"Video visitation" provides a safe and secure form of communication between the inmate and family/friends they are communicating with. 
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Some jails have "video phones" either in or adjacent to their housing dayrooms which negates moving inmates in and out of housing units to other locations for a visit. That cuts down on staffing requirements to both move and monitor the movement of dozens to potentially hundreds of inmates (for larger jails) being moved around the jail solely to accomplish "traditional visiting" in a "visitation area." 
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In older jails, inmates were moved almost constantly from their housing cells to recreation yards and to visitation booths/areas.....not all at once, but in a virtual constant flow of movement that required staffing to conduct the movements in a safe and orderly manner.
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In newer jails, the rec yards and video phones are placed in or adjacent to each of the housing areas, which saves time, resources, and money to accomplish the same thing.