jail

Lowering inmate phone calls to 18 cents believed to improve quality of life, Harris County says

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Harris County to vote on lowering cost of inmate phone calls

Officials believe lowering the cost from 22 cents to 18 cents will improve inmates' quality of life. Speaking of quality of life, 13 Investigates has been monitoring the situation at the Harris County Jail.

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Harris County commissioners may lower the cost of phone calls from jail after a vote on Tuesday.

County commissioners are expected to vote on a contract that officials say would improve inmate quality of life.

Speaking of inmate quality of life, 13 Investigates has found that the jail experienced a decade-high in inmate deaths in 2022 and received two notices of noncompliance from the state commission on jail standards. One of them was for not booking inmates within 48 hours and the other for not providing insulin to an inmate who ended up dying in their custody.

The leader in charge of the Harris County Jail announced his resignation earlier this month as the jail struggles with a high inmate population and "staffing deficiencies."

The contract commissioners are expected to vote on would cut the cost from 22 cents a phone call to 18 cents, according to the Houston Chronicle. It would also allow inmates to access tablets for communication and video visitations.

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