Prison Board Approves Phones for Inmates

On Wednesday, January 24, 2008 the Prison Board found a way to allow convicts to use phones without them being able to plan crimes while they are in prison. I am for the plan because it is supposed to effect the Texas Government, the people receiving calls from prisoners and the prisoners themselves in a positive way.
It will earn the state 15 million in commissions. Convicts get 120 minutes per month and 15 minutes per call. 120, 000 prisoners are forecast to make calls on the 4,00 provided in 106 prisons throughout Texas. The state will receive 40% of the profits made from collect calls. They assume it will make the relationships between the convicts and their families stronger. They realize families are usually the key supporters of the convicts when they get released. The only objection I have heard in this is from the correctional officers. They said, "The system can't pay their people, but they can get pay phones for inmates." Hopefully the state can pay them more since they will be making a good chunk of change off this program. Officers are also concerned that they will be overloaded with work and they question whether the high-tech system will even work. As evidence California, New York and Florida already have these systems in place and they said their systems operate more simple than what the officers are thinking it will be. A Florida Department of Corrections spokeswoman said," We listen in on calls...and calls are recorded." In California they require the convicts to sign up in advance to make monitored collect calls to approved numbers. Lt. Brian Parriott, the California spokesman for the Department of Correctionals and Rehabilitation stated," It's a pretty simple system."
My main concern would be the public's safety. The system will require prisoners to identify themselves twice before the phone turns on, then they are only allowed to make phone calls from their list of approved numbers. The calls will be monitored to make sure convicts are not plotting crimes, harassing witnesses or smuggling things into prisons. The executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Brad Livingston, said, "Technology has improved to allow us to ensure security." The conclusion of this movement seems as if it is positive for everyone it affects. The legislature authorized prison phones last year, but now the prisons have to put in their order of specifications they want in their phone system.

http://www.statesman.com/search/content/region/legislature/stories/01/24/0124prisons.html