Dallas Inmates Must Wait for Cheaper Phone Calls

 Posted on February 16, 2020 in Bail Bonds

Dallas’ county commissioner and sheriff have delayed the signing of a new jail phone call bill that could lower the price of inmate calls. The fight for a bill that satisfies both the county and the families of inmates has gone on for 5 years. Discussions are still in progress as to how the bill should be handled. If you or a loved one has been arrested in DFW and needs help securing an affordable bail bond quickly, Doc’s Bail Bonds has you covered.

THE CURRENT PHONE CALL BILL

Established in 2014, the current jail phone call bill proved satisfactory for some time, but now there have been copious calls to change the bill that is in place. The current bill has jail phone calls going at a rate of 24 cents per minute. There is also a deposit that has to be made in order to pay for these calls, which has a fee of $3 if you go through the county vendor and $5.95 if made by automatic payment. This agreement was more affordable than previous ones, but there have still been complaints about the costs. Some feel that it is unethical to charge inmates to speak with family members, so they have advocated for free jail phone calls.

THE NEWLY PROPOSED PHONE CALL BILL

The bill that is currently under discussion will lower the price of jail phone calls substantially. Instead of 24 cents per minute, the price would fall to 1 cent per minute. The new agreement would also eliminate the deposit fees that inmates and their families are expected to cover. Though it is not free phone calls like many want, families of county inmates have still shown support for the new bill. But now there have been delays in the bill being passed, causing frustration for incarcerated individuals and their families.

DELAYS FOR THE NEW BILL PASSING

County Commissioner John Wiley Price and Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown have given two main reasons for the delay in the bill’s passing. The first reason is that the decrease in call costs would result in a $2.4 million loss for the county’s profits. Some county staff do not see that as an issue though, because the total annual budget is $1 billion. The second reason is a concern about security with the new agreement. The county’s vendor uses iPads for their video visitation chats, and Brown is concerned about monitoring those chats. According to Brown, the county does not have enough staff keep the iPad usage secure.

DOC’S BAIL BONDS: SECURING AFFORDABLE BAIL IN DFW

As the county continues to debate how jail phone calls should be handled, families and inmates continue to call for lower prices. Although the bill has been delayed, it will not be eligible for another delay in vote after two weeks, so a final decision will soon be made. Doc’s Bail Bonds works hard to secure bail bonds at a low price for any case in DFW. We know that the jail system can be expensive, but you don’t have to let high prices hinder your release. Call us at (214) 747-4110 or visit our website to learn about our payment options. We want all Dallas County residents to get a second chance.