The expensive price of making calls from jail, why do telephone calls from jail cost so much?

By Jacob Watson


Undoubtedly, people who have gotten a sentence committed serious crimes and they are dangerous for all of us- the other people. After all, that is why they are isolated from the others, right? However, is just one mistake enough to make us treat the prisoners like they were no humans? You are wondering what I am talking about? Well, you will figure it out in a while...

I would understand everyone who claims that they do not believe me. Anyway, there are plenty of examples which could be given so as to prove what I claim. Perhaps, the cost of calls made from jail is what will give you the most vivid idea of how the US correct institutions seem to develop. Being allowed to keep in touch with your friends and relatives is a sacred right and nobody can take it away from you no matter whether you are a prisoner or a president.

Unfortunately, that is hardly possible since the US correct institutions restricted the inmates' rights severely. Yes, US seem to be a very democratic country but obviously, when it comes down to prisoners' rights and desires, the situation changes a little bit. Thousands of words like these can be said or written but they mean nothing unless specific examples are given.

There is no second opinion that one of the most unacceptable and undemocratic restriction which has been is the one concerning the calls from jail. Did you know that the inmates are not allowed to make any calls? Yes, that's right! They can only receive calls but if they wish to contact with any member of the family, they must have made pre-payment. However, the paradox is that the offenders cannot even make a payment/pre-payment- it should have been made by their relatives. So, the conclusion is that if a prisoner wants to make a call, he needs to have made a pre-payment which he is not allowed to make! Great logic and consideration of prisoners' rights, don't you think so?

But having started talking about the calls from jail, we also need to mention another fact. Did you know that even if a prisoner has been phoned (which is free, at least for now), there is a limit of the phone call's duration. It varies from state to state but it is usually around 20 minutes. So, both parties can hear a woman saying how much time they have left: they get this "informative message" 120, 60 and 30 seconds before the 20 minutes are over! And how high do you think that a phone call from jail costs? We also need to point out that the rate may vary from state to state or even prison to prison. But averagely, it costs $3.50 to make a call from jail to a phone number in the same state (it is a flat fee), $5.00 to make a call from jail to a phone number located in another state (it is an initial fee) plus $0.90 per minute! It sounds pretty "cheap", especially for a prisoner, right?




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