Months ago I wrote about the injustice of the price of telephone calls to inmates and detainees in the McHenry County (Illinois) Jail.
Inmates must purchase phone cards to make telephone calls on the secure telephone number from the jail. An electronic system informs those called that the call is coming from the jail. I have no problem with that. The person called can refuse the call, and the inmate is not charged. If the call is answered by an answering machine, the inmate is not charged.
Rates are based on distance or region called. Woodstock is a local call and at a flat rate with no per-minute charge. Other calls incur a connection fee and a per-minute charge, with overseas calls being the highest cost.
But here's the rub. A full 50% of the phone card cost goes into the Inmate Profit Account, which is supposed to be for the benefit of the inmates. When I last checked, there was a $75,000 balance in that account.
The inmates, of course, have no power to demand a lower mark-up on the phone cards. The mark-up is 100%. With such a huge balance in the Inmate Profit Account, why aren't the Administrators of the Jail figuring out how to give more value to the inmates who purchase phone cards?
I've long wondered if there might be some type of illegal kickback scheme because of the super-lucrative nature of the contract with the jail. Nahh, there couldn't be. Not in McHenry County.. That would never happen here, would it? Everything is always on the up-and-up at the Sheriff's Department. Isn't it?
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
2 comments:
Yo... in case you didnt realize it, the person is in JAIL... not a bed & breakfast. And in this country, ur Guilty until proven Innocent. You should be allowed 2 calls at the time you're processed and that's it. The rest should be pay-per-call, and I dont care what they charge. Geez... livi'n in the Graybar Hotel is almost as good as livi'n outta the back of my stationwagon. Except you get access to a higher grade of drugs & alcohol in the clink. BAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
Thanks, Madd, and, yes, I do realize that an inmate is in jail. But the extortion committed on inmates (high cost of phone calls) is inexcusable. Plus an inmate has to buy a $20 phone call to make ANY phone calls.
I don't know about the "You get one call". But, after you are locked up, if you don't have money for a call, then you have to ask the judge for permission to make a call.
Just keep your cell phone charged, in case the battery in your station wagon runs down.
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