Shocking Emails - Absurd Phone Rates - Campaign

gary_gideon@jesusinme.us · 4/28/2006 8:48:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Melanie
Carol

Correctional Billing Services, not from my local telephone company
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last night I got a real eye-opener and I was hoping that maybe 
someone can help shed some light on this, or maybe even we could all 
pull together to get a few things changed, concerning what I am about 
to share with you.

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. Last month, I accepted several calls from 
an inmate located in Grant County Detention Center, which is located 
in Grant County, Ky. After the very 1st call, I checked to verify 
what the charges for these calls would be to me, should I decide to 
accept anymore in the future. The charge Per call was only $1.85 
regardless as to how many minutes the call was. (15 minutes Max)I 
felt that was quite reasonable. Now keep in mine, when your telephone 
rings and you pick it up, a recording talks to you and says you have 
a call from an inmate (gives inmates name) at a Correctional 
Facility, and asks if you wish to accept the charges. The recording 
does NOT tell you the amount of these charges at that moment.

Now this past Saturday evening, I received a call from a different 
inmate, located in Warren County, Ky. I assumed the charges would be 
the same as Grant County, Ky. This being the 1st time speaking to 
this inmate, I allowed that inmate to call me back approximately 8 
times. I figured I could afford up to $20.00 to talk to this inmate 
for the very 1st time, because you can not really get a lot said in 
15 minutes. 

Well, yesterday I received a recorded message from the Correctional 
Billing Services, saying an inmate was attempting to call me, but my 
line was blocked, due to an outstanding balance, and that I should 
call this 1-800 number to clear it up. So I immediately called the 
number and talked to someone in Customer Service. Well, they told me 
that my number was NOT blocked, however, during the course of this 
conversation, I was shocked to find out that the charges to me for 
the calls I accepted on Saturday evening was $17.30 PER Call.

A supervisor will be calling me sometime today to discuss this with 
me. Due to the circumstances, I am going to see if I can have these 
particular charges reduced. But in the meantime, I feel this is truly 
Highway Robbery for a Correctional Billing Services to be allowed to 
charge $17.30 PER Call from one county in Kentucky, while only 
charging $1.85 per call from another county within the same state.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how we might be able to work 
together and lobby against this sort of thing? I would appreciate any 
feedback.

Thank You & God Bless,
Brother Gary
http://www.jesusinme.us
http://prisonministry.net/lopm

High Phone Bills for talking to your loved one in prison? 
CLICK

CURE --- Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants, 
is a nation-wide grass roots organization 
dedicated to reducing crime through reform of the criminal justice system.
http://www.curenational.org/new/index.html

Wow Borther Gary! I had no idea that jail phone charges were that high 
in some states. I'm in North Carolina, and when I receive calls, 
Correctional Billing Services charges me a 2.25 surcharge plus 18 or 19 
cents per minute. The calls are up to 11 minutes and my partner can 
only make 1 call per week. (I believe the number of calls an inmate can 
make and the length of the calls are determined separately by each 
correctional instition within the state.)

I'm not exactly familiar with all the details about each state 
contracting with Correctional Billing Services for the amount that we 
will pay. This is this first time someone I know has been imprisoned 
and he has only been at one correctional institution. I had been 
complaining about the amount that I have to pay. Of course, I am a 
college student and I don't have a steady income either, so it's still 
hard on me. Calls really do mean the world to inmates, but in alot of 
cases it means even more to families. In my case, my partner is my only 
social support so I take the calls and worry about paying for them 
later. I had thought about this issue and I really appreciate you 
bringing it up. Please keep me posted on what you find out and if 
there's anything I can do to help this cause.

God Bless,
Melanie

In NYS we are fighting the MCI/Verizon contract held by NYS DOCS. See
our website at www.telephonejustice.org 

Kay Perry at Michigan CURE is working as a clearinghouse for efforts
nationwide on these prison/jail contracts. You might want to check with
her to find others in your state who are working on this.

Good luck--it's rough--

Alison

Alison Coleman
Director
Prison Families of New York, Inc.
40 North Main Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
518-453-6659
alison.coleman@rcda.org
Brother Gary,

Isn't it a terrible thing!!!  My daughter is currently at a New York State
Prison, Bedford Hills Corr Facility.  Our collect calls are through MCI,
with whom the prison has a contract and the fees are outrageous.  A 15
minute call is about $8 or more.  What can we do?

Distraught mother,
Linda 

-------- Original Message --------

Hello,
My ex-husband is in prison in Arkansas and every call he makes to me is 
charged $6.60 for a 15 minute call.  I think that is too high, and I limit 
his calls to me to once a week because, even then, it is more than an extra 
$26 on my phone bill every month.  I don't think it is fair to the inmate 
families to be charged that much to talk to them, but what can we do   about 
it?

Thanks,
Carol

My Story	Melanie	Melinia	Liane	Deborah
Jenny	Carol	Christopher	Joyce


(KY) Kentucky
Telephone Company	Cost of a 15-Minute Call
MCI	Local Collect	$1.85
	IntraLATA Collect	$4.50
	InterLATA Collect	$4.50
	InterState Collect	$6.50
	Local Debit	na
	IntraLATA Debit	na
	InterLATA Debit	na
	InterState Debit	na

Subject:	[Friends] Am I worth opening? Does anyone truly care? Well Yes, "ABSOLUTELY" I DO!
Date:	Fri, 28 Apr 2006 19:34:18 -0400
From:	Gary Gideon <gary_gideon@jesusinme.us>
To:	friends@jesusinme.us

Subject:	† PrisonMinistry.com † Jail Phone Charges - Highway Robbery
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:17:19 -0000
From:	Gary Gideon <Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us>
Reply-To:	Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com
To:	Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com

Subject:	Re: * PrisonMinistry.com * Jail Phone Charges - Highway Robbery
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 11:47:09 -0400
From:	Alison Coleman <Alison.Coleman@rcda.org>
To:	<Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us>

Subject:	PrisonMinistry.com Jail Phone Charges - Highway Robbery
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:47:20 -0400
From:	chmelani@email.unc.edu
To:	Gary Gideon <Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us>

Subject:	Re: ? PrisonMinistry.com ? Jail Phone Charges - Highway Robbery
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:57:50 -0700 (PDT)
From:	MELINIA SEVEN <melinia7@yahoo.com>
To:	Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us

Subject:	Hello Brother,about the telephone calls
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 10:21:43 -0700
From:	Liane Legey <butterflygris@gmail.com>
To:	Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us

Subject:	Re: Rate Request
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:07:16 -0700 (PDT)
From:	Debora Bailey <dbailey402003@yahoo.com>
To:	Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us

Subject:	Direct Billing & Dispute
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 15:27:51 -0400
From:	Gary Gideon <gary_gideon@jesusinme.us>
To:	support@correctionalbillingservices.com
CC:	Gary Gideon <Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us>

Subject:	Re: High Jail Calls
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 20:56:23 -0400
From:	Gary Gideon <gary_gideon@jesusinme.us>
To:	Deborah D. Robinson <jesus_christ_first@yahoo.com>
CC:	melinia7@yahoo.com, chmelani@email.unc.edu, Alison.Coleman@rcda.org, butterflygris@gmail.com, caroljv@centurytel.net, kathyfroggirl@aol.com, sparkp957@earthlink.net, Pascarella@scjc.state.ny.us, "Gary Gideon" <Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us>
References:	<20060427230246.75988.qmail@web53413.mail.yahoo.com>

Subject:	† PrisonMinistry.com † RE: Jail Phone Charges - Highway Robbery
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 11:48:57 -0400
From:	pascarell@scjc.state.ny.us <Pascarella@scjc.state.ny.us>
Reply-To:	Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com
To:	<Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com>

Subject:	† PrisonMinistry.com † Re: † PrisonMinistry.com † Jail Phone Charges - Highway Robbery
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:16:52 EDT
From:	kathyfroggirl@aol.com
Reply-To:	Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com
To:	Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com

Subject:	† PrisonMinistry.com † Fw: Inmate Telephone discussions; National CURE Conference
Date:	Thu, 27 Apr 2006 22:16:19 -0400
From:	Kingsway <kingswayoutreach@hotmail.com>
Reply-To:	Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com
To:	<Intl-Network-of-Prison-Ministries@yahoogroups.com>

Subject:	Fwd: Re: [PrisonMovement] Phone Issues.....
Date:	Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:26:36 -0700 (PDT)
From:	Carol L <carolleo864@yahoo.com>
Reply-To:	carolleo864@yahoo.com
To:	gary_gideon@jesusinme.us

Subject:	Clemency for a dying prisoner
Date:	Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:05:05 -0700
From:	Liane Legey <butterflygris@gmail.com>
To:	Inmatepenpalconnection@yahoogroups.com <Inmatepenpalconnection@yahoogroups.com>, PrisonMovement@yahoogroups.com <PrisonMovement@yahoogroups.com>, penpals_4_prisoners_N_california-owner@yahoogroups.com, Prup@yahoogroups.com, prison-ministry_California@egroups.com, PrisonMinistry@googlegroups.com <PrisonMinistry@googlegroups.com>, families_of_prisoners@yahoogroups.com <families_of_prisoners@yahoogroups.com>, PenPalSupport@aol.com <PenPalSupport@aol.com>, Gary Gideon <Gary_Gideon@jesusinme.us>

Subject:	[PrisonMovement] Fwd: NY Campaign for Telephone Justice
Date:	Tue, 2 May 2006 18:06:17 -0700 (PDT)
From:	Carol L <carolleo864@yahoo.com>
Reply-To:	PrisonMovement@yahoogroups.com
To:	prison_news_stories@yahoogroups.com, prisonmovement@yahoogroups.com, prup@yahoogroups.com