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Telephones

Interview with Sarah, Drew and Paul

JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Sarah: Yes pay phones.
Drew: Yes the phones were turned on at five
Paul: yes, in the day rooms there are four phones that you can use to call only the pepole that are on your visitation list which is blood family or spouse. They are voice recorded so only you can call your people.

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people? How much money would you guess the average inmate spends per week on phone calls?
Sarah: Collect calls are really expensive. It depends on if you are calling a cell or a house phone. It costs about $10 just to answer the call. T- mobile won't acceptthe collect calls. If the person you are calling has Sprint or Verizon, they have to have credit already on their phone account to accept your call. If they have Cricket you can't call them.
Drew: You have to buy a calling card on commissary or have collect calls so you can call
Paul: They sell cards at the commissary windows, 50 Minute, 100 minute cards. OR your family members can call the phone company in chrge and make a plan. I didnt use the phones but i would assume the average inmate spends up to $80 every two weeks

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Sarah: You can buy calling cards on commissary day (Thurs for the women, the men all have different days). $10, $20 or $30. $10 is 20 minutes and so on. To make a call it takes 3 minutes away automatically.
Drew: Yes if you want to talk to someone without collect calls
Paul: You could buy phone cards or just set up an account

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Sarah: They say they do, but I don't know.
Drew: I'm sure due to the area and the drug and cartel violence
Paul: The jail does screen your calls. I was actually locked up with someone who was given a case and dropped a line class because they had hime recorded telling his girlfriend to sneak in drugs.

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