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Telephones

Interview with Ryan, Angel, Dale and Peter

JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Ryan: Yes, we had access to collect calls. Not all day everyday. The phones were supposed to be turned on at 8am and shut down by lockdown according to the handbook. I wasn't getting calls to my wife because they didn't have the phones on during the day. They didn't want the families of those working to know where they were going so they would wait until the afternoon to the turn the phones on.
Angel: Yes prepaid or collect calls
Dale: Pretty much for the most part you did. From 8am-10pm of course at Count and Chow you couldn't use the phone.
Peter: For the most part. There were fights over the phones because only a couple ever work.

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people? How much money would you guess the average inmate spends per week on phone calls?
Ryan: $2 for 20 minutes, collect. I never bought phobne cards,so I don't know how much they were.
Angel: 20$
Dale: In state is around 2 dollars a call. I'd say the average inmate is averaging $10-$20 a week on phone calls.
Peter: It was about $2.50 for a local 15 minute phone call. Many metro numbers are considered long distance though, even with the same area code and those would cost $7 or $8. The average inmate with money spends at least $40-$100 a week on calls.

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Ryan: You could buy phone card there from commissary if you had money on your books.
Angel: Yes
Dale: No, either collect or a phone card on commissary. Which is good to get for Cell Phones.
Peter: No, you could put money on your account and buy phone time.

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Ryan: Yes they screened the calls. They tell you that before you call and one minute before the phone conversation was over.
Angel: Yes
Dale: Yes of course they screen everything.
Peter: Yes, the jail screens all calls.

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