A now vacant block at Osborn Correctional Facility in Somers. (File Photo by Christine Stuart)
With the stroke of the pen by Gov. Ned Lamont Wednesday, Connecticut was on track to become the nation’s first state to give inmates and their loved ones free phone calls.
How do you know your call was recorded?
Most facilities that record inmate calls play a preliminary message informing the inmate that their call is being recorded. They also publish notices that the visits are also monitored. Sometimes you may hear a “click” indicating that a police officer has joined your conversation. Another “click” tells you that the supervisor is offline, but that doesn’t mean your call isn’t being recorded anymore!
The use of recorded calls against inmates is so widespread that some defense attorneys put a warning on their websites: “Don’t say anything at all that you don’t want to hear the judge in the courtroom assessing.”
How often can you visit your imprisoned relative?
Under federal law, an incarcerated person is entitled to at least 4 hours of visiting time per month. Depending on where your loved one is, they may have more visiting hours. The facility may also limit the duration of each visit and the number of people who can be in the room. Before you leave, be sure to find out about the center’s visiting hours and whether or not you need to make an appointment. If you’re unsure how to approach a personal visit to your incarcerated loved one, check out these tips on what to talk about when visiting someone in prison.
In addition to phone calls and personal visits, there are other ways to keep in touch with your loved one while in detention. Communicating via mail is a simple and easy way to keep in touch and gives the incarcerated person a reminder to hold on to. For example, sending photos through Pelipost is a great way to stay connected and give your loved one a material item to help them through difficult times.
All eyes on the state budget
For the past few years, lawyers and lawmakers have debated whether to push for legislation to allow free phone calls in jails and jails, or only in state prisons, which would be easier to combat politically. Epstein introduced several variable-scope bills over the past year, none of which passed in committee.
This year, the coalition, which includes Epstein, state Senator Jamaal Bailey and advocacy groups Worth Rises, Color of Change and the Fines and Fees Justice Center, decided to introduce a sweeping bill making all jail and jail calls free .