08/07/07 County Jail Phone Calls Are A Rip-off - Sheila Spear

County Jail Phone Calls Are A Rip-off

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: A7

Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Sheila Spear Oregon

Dear Editor: I recently provided mediation, by telephone, to a local landlord and a prisoner in the Dane County Jail in relation to an apartment the latter was renting from the former. I was perfectly happy to do this on a voluntary basis, just as I do for many hours in the small claims court on a weekly basis. I was also happy to pay for the phone calls from the jail, even though I knew I would be charged an exorbitant rate.

I thought you might like to know just how much my good will cost me. I had seven conversations with the inmate over a three-week period. These calls cost me $28.45. For comparison, the rest of my month's calls - local, long-distance and international - cost me $32.64.

This is an extraordinary and exploitative burden to place on inmates and their families. The contract the county has with Inmate Calling Solutions and the profits being reaped by both sides should be acknowledged as disgraceful and ended immediately. I urge everyone to support the ordinance to end profiteering off the backs of inmates and their families through jail services.

Jails for profit are no part of a democratic or civilized society!