Should inmates be allowed to call cellphones? Court orders formal rule

[choclgs]

Should inmates be allowed to call cellphones? Court orders formal rule on issue

"An appeals court Tuesday invalidated a state Department of Corrections policy that prevents prisoners from calling people who use cellphones.

But the policy, which permits outgoing calls only to landline users, will stay in effect to avoid disruptions while the DOC goes through a formal rule-making process, a three-judge panel said.

Prisoner advocates urged the DOC to allow calls to cellphones in the future, calling the current ban outdated and counterproductive. They noted the rule-making process will include a period for public comments, and possibly a public hearing."

http://www.courierpostonline.com/sto...lls/924179001/

[AndyS]

I’m confused. Is this specific to one state because a lot of states allow calls to cellphones? Is this for prepaid phones? It was hard to get that from the article.

[safran]

It is specific to NJ prisons.

General Information
All calls are subject to recording and/or monitoring, except for legal, AIDS hotline and Ombudsman calls.
Inmates have an approved calling list of 10 telephone numbers, excluding any legal telephone numbers.
For security reasons, calls to cellular, business or non-traditional telephone service numbers are not permitted.

[GaReform]

Originally Posted by choclgs

Should inmates be allowed to call cellphones? Court orders formal rule on issue

"An appeals court Tuesday invalidated a state Department of Corrections policy that prevents prisoners from calling people who use cellphones.

But the policy, which permits outgoing calls only to landline users, will stay in effect to avoid disruptions while the DOC goes through a formal rule-making process, a three-judge panel said.

Prisoner advocates urged the DOC to allow calls to cellphones in the future, calling the current ban outdated and counterproductive. They noted the rule-making process will include a period for public comments, and possibly a public hearing."

http://www.courierpostonline.com/sto...lls/924179001/

The criminal justice system is stuck in the dark ages about technology use. Many people have done away with traditional landlines & use their cellphones as their only phone. I bet a lot of judges, lawyers & DOC people do too. So not allowing anyone incarcerated to call a cellphone could prevent them their only communication with loved ones. Since calls are monitored it shouldn't be any more of a risk.

[choclgs]

Originally Posted by AndyS

I’m confused. Is this specific to one state because a lot of states allow calls to cellphones? Is this for prepaid phones? It was hard to get that from the article.

Prior to coming across this article, I thought all states had allowed calls to cellular phones.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by choclgs

Prior to coming across this article, I thought all states had allowed calls to cellular phones.

I did too.

I think the title and the article text doesn’t say that this is just for NJ prisons. It may be confusing for those that don’t click on the article. Unless I’m missing something.

[choclgs]

Originally Posted by AndyS

I did too.

I think the title and the article text doesn’t say that this is just for NJ prisons. It may be confusing for those that don’t click on the article. Unless I’m missing something.

The article discusses a case in the state of New Jersey. NJDOC policy states,

"For security reasons, calls to cellular, business or non-traditional telephone service numbers are not permitted."