Ventura County Jail

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Telephones

Interview with Ford, Miss T, Reta and Julie

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.
Julie: Only during feeding times and if we had a relax hour. Besides that, the phones were off limits. Of course during our free time it was hard to get to use the phone considering there were about 30 other girls in there trying to use it as well.

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people? How much money would you guess the average inmate spends per week on phone calls?
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
Julie: The first call was free, after that you would have to call collect. I only called once so I'm not sure of any charges.

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
Julie: Not sure.

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
Julie: Probably.