HELLO FROM THE INSIDE

HELLO FROM THE INSIDE
By Nalinee Seelal Thursday, February 4 2016

PRISONERS can now legally make telephone calls from behind bars to their relatives, friends and associates via a new telecommunications system installed at the Remand Section of the Golden Grove Prison in Arouca. To access the service would cost $400 per month for each inmate.

The system was introduced by TSTT effective on Monday and the 300 inmates who signed up for the service have each been allowed ten five-minute free calls, in the first instance, thereafter $400 must be paid to allow an inmate access to a four-number personal identification numbers (PIN) which will give them access to make calls during the one-hour airing out period allotted daily.

The system, known as the ‘Prisoner Call Out System’ is being manned by prisons officers at the Remand Section who have been trained to monitor calls and even terminate a call when the conversation is deemed a threat to security. Ten phone booths have been set up at the airing yard of the Remand Section of Golden Grove Prison while one has been placed at the Prison Infirmary and three others at the high risk area.

In exceptional circumstances, prisoners who return late from court and want to have access to the phone will be able to do so at the high risk section. Even on weekends some prisoners will also be given the opportunity to use the phones, but under the strictest security. The system is the brainchild of former Minister of Justice Prakash Ramadhar and was given the thumbs up by Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon.

Newsday understands that TSTT the provider for the service was contracted to set up the system and relatives of inmates were given the option of going to TSTT to pay $400 so their jailed loved ones can access the service.

Yesterday, a person claiming to be former Trinidad Express journalist Akile Simon, who is incarcerated while awaiting trial on criminal charges, said he was one of the first to take advantage of the new system and has spoken to his attorney, Newsday and loved ones. He added that cell phones illegally brought into the prison for use by prisoners are now useless as ‘grabbers and jammers’ are now in effect.

Simon said some prisoners are suspicious of the new system but he felt it is a good service as prisoners can legally interact with their loved ones or attorneys without fear of being caught. “I welcome the initiative as no longer will prisoners have to hide cell phones and use it illegally to contact relatives, attorneys and others,” Simon said.

The steps in the system include a prisoner entering his PIN on the phone prompting the system to dial the person who the prisoner wishes to speak to. An automated system will then indicate to the person who the prisoner is trying to reach, that this is a call from the prisons. The recipient is then prompted to either accept the call (press 5) or reject the call (press 9).

Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart yesterday confirmed the new call out system saying this was a welcomed move. “This will allow inmates to communicate with their families legally and eradicate the need to use illegal cellular phones. “This new system coupled with the implementation of cellphone blockers and jammers will see the eradication of cellular phone use by inmates,” the Commissioner said.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon told Newsday he fully endorses the initiative which will go a long way in stamping out the smuggling of cellular phones into the prisons.

He opined that the service will also aid in the rehabilitation process as inmates will be able to interact with loved ones without resorting to illegal means.

Ceran Richards, president of the Prisons Officers Association (POA) welcomed the telephone initiative stating it was a move in the right direction. “We are living in a civil society and prisoners have their rights. They are human beings and while they are in remand prison they need to communicate with their lawyers, families, loved ones and so on. So we support this system.”

Great. As if marketers weren't enough, now you could get a call from the "mob" boss from the inside - all they have to do is use a conferencing system.