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Telephones

Interview with Lola, Eve, Pat, Peter, Al, Trevor and Camille

JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Lola: Yes, there were sign up sheets posted daily.
Eve: Yes.
Pat: yes
Peter: There were two "collect call" telephones on each block
Al: yes but they were collect call only
Trevor: yes but they are very expensive.
Camille: Yes, the phones were available in G Dorm almost all day. But, in the other areas I was placed, you were allowed to use the phone during your one hour of "recreation." Of course, that is if you had time in light of the LINE!!

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people? How much money would you guess the average inmate spends per week on phone calls?
Lola: back in 1991, it was only $.75, now I hear they are alot more and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
Eve: If they didn't have an account set up with Global TeleLink, they would charge collect call fees, which were outrageous. Calls are only 20 minutes long.
Pat: they globel link for the family members who wanted to recive phone calling at there houses or on there cell phones
Peter: The charges were expensive roughly $0.80/ minute for local and around $1.60 for long distance in state and up to $2.50 for out of state calls....international was available but I never used it so I do not know the fees
Al: average money spent was probably 30 dollars i think it was 3 dollars a minute
Trevor: its 6 dollar fee to add 25 dollars, which leaves you like 18 dollars, 8 dollars to add 50, and 10 dollars to add 75. I used up about 70 to 80 a day. it says the phone calls are 20 min then it cuts u off but it never feels like a full 20 min. so in 2 weeks I probably used about 400 on the phones.
Camille: Well, some inmates are on the phone every day. So, I would guess they spend about $100 per week - - their family spends that much because the inmates do not incur charges for the calls. I'm not sure what the charges included but the third- party company made family members put a minimum $25 on your account in order to receive calls from an inmate.

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Lola: No, all calls are collect to protect the outside people
Eve: No.
Pat: no
Peter: Not a card, but a system known as offender connect. ( www.offenderconnect.com is where family was able to purchase phone time and put money on an inmates account for commissary purchases)
Al: no but they could be purchased
Trevor: you have to call their phone company and set up a account or buy a card off of commissary.
Camille: No, you were not allowed access to phone cards.

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Lola: Not that I knew of.
Eve: There is a message that says the call may be recorded or monitored.
Pat: i always thought so but not sure
Peter: All calls were recorded and subject to random screening
Al: yes they would screen calls
Trevor: yes the monitor or record every phone call.
Camille: I really don't know but the word is all jails screen calls.

Read about how inmates pass the time in the York County Prison

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