Cost of inmate calls may decrease

(Taft-AP) -- The high cost of inmate telephone calls may be coming down in Oklahoma. <br><br>The state Corrections Board asked the Corrections Department yesterday to move to a pre-paid inmate phone system

Friday, January 26th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Taft-AP) -- The high cost of inmate telephone calls may be coming down in Oklahoma.

The state Corrections Board asked the Corrections Department yesterday to move to a pre-paid inmate phone system beginning July first.

Commissions charged on prisoners' collect calls pumped nearly two (m) million dollars into the state prison system last year. Critics calls the commissions a form of extortion.

Last year, accusations of price gouging prompted state officials to review the costs of inmate phone calls.

Families and friends of inmates pay almost 13 dollars for a typical 15-minute long-distance call from prison under the state's contracts with telephone providers.

Inmate advocates say the high cost of collect calls penalizes those who had nothing to do with a crime.