Corrections Community

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Offender Pay Telephone System

June 26, 2007

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is required to implement pay telephone services for eligible inmates by September 1, 2008.

This system will be provided through a vender; mandatory contract provisions of a vendor’s responsibility: installing, operating, and maintaining the service without any cost to the state.

The (TDCJ) Correctional Institutions Division is to adopt policies governing the use of this service by inmates, ensure that an inmate is allowed to communicate only with persons on a pre-approved list, and maintain recordings of inmate conversations for law enforcement and security purposes.  The department is also required to ensure that no confidential attorney-client communication is monitored or recorded.  

Therefore, based on this new legal requirement for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Correctional Institutions Division, a request for any and all pertinent information regarding your inmate pay telephone system is requested.

Information such as:

Allowances and Non-Allowances

Basic Guidelines to include; but not limited to: (copy of your policy if available)

            Inmate custody (medium, minimum, and/or maximum)

            Time an inmate is allowed on the telephone

            Time an inmate is allowed to place call per week or month

Please provide me with any current guilelines your DOC is using regarding this subject matter.  Thanks.

If you have any questions, please give Rosie Plattenburg/TDCJ Plans & Operations at call at 936-437-6274.  Thanks.

Nathaniel Quarterman, Director, Correctional Institutions Division

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Yes, would you please send me a copy of your Inmate Telephone System Request for Proposal (RFP).  My contact person's email address is:  rosie.plattenburg@tdcj.state.tx.us.  Thanks.

Nathaniel Quarterman, Director

Correctional Institutions Divisiion

P.O. 99 - Huntsville, Texas   77340

Spur 59, Huntsville, Texas   77340

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

936-437-2170

This begins to make sense after reading this document. Very interesting, thanks for the education!

Greetings,

I deal with and run our inmate phone system here at the Marion Co Jail in Ocala, Florida. We are currently using Securus Tech, which is based out of Texas. I can give you some information dealing with our phone system.

1. We allow all inmates to use the phone, even maximum security.

2. We have our phones to go off in 15 minutes. The inmate and the other party will received notice of this - when they have one minute left and 15 seconds left.

3. We do not have a time allowance or time period. They can use the phones as often as they wish, however the phones are programed to shut off at 10 pm and turn back on at 8 am.

4. The rates that it cost their friends/family

• Local Calls - $2.10 for 15 minutes
• Long Distance in Florida - $2.05 for the 1st minute and $0.30 for every additional minute.
• Long Distance outside of Florida - $4.83 for the 1st minutes and $0.74 for every additionsll

Well, I hope this has been helpful to you. If there is any thing I can do, please feel free to contact me. Thank you!

Cpl. James Aguiar, Jr.

Marion Co Sheriff's Office

Ocala, Florida

(352) 351-8077

jaguiar@marionso.com