's not a good situation. We know it needs being fixed. And so we're looking very much forward to video visitation and the benefits it will bring."
Two citizens spoke in opposition to the program before the vote was taken.
"On July the 4th we spent that day outside speaking to many of the moms, the dads, the brothers and sisters that were coming to visit,” said Diane Evanias. “And we asked them about that. And one day in about three and a half hours we had 250 people that said no, we don't want video, no."
The system is expected to begin being used in early 2016.
