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Telephones

Interview with Karl, Christine and Drew

JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Karl: Yes, they are payphones and you can use them on a first come first serve basis. There was usually a line unless you get up early in the morning to use them.
Christine: Yeah for the most part . The co's had the power to turn them off whenever they wanted . The lines fit the phones were the worst . There was always a line on commensary day . Some if the phones wouldn't work so that would suck . Some girls would stay on the phone all day long and never give Nyone a chance to use it .
Drew: Yes as long was we where not locked down

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people? How much money would you guess the average inmate spends per week on phone calls?
Karl: It was $2.25 or $2.50/call for about 5 minutes. My wife had to pay for minutes on her cell phone through a certain phone company, and each time we talked her balance was deducted for the call.
Christine: On average the phone was expensive considering how much one calls. When you first go in you use the phone a lot . Trying to get your outside affairs situated . After you have you have been in awhile you call less but still at least one everyday it adds up . Especially if there is an emergency . So I would say about 10 dollars a week on average .
Drew: 87 cents for a 15 minut phone call average inmate spent 10 dollars a week on calls

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Karl: You can buy phone cards at the jail. They are $10 for 5 calls that were about 5-7 minutes in length. The phone gives you a minute warning and hangs up your call a minute after that warning.
Christine: Yes , I did .
Drew: You can, My family set up a phone account with phone company i beleave it is same amount to call 87 cents a call. they would upload like 50 dollars a month

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Karl: I do not know. I know that they tell you in your paperwork that its possible they are screening your calls. I think there might be random screenings.
Christine: They say they do . That's a lot of calls to screen though
Drew: Yes, had a few calls disconected because of three way calling

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