Here’s a great article about the debate over jail phone call prices, in Orange County, which explains that the prices have drawn concern from two county supervisors recently and could possibly change this week. This week, a proposal concerning Global Tel Link’s contract extension or amendment, will likely cut the company’s revenue by over $1.2 million a year.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Shawn Nelson said the current rates are unfair – especially to youth who are locked up for low-level offenses for the first time. With such high rates, many juveniles are not in touch with their families – and that’s really destructive. We’ve seen over and over again that communication with family and loved ones is the number one factor in facilitating inmate reentry, and reducing recidivism, as well as helping children of inmates cope with the absence of their parents.
Extremely high cost of inmates staying in touch with family
The author of the article “Jail Phone Call Prices Up for Debate,” explains that the $2.6 million in annual revenue to the county from jail phones is used for education and rehabilitation programs. The system is set up in a way that a reduction in prices could lead to cuts to such programs, unless another funding source is added to cover the reduced revenues.
Alternatively, county supervisors could lower rates and require a higher cut of the revenue than the current $1.3 million over the next six months, or 54 percent of revenue if the county’s share would be higher.
There is another concern: cost transparency.
It is very difficult to find the prices for inmate phone calls on websites that are supposed to have that kind of information, such as the sheriff’s office, and the phone provider website.
There is no cost transparency in the prison phone industry
For Orange County, the Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky states that inmates are charged $4 per phone call. At those rates, a phone call per day for a 6-month jail stint would rack up a bill of over $700. There are also additional fees and charges, which add another $150 to this already astronomical bill.
That way communication becomes a privilege – for those who can afford the cost, but also a burden – for those who have to shoulder the cost. It can also become another source of despair – both for the inmate, and the family and friends, “on the outside.” We’ve heard from so many people who ask help because they can’t keep paying such high prices for talking with their inmates, but feel they won’t be able to survive if even that channel of communication is cut off.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Shawn Nelson said that “The fees that are charged for phone access don’t match up to the reality” of the costs to provide the service. He is in favor of the lowest cost telephones, at least for juveniles.
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