Inmate Management - General Inmate Management - Inmate Telephone Communication (Institutio... Page 1 of 9 Mistry of fe ‘Community Sa ; Sndcoretiona! eves Policy and Procedures Manual 2 Ontario ‘Seaton : Rolesse Date Inmate Management duly 4, 2013, Sub Seaton General Inmate Management Inmate Telephone Communication 1.0 Purpose ‘This policy establishes guidelines for providing inmates with access to telephones within correctional institutions, 2.0 Staff Affected ‘All Correctional Services employees involved in failtatingisupervising inmate access to telephones. 3.0 Policy Correctional Services recognizes that communication between inmates and members of the community is important for rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society. The telephone is the primary method by Which inmates maintain contact with others. itis therefore the policy of Correctional Services to allow inmates to make telephone calls in accordance with this policy. Furthermore, to assist inmates who are deat or hard of hearing, each region will ensure it has a TTY/Teletypeviriter for use by each institution that has an operating inmate telephone system andlor a local telephone system that can accommodate the TT¥/Teletypevaiter equipment. 4.0 Definitions 44 Call Blocking: allows the blocking of calls to victims, witnesses, concerned citizens and blocking toll free numbers that are not pre-approved or are common cartier assistance numbers, 4.2 Collect Cails: Telephone calls that are billed to and payable by a third party. Collect calls are billed to the called party through a separate bill issued by a local telephone carrier. 4.3 Common access - allows inmates to call a common pre-approved toll free or local tolephone ‘number (0.g. The Office of the Ombudsman, The Office of the Child and Family Service Advocate, Office of the Independent Police Review Diractor, Probation and Parole office, etc.). Emergency Calls: Calls related to a serious family ines or injury, death, etc. The superintendent ‘or designate may allow the inmate to use the telephone. The institution pays for this call. 4.5 Inmate Telephones: Telephones located within common secured aroas of the institution that Inmates may access for personal use without direct staff assistance, in accordance with this policy. Inmate telephones are governed by the Offender Telephone Management System (OTMS). 4.8 Monitoring: The process where telephone calls are actively listened to and/or checked for content, either in person through direct supervision or through electronic moans. ‘000004Inmate Management - General Inmate Management - Inmate Telephone Commu s44(10) satay) s.A4{ YK) saan) 5.0 47 48 49 Responsibi 61 52 83 54 65 56 81 58 59 tion (Institutio.. Page 2 of 9 Offender Telephone Management System: Governs inmate telephones and includes: 474 4.7.2. maintaining call data records (see 6.12) 4.7.3 ability to allow outgoing collect calls as well as calls to ministry-approved toll free numbers (Common Access List) 4.7.4 ability to limit to a 20-minute length of each call 4.7.5 automatic voice prompts at established intervals advising the parties of the time remaining ‘Three Way or Conference Call: A telephone call involving three or more telephone numbers or ‘separate telephone subscribers. Three way Call Detecting and Blocking: The Offender Telephone Management System (OTMS) is programmed to detect and disconnect three way calling features. Prior to call acceptance and ‘Commencement of the conversation the call recisient hears the following recorded notification, "Do ‘not use three way or call waiting features or your call will be disconnected." Should the OTMS detect 4 three way call attempt or call waiting feature, both parties hear the following recorded notice prior to the call being disconnected, "Three way or call waiting features are not allowed. Your call will be disconnected.” ies ‘The Regional Directors ensure a TTY/Teletypewriter is available in their region for institution use if required. ‘The superintendent ensures compliance with this policy. ‘The superintendent develops criteria for determining when an incoming mossage is appropriate, ‘The superintendent or designate ensures call blocking isin place where appropriate in accordance with this policy. ‘The superintendent or designate determines the times when telephones are available. The superintendent or designate has the authority to temporarily suspend telephone use during times of institutional unrest, emergency or any other circumstance, which may jeopardize the health, aandior safety of an individual or the security of the institution. The superintendent or designate ensures a process isin place if no inmate telephones are accessible in an inmato area. ' The Transportation and Communications Services Unit maintains and manages the OTMS, the ‘Common Access List, Legal Counsel three way call detect acceptance (see 6,7,2,c), and call data records/requests. 8.10 Correctional staff ensure general supervision and control of the inmate telephone system. ‘000002Inmate Management - General Inmate Management - Inmate Telephone Communication (Institutio... Page 3 of 9 6.11 Correctional staff ensure inmates without direct access to telephones have the opportunity to make calls and assist inmates in making such calls as per policy. 6.0 Procedures 61 6.2 Monitoring or Recording Telephone communication between inmates and members of the community will not be monitored or recorded in ary manner except by law enforcement personnel who will produce a properly authorized warrant for the purpose. Inmate Telephones 6.2.1 Inmates may call any person with a standard North American ten digit telephone number ‘who is capable of being billed for collect calls, providing the person is willing to accept the charges and the communication does not violate a court order, constitute an offence under federal or provincial statute, or jeopardize the safety of any person or the security of the institution. In most instances, collect calls to cell phones will resut in a recording that states that the call cannot be processed. 6.2.2 When the superintondent is notified that an inmate call has violated a legal sanction or has Jeopardized the safety of any person or the security ofthe institution, restrictions will bo imposed on the inmate's telephone use, On the authority of the superintendent or designate, an inmate may be relocated to an area where telephones are not directly accesebie,nacdton, inmates abusing tlhe pivages maybe placed on misconduct oF, if appropriate, reported to the police (see Discipline 6.23 With the exception of inmates in segregation, health care or other restricted areas, all inmates are allowed to dial their own telephone calls. The superintendent or designate will, ‘ona case by case basis, determine if inmates in segregation retain this privilege or whether designated employees must dal the telephone calls for them. In some restricted areas, the lack of direct physical access to the telephone may require the assistance of a staff ‘member to dial the telephone number for the inmate 6.2.4 While inmate telephones are under the general supervision and control of the correctional staff, equitable access to the telephones rests with the peer group in each living uni Where, in the opinion of the superintendent or designate, equity is not maintained, the ‘superintendent or designate may discontinue service for the unit, remove the privilege from inmates identified as responsible for the problem or remove those inmates from the living unit. 6.2.5 _ In goneral, the inmate population may access the telephone system five hours a day, unless suspended due to institutional unrest or emergency. 6.2.6 Allinmate telephones are shut off between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00 hours seven days ‘a week, unless otherwise authorized by Correctional Services. 6.2.7 Requests for exemptions to the corporate policy regarding the operation of inmate telephones are to be directed to the applicable Regional Director, who wil forward to the Director, Management and Operational Support Branch. Requests to alter the standarcized hours of operation of inmmate phones are to be directed to the Manager, Transportation and ‘Communication Services Unit. ‘900008