§ 42-56-38.1 - Prisoner telephone use. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 42-56-38.1

   § 42-56-38.1  Prisoner telephone use.– (a) When an inmate requests and receives a list of parties approved to receivetelephone calls, the inmate shall be provided the option of using either adebit or collect call system to place such calls. Under the debit system,either the cost of such service shall be automatically deducted from theaccount maintained by the inmate for that purpose, or the inmate shall setaside money from his/her account to be placed in a prepaid telephone account.

   (b) No telephone service provider shall charge a customerrate for calls made from a prison in excess of rates charged for comparablecalls made in non-prison settings. All rates shall reflect the lowestreasonable cost to inmates and call recipients.

   (c) No concessions agreements for inmate telephone callingservices shall include provisions for a commission payable to the state, norshall any correctional institution impose a surcharge for telephone usage byinmates in addition to the charges imposed by the telephone service provider.