Ventura County Jail

Telephones

Interview with Ford, Miss T and Reta


JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Ford: The phones were available four hours a day, varying from day to day, on your lock out period.
Miss T: Yes.
Reta: yes during your day room time if you had someone who had a landline phone who'd take collect call's. if you have money on your books you can buy a phone card.

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people?
Ford: The charges on the phones are outrageous and inexcusable. A ten minute call could run as high as twenty dollars. Is my understanding that a company, who's name I forget, has a complete monopoly on the phone bank system. An undue burden on an already trying time.
Miss T: I had a phone card and I don't remember how high the charges were, but it was high. I got along by only using the phone every few days for a few minutes.
Reta: outragoius. a $10.00 card would last two call's sometimes

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Ford: There are no phone cards available in Ventura County. Strictly a collect basis policy. Lots of phone blocks on collect calls.
Miss T: Yes.
Reta: just cell phones that you'd call. collect landline calls you could just dial the a collect call and it would announce to other end it was call from ___ and you say your name and it would say an inmate from the Ventura county jail

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Ford: Yes, the jail, at their discretion, would listen to calls. Don't get caught calling that girl who has a restraining order on you.
Miss T: Yes.
Reta: oh yes