Norfolk jails are taking a gadget used often in television and movies and applying it to the real world, keeping prisoners from escaping.

A scanner will read the inmates’ eyes and the computer will memorize their information. Then, when someone goes in or out, officials will know who it is without a shadow of a doubt. “The eye is just like a fingerprint,” said Major Mike O’Toole of the Norfolk Sheriff’s Department. “Everybody has an individual eye that’s different.”

The Norfolk Sheriff’s Department spent $30,000 to buy the iris scanning system. “We felt it was the leading technology and most accurate,” said O’Toole. “I think it’s an excellent investment.” Right now, deputies must rely on questions and photos to properly identify the 30,000 inmates. “Pictures are sometimes a problem because a person’s locked up for a long time, and their physical appearance can change,” said O’Toole.

Officials learned that lesson the hard way back in 2006, when one inmate posed as another and escaped. Deputies caught him just a few hours later, but now the jail isn’t taking any chances. “Most large jails have a problem with it, and that’s why we’re looking at this technology.” Soon, cameras will be clicking on corneas every day in Norfolk like they used to only in the movies. The Sheriff’s Department hopes to have the new system up and running by the end of next month.