The phone system is such a scam, and the book I was reading explains why. Companies negiotiate with the prisons to put their systems in, and it's not necassarily the cheapest company that wins the contract. Not by a long shot! The company that wins is the one that offers the prison the highest cut of the profit (the Huge profit) from the calls. Stockbrockers and financial planners are advising their clients to invest heavily in any company that makes it's profits through prisons whether it be the catering (ha!) company or the phone company or whatever. So that is why it's such a scam. He says that so many people are becoming very, very rich that the chance of change is slim unless everyone gets up in arms about it.

Start your fight at the State Govenor level. It is possible to change things. Oklahoma did a big step in that directions.

Inmate Telephone Commission Resolution

Oklahoma Board of Corrections

Inmate Telephone Commission Resolution

January 25, 2001

It is the resolution of the Oklahoma Board of Corrections that the Department of Corrections negotiate with the vendors for inmate telephone service the following changes to current contracts that may result in a reduced cost for telephone service to inmates and their families:

That on or about July 1, 2001 that all inmate phone service be provided through a pre-paid phone plan;

That during Fiscal Year 2002 that the Department of Corrections realize in inmate telephone commission income equal to the personnel cost for monitoring and maintaining this system.

It is also resolved that the Department of Corrections contact the Governor of the State of Oklahoma to request an exemption to not apply to inmate use pay telephones in the Executive Order requiring the State of Oklahoma to earn income from pay telephones in state owned buildings.

After 7 phone calls to AT&T, 3 to Arizona Dpt of Corrections 4 Emails and being on hold for who knows how long I finally found the long distance phone charges for the collect calls from AZ prisons. They are $3.95 connection charge plus $.85 per minute. I live 16 hours drive from where my friend is currntly doing up to 5 years for drug use. She has no one else visiting her at this time. I can't afford to take to many calls from her and am to far to visit very often. Most of the methods that I have read here will not work with the system that they have in Arizona. I.E. no call forwarding allowed, no 800 numbers, no calling cards.

Does anyone know if any legal action or appeal of the huge rate increase (from .32/minute) is being undertaken?

Thanks, and God bless

MarkO

MARKO:

EVERY PRISON PHONE SYSTEM IN THE US IS JUST AS YOU DESCRIBE IN ARIZONA.... YES, SOMEONE IS WORKING ON TRYING TO FIGHT THIS SITUATION.

NATIONAL CURE ASSOCIATION HAS PRESENTED A BILL TO THE FEDERAL GOV TO SEE IF THIS CAN BE CHANGED. TRY GOING TO THE CURE WEBSITE. I THINK THE ADDRESS IS NATIONALCURE.COM. ALSO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IS WORKING ON STEPS TO HELP GET IT STOPPED ALSO.

GO TO AMNESTY SITE AND CHECK IT OUT.


GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR VISITS. I KNOW IT MUST BE VERY HARD FOR YOU TWO. HANG IN THERE, MAYBE THINGS WILL GET BETTER. MAYBE SHE WILL GET MOVED CLOSER TO YOU.


MY PRAYERS

DONNA

Cobwebqueen,
You are so right. I posted a while ago about the Bush family (president Bush, Gov. of Florida Jeb Bush and the rest of the Bush clan) and others like Bob Barker (the price is right guy) have millions invested in the prison systems. All of these investments are stock related. Coincidence that they are all millionaires? Not!
Michelle

hey the phone are scams thats how they make thire money.

Well, don't invest in MCI, T-Netix or Evercom, the 3 largest service providers. All are basically in or near bankruptcy. While you think they make a lot of money, it costs a lot of money to purchase, install and maintain fraud prevention programs after paying 40-60% commission back to the prisons. Yes calls are expensive, but inmate friends and families don't pay their bills cost these providers money. The prison gets paid on gross billable commissions, not collectables. That's why the industry is slowly shifting to prepaid calls - there's no fraud.

yes i agree why they want to take and make it so hard for us to talk to our loved ones i will never know fmily are alot of the only support and inmate has and also when they come out into the world why do they want to take the good away it is just not right my man in montana and i am back in wisconsin right now for a time being it cost 39dollars for 30 min to talk that is crazy so hopefully somethings can and will be done soon take care all peace and love mary

It kind of sounds like Arthur works for one of the prison phone providers doesn't it. To try and make us believe that there is not any fraud going on and that they aren't making any money when they charge the family nearly $1.00 per minute for a collect call is obsurd. If they are losing so much money why do they continue to bride the DOCs with these hugh pay out to get the phone business?

But I certainly agree with Arthur on one point and that is that I would not invest in or support in any way any of the prison phone providers. Not because they are a poor investrment but because I do not want to support a company that takes advantage of the family of a prisoner.

I encourage everyone to boycott AT&T, MCI, T-Netix and Evercom or Correctional Billing.

To Marko and any others struggling with the high cost of the collect calls, there are some options for you. Tele-Net, an advertiser on PTO, offers a program to help you reduce the cost of your collect calls. Check out their banner and click on it to learn more about the service. Then call if you still have questions.