San Diego County Jail

Telephones

Interview with Tim


JM: Did you have regular access to telephones?
Tim: I was given one phone call, but I wouldn't say that we had regular access. They let us use the phone right before we were released to arrange transportation and pick-up for ourselves.

JM: What types of charges applied for calling people?
Tim: It actually was quite ridiculous. They only let you make a collect call and none of my friends take collect calls. Luckily, I got through when the answering machine clicked and the operator spilled over on to the message and my friend figured out where I was.

JM: Did you need to buy phone cards to call out?
Tim: Not at the time. They let us use and regular old pay phone that would only let you call the operator. The operator then would make your collect call.

JM: Did the jail screen your calls?
Tim: Not that I know of, but it was possible. I would assume that if they were going to screen my calls they would have to tell me, but no one ever made such an announcement. I guess, they could have and not told us.