Prison Phone Justice

501 KAR 6:020
Policy Number

KENTUCKY
CORRECTIONS
Policies and Procedures

Total Pages

16.3
Date Filed

Effective Date

June 3, 2005
References

September 20, 2005

Subject

ACA Standard 4-4497 4-4497-1, 4-4275
KRS 196.035, 197.020;KRS 45A
CPP 15.2

I.

2

INMATE ACCESS TO TELEPHONES

AUTHORITY
This policy is issued in accordance with the provisions of KRS l96.035 and 197.020 that
authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections (Corrections) to adopt,
amend or rescind rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration of
Corrections.

II.

PURPOSE
This policy sets forth procedures governing inmate access to and use of telephones.

III.

APPLICABILITY
This policy applies to all inmates assigned to, and all staff employed at, state and private
correctional institutions.

IV.

DEFINITIONS
“Emergency telephone call” means a call involving an illness of a serious nature or death
of immediate family or impending disaster related to the inmate’s property.
“Immediate family” means:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

V.

Parents, including stepparents and those who may have reared the inmate
in place of parents;
Grandparents;
Brothers, sisters and other sibling relations such as half and step siblings;
Spouse and children including step-children or adopted children; or
A child to whom the inmate, although not a natural parent, acted as a
parent.

POLICY and PROCEDURE

Policy Number

Effective Date

Page

16.3

September 20, 2005

2

A.

An inmate shall be provided with reasonable and equitable access to the
telephone. The telephone service shall be reasonably priced, with rates and
surcharges commensurate with the general public, and comply with state and
federal regulations.

B.

An inmate with hearing or speech disabilities, and inmates who wish to
communicate with parties who have these disabilities shall be afforded access to a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), or comparable equipment.

C.

An inmate telephone call may be monitored on a random basis or if there is
reason to believe the telephone privilege is being abused in a manner that is in
violation of law or detrimental to the security of the institution, employees or
other inmates. When an institution monitors an inmate’s telephone call, a sign
clearly stating that telephone conversations may be monitored shall be visibly
posted by every inmate telephone or within the telephone area if multiple phones
are provided.

D.

Staff shall not listen to a call from an inmate to his attorney.

E.

If an inmate receives an incoming emergency telephone call,
referred to an appropriate institutional staff member who
emergency nature of the call and obtain the telephone number
calling party. The inmate may be advised of this information
return the call.

F.

An inmate telephone call shall be a collect call made at the expense of the person
called. Third party calls shall not be permitted. An inmate telephone call may be
charged to the institution only in an emergency situation with prior approval from
institutional administrative staff.

G.

The offenses and penalties for a violation of this policy shall be in accordance
with CPP 15.2.

the call shall be
shall verify the
and name of the
and permitted to