Prisoner's collect calls to cell phones at issue in court case

The Associated Press
2/21/03 3:00 PM


BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- A judge has ordered Louisiana State Penitentiary officials to remove a block that prevents an inmate from making collect calls to his wife's cellular telephone.

Diane King Smith, of Metairie, had been using "remote call forwarding" service offered by BellSouth Corp. to send collect calls from her husband, Angola inmate Stan Smith, to her cellular phone.

Mrs. Smith said she does not have home-based telephone service and cellular technology does not allow the option of accepting collect calls.

The service also allows the friends and relatives who pay for the collect calls to take advantage of cheaper long-distance rates than those charged by the prison's inmate telephone provider, MCI WorldCom.

A suit was filed after Angola officials placed a "phone block" on the remote call forwarding device's telephone number in July.

State District Judge Michael Caldwell ruled Thursday that the state corrections department did not follow procedures set out in state law when it adopted a rule last year banning calls to call-forwarding numbers.

The judge's ruling does not apply to the relatives or friends of other inmates who have taken advantage of the service.

Diane Smith's victory also may be short-lived. A new prison rule banning the use of the call forwarding service goes into effect March 22.

Bruce Dodd, attorney for the prison, told the judge that Angola officials need to know the addresses where inmate calls are going for security reasons.

If an inmate is using the telephone to plan an escape with the help of an outside accomplice or negotiating for contraband items to be sent into the prison, security officers need to know the physical address where the call is received, Dodd said.

With remote call forwarding service, the outside party could change the number to which calls are forwarded to any location without the prison's knowledge, Dodd said.

Under the MCI WorldCom contract, which runs until January 2007, the state receives 55 percent of the revenue generated by inmate telephone calls.

Ok, so if remote call forwarding is in place the bill still has to go somewhere right? Does that not tell them where the call is going? I know that remote call forwarding is 'hidden' in the system but if an escape or something is being planned then they can still trace this I would think. The fact is that the calls are too expensive and this needs to be addressed.

I think that is bull poop, they sure do every t hing they can to make things hard.
in Tx and other state they are not allow to call cell phones, and some state can not use call features,
i wish you well with this.

My friend Lulu heya lady :)... As I read this article in the New Orleans,Louisiana website I have sat here all day wondering WHO can I write and address THIS issue to. I am seeking who at Angola the State Pen here in Louisiana to see who I CAN AND WILL address this issue to. Hell we pay the phone bills here and yet they try(AND DO) to dictate who/how the inmates can call. I AGREE 100% Teb as if they cant find out who the inmates are calling and where the phone bill goes to. Makes me so damned sick.Did ya'll see what the percentage THEY get off of the phone calls?And our inmates suffer greatly on the health care here. I wish that they could/would focus more on the health and soforth issues of inmates vs. a call. To me my parents cry when my brother calls them and there is a time limit when THEY pay their own bill and is dictated on how long they can talk and which phone companies are choosen for them to talk.Obviously (hehe) I could go on for days on this issue eh? :)

· Louisiana inmates, their family, and friends are asked to refrain from using inmate telephone systems beginning June 1 through the end of the current legislative session, June 23, 2003, in protest of the high costs of inmate calls and the profit received by the state and correctional facilities/agencies from the inmate calls. · On May 13, the Senate Judiciary B committee killed SB 169 which would have required any contract for telecommunication services provided to inmates be awarded to the lowest bidder and prohibits the state or any government entity from profiting from such services. The State of Louisiana receives approximately $4.9 million each year (a 55% commission) from all inmate collect calls in state facilities. This is money paid for by the family members, friends, and associates of Louisiana inmates. This does not include the revenue received by local authorities from inmate collect calls at local jails and correctional centers.· Many states have eliminated the profit and reduced the high costs of inmate calls, but Louisiana continues to profit at the expense to inmate family members, friends, and associates who wish to communicate with their incarcerated loved ones. · We recognize that it is difficult for an inmate to refrain from connecting with a loved one in the free world with a telephone call or for the parent, sibling, spouse, or friend not to accept a collect call from their incarcerated love one, but the message needs to be sent to Louisiana legislators and officials that it is time to stop the abuse. We are tax paying citizens and should be able to enjoy the ability to use the telephone system at a reasonable rate like the general public. The message of NO PROFIT AND REASONABLE RATES will only be heard if we join together in a loud voice by temporarily eliminating the profit.· Please call only in an emergency such as a terminally ill family member. Youth are exempt from the no call provision.SUPPORTING THE CAMPAIGNAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)Angels of MercyBienville House Center for Peace & JusticeCatholic Community Services Office of Prison MinistryFamily and Friends of the Incarcerated (FFI)Hidden Treasure Prison Fellowship, Inc Louisiana Family & Friends of Incarcerated Children (LFFIC)Life Support, IncLouisiana Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) Louisiana Coalition for Reform (LCFR) Supporters of Lifers (SOL) Others joining daily