Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

The following are excerpts from Inmate manual (Telephone Calls DC-ADM 818) for use of telephones in facilities:

Telephones are located in each housing unit. Each facility sets the procedures and the hours that the phones may be used.

1. The phones may only be used to place pre-paid or collect calls to persons listed on your Inmate Telephone Authorization List (DC-8A) and to telephone numbers in the North American Calling Plan.
2. The use of the telephone system is a privilege. Misuse or violations of the rules may lead to your phone privileges being reduced or denied. You could also be prosecuted if you commit a crime using the phone.
3. During emergency conditions, the telephone company may have to temporarily shut down the system. In emergency situations, the facility may limit telephone calls.
4. Custody Level 4 inmates are permitted a maximum of three 15-minute calling blocks of time per week. Custody Level 3 inmates are permitted a maximum of one 15-minute calling block every day. Custody Level 3Y, 2, and 1 inmates are permitted two15-minute calling blocks of telephone time every day.
5. Multiple calls per time block are permitted. Facilities may limit calling frequency below the maximum if the number of inmate telephones available does not allow for sufficient calling blocks of time, and for other operational reasons.
6. You are not permitted to make calls to:

a. A victim of the crime for which you are incarcerated, unless requested in writing by the victim and approved by the Facility Manager;

b. inmates, former inmates, parolees, probationers, or co-defendants, without the written approval of the Facility Manager;

c. any employee/former employee of the Department, unless requested in writing by the employee/former employee and approved in writing by the Facility Manager;

d. a judge, criminal justice official, prosecutor or court administrator without his/her prior written approval;

e. a minor child, unless approved in writing by the child’s parent or legal guardian;

f. a member of the public who requests in writing to have his/her telephone number blocked;

g. toll-free or emergency number (e.g., 800, 888, 911), with the exception of toll-free numbers for the Pennsylvania Relay Service for TTY/TTD equipment for the hearing impaired and the Sexual Assault Hotline; a local, county, state or federal correctional facility, or to an inmate housed there without the prior written approval of officials at both facilities;

i. three-way calling, call forwarding and calls through a call forwarding service using a local phone number; and

ii. calls through multiple long-distance carriers.

7. You are permitted to place a call on the Automated Inmate Telephone System (AITS) within 72 hours of initial reception or recommitment as a parole violator. The call will be limited to 15 minutes.
8. You must make a list of approved telephone numbers as outlined in DC-ADM 818.
9. You may place calls when you receive a computer listing of the telephone numbers that have been entered into the AITS under your Inmate Personal Identification Number (IPIN).
10. The IPIN number is your confidential personal property. Loaning, borrowing, or theft of the IPIN is not allowed and will result in a misconduct for any inmates involved.
11. The Facility Manager/designee may authorize the use of the facility owned telephone system, for the following reasons:

a. serious illness, hospitalization or death of an immediate family member;

b. contact with an attorney regarding legal matters which, because of an immediate

deadline, cannot be handled in person or by correspondence;

c. court ordered conversations with the court; and

d. extraordinary or unusual circumstances.

12. If the use of the facility owned telephone is approved for a call, you must use your pre-paid calls or sign a DC-138, Cash Slip for the charges for the call.
13. In accordance with 18 Pa. C.S. §5701, all telephone calls are subject to interception, recording, monitoring, and disclosure except those placed to or from an attorney representing you and the Sexual Assault Reporting Line. Attorney telephone numbers must be verifiable and will not be subject to recording or monitoring.
14. Calls placed to cell phones, cordless phones, or phones of inferior quality may be automatically terminated due to static, adverse weather conditions or weak signals. If this occurs, there will be no reimbursement for the call set-up fee that is incurred when the number is re-dialed. Likewise, if someone at the called number picks up an extension phone, the call may be automatically terminated, and you will not be reimbursed for the call set-up fee that will be incurred when the number is re-dialed.
15. A call on the AITS will be initially announced to the called party as originating from a correctional facility and subject to monitoring and/or recording. Announcements may be made periodically during telephone conversations. There will be no reimbursement for the time consumed by these recorded announcements..

http://www.cor.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/department_of_corrections/4604#