Phones

When I was at ICJ, the phones sucked.  They often couldn't complete the call.  If they did complete the call, you heard horrible static on the line.  Sometimes days and weeks went by when inmates could not place calls.  All the guards could say is "They're working on it."  Rumor is the ICJ contracted with a small company who had no clue about running a phone system.  

Every dorm has a phone.  You need a phone card to place a call, unless you call collect.  You fill out a kite under the category "Phones" and specify how much you want.  Typically you'll buy one or more $10 cards.

If you do call collect, whoever you're calling may freak out when they hear the automated announcement "call from Ingham County Jail" and not answer the call.  The free phone in the front lobby can call cell phones. but you can only use this phone on the way in, or on the way out. At  least that means you can reach a friend or family member in their car to pick you up.

The phone card charges a large cost per call -- like $1.50 -- and then a charge of several cents per minute. It's weighted heavily towards you making a few calls because of the large up-front cost per call.  

You can't call cell phones, which means if your friends have all gone with cell instead of land line, you are screwed.  You can't leave a message on voice mail, because the person you call has to hit a button on the phone to indicate that her or she wants to accept your call. 

A lot of inmates have different theories as to call pricing, most of them wrong.

You need to send post cards to make requests of friends and family, even if you get through on the phone.  You need to be very careful and very specific as to what you need for them to do.  Even if your friends have the best intentions, the least little mistake can set you back for days.  Expect your interactions with the outside world to operate on days and weeks just to accomplish the simplest transaction.