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Telephones

Interview with Tom, Frank and Ashlee

JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Tom: Yes
Frank: All of the telephones are in the dayroom, so in Max tanks and I-Block, yes, while in the Pods, no.
Ashlee: You can talk whenever up until bedtime. As long as you had a calling card or made collect calls. Phones are in the cells with you.

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people? How much money would you guess the average inmate spends per week on phone calls?
Tom: There is all kinds of charges. There is so many fees that I cant begin to list them it was very expensive to use the phone. All the jails are like that as it generates a whole lot of income because they know people will use the phone at whatever rate they charge
Frank: You have to call collect or buy a calling card on commissary. Collect calls are expensive. The cards were 10, 20, or 30 dollars. With the cards it is about 3-5 dollars a call, depending on when and what days you call, because it is like 3.50 or so to connect, and then it varies per minute by what time it is, like peak hours and such. Most people didn't call too much, I made a call a week. Average inmate probably spends 15 dollars a month on calls...
Ashlee: All kinds of charges. You have the fee for the assistance of an operator, you are charged for taxes, and connection fees. You could buy a 15 or 30 dollar calling card and you might get 2 calls for the 15 dollar card and 4 calls at the most on a 30 dollar calling card.

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Tom: You have that option as well as calling collect
Frank: You could just call collect and charge the receiving party, but it is more expensive. So, no, you don't NEED to, but it's cheaper overall.
Ashlee: Yes, unless the number you are calling accepts collect calls from the jail

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Tom: They listen and or record whenever the choose to
Frank: There is a little recorded message that says they are subject to monitoring, so I guess they do or at least could. Actually one guy got in extra trouble because of something he said on the phone, so I guess they do.
Ashlee: Of course. If they didn't like what was beeing talked about they would just drop the call.

Read about how inmates pass the time in the Sutter County Jail