WEBVTT
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(upbeat music)
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Welcome to the
public participation hearing,
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where we will take public input
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on rulemaking 20-10-002,
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to consider regulating
telecommunications services
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used by incarcerated people,
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on this day, Thursday, April 29th, 2021.
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Today's call is being recorded,
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if you have any objections,
you may disconnect at this time.
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Thank you, you may proceed.
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Thank you operator.
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We'll go ahead and be on the record
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and the Commission will come to order.
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Today is Thursday, April 29th
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and this is the remote
public participation hearing
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for rulemaking 20-10-002
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to consider regulating
telecommunication services
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used by incarcerated people.
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This is a public hearing on a rulemaking
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at the California Public
Utilities Commission.
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This is not a parole board hearing
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or any other hearings
relating to the jail population.
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The sole purpose of this meeting
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is to hear from incarcerated people
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and the public regarding the prices
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and quality of call-in services
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available in California
prisons and jails.
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The Commission is considering
regulating these prices.
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My name is Kathleen Vogel
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and I'm the assigned
Administrative Law Judge
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on this proceeding.
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I'm joined by the assigned Commissioner,
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Martha Gusmanaservice,
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Commissioner Genevieve Jeroma
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and Commissioner Darcy Houck.
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Although we have a quorum of
Commissioners present tonight,
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the Commissioners
will not be discussing,
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deliberating, voting or taking action
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on items before us in this proceeding
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we're all here simply
to listen to the public.
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Please note that the
audio and visual feed
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of this public hearing is being recorded
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and will be accessible
on the CPC website.
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If you do not wish to be
recorded, please disconnect now.
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Commissioner Gusmanservice
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would you like to make
any opening remarks?
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Thank you, Judge Vogel
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and I wanna mostly just thank the public
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for taking the time today
to share their experiences
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and of course their
recommendations to us on what to do
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with the information
that we're gathering.
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Yesterday we heard
from the public as well
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and it was very powerful.
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I think the level of
specific recommendations
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that were given to us
were extremely helpful.
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So I wanna thank all the staff
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again for their work
on getting to this place
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in particular for the draft proposal
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that staff has put out
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and really invite the public
to comment on that proposal
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as well as any other
recommendations that they may have.
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So thank you very much
for being here today.
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Thank you, Commissioner.
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Commissioner Jeroma would
you like to make some remarks?
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Oh yes, thank you.
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Good evening to everyone.
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I'm pleased to join Judge Vogel
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and Commissioner
Gusmanservice, Commissioner Houck
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with this public participation hearing
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and thank you to our court reporters.
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We will hear from staff
presentation shortly.
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This is a groundbreaking proceeding
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that can directly impact the
lives of a more than 100,000
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incarcerated Californians
and their families.
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I'm encouraged by the cooperation
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of the calling service providers,
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the work done by the SPC research
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that our Commission
staff has completed so far
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which includes issuing the
proposed interim solution.
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While I could not attend this
public participation hearing,
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as Commissioner Gusmanservice
indicated it was all attended,
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with the valuable
input from many callers
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and very much appreciate
the time everyone has taken.
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And those who have
a log-in called in today
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thank you for your time this evening.
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We look forward to hearing
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all of the public comments this evening
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and I can assure that our staff
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and we Commissioners will
consider all the comments shared
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and for anyone who
is not able to call in,
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there is a comment feature online,
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there is an online forum,,
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hopefully for folks who can access
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an online feature, a computer or laptop.
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Thanks again for everyone
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for taking the time out of your evening
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to participate in speaking
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and your a valuable input.
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Thank you back to you, Judge.
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Thank you, Commissioner
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and now Commissioner Houck,
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would you like to make
some opening remarks?
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Thank you Judge Vogel.
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I just briefly wanted to say thank you
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to Judge Vogel,
Commissioner Gusmanservice,
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for all their work on this proceeding
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and I am honored to
be here tonight to listen
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and want to learn more about
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the comments that were
addressed yesterday.
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I was also unable to
make the PTH yesterday
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but very much want to hear
from the public and folks today
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and look forward to
being able to further
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the very important proceedings.
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So thank you very much.
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Thank you, Commissioner Houck.
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Robert, if you could
please advance the slide
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to the second slide.
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As we've mentioned the Commission
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is considering regulating
the prices charged
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to make calls from prisons and jails.
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Prison phone service
providers in California include
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Global Tel Link Corporation,
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Inmate Calling
Solutions or IC Solutions,
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Legacy Inmate Communications,
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Network Communications
International Corporation
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or NCI Inmate Communications,
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Pay Tel Communications
and Securus Technologies.
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If anyone listening today
has a question about your bills,
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the prices or service offered
by any of these companies,
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please go ahead and contact
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the customer service representatives
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for these companies directly
at the following phone numbers,
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which are also shown on the screen.
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For Global Tel Link Corporation,
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the customer service
number is (877) 650-4249,
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or (866) 516-0115.
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For IC Solutions, the
number is (800) 864-8957.
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Excuse me, I think I read
that wrong, (800) 464-8957.
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For Legacy Inmate Communications,
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the number is (888) 729-4326.
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For NCIC Inmate Communication,
the number is (800) 943-2189.
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For Pay Tel Communications,
the number is (800) 729-8355
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and for Securus Technologies,
the number is (800) 844-6591.
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Before we open the public comment line,
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I'll briefly provide some background
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on the California Public
Utilities Commission.
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Alison Brown, from the
Commission's public advisor's office,
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will then speak briefly
followed by a presentation
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from our communications
division staff person, Carlos Sulei.
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The Public Utilities
Commission is a state agency
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that decides the prices
companies may charge
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to make phone calls
from within prisons or jails.
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The Commission is comprised
of five Commissioners,
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who are appointed by the Governor
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and confirmed by the
California State Senate.
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As a judge in these proceeding,
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I manage the day-to-day
activities of the case.
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The five Commissioners
are the ones who will decide,
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with a vote, on whether
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and how the Commission will regulate
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the prices of prison
call service companies.
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My role as a judge is to evaluate
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the evidence in the proceeding
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and to write a proposed
decision based on that evidence.
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This proposed decision
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is considered by the five Commissioners,
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who decide whether to
adopt a decision I have written
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or to adopt their own
alternate decision.
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The schedule for this
proceeding currently
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has the Commission
voting on an interim decision
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about prison phone
call prices this summer.
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Before we start I want to acknowledge
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the severe hardships that
COVID-19 has imposed,
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particularly on persons incarcerated.
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During this period we as the
Commission have transitioned
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to holding our public
hearings online and by phone.
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Public engagement remains
very important to the Commission
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and will be paying careful
attention to the comments
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and feedback provided today.
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We have two court
reporters online with us today
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and they will be transcribing
everything that is said.
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A written transcript
will be publicly available,
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after the hearing on
the Commission website.
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Before we get started,
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I'll remind speakers to
speak slowly and clearly,
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so that the recorders can
capture everything that is said.
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Speakers are not required to provide
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your names or locations,
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however if you do
provide this information,
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please first state your name
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and then slowly spell your first
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and last name as you start your remarks.
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I'll now invite Alison Brown
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of the Commissions
public advisor's office
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to make a few remarks.
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Ms. Brown.
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Thank you judge.
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Hello everyone and welcome.
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My name is Alison Brown
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and I'm the public advisor for the CPC.
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The Public Advisors Office
assist and advisors the public,
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with participation in
Commission proceedings.
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First, I wanna thank you all
for your participation today.
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As the judge and the
Commissioner stated,
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public participation
and input are essential
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to the Commission's
decision making process.
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This hearing is your
opportunity to be heard,
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to share your thoughts and
experiences on this issue
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with the Administrative Law
Judge and the Commissioners.
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If you have specific
questions about the proceeding
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or your service, please reach
out to the provider websites
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for more information.
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Second, if you or anyone you know
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is not able to make a comment today,
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there're several other
ways to become involved.
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Those interested can provide
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written comments on today's topic
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to what we call our docket
card for this proceeding.
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If you would like to
make comments there,
00:10:52.020 --> 00:10:56.267
please go to
www.cpc.ca.gov/R2010002Comments.
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Individuals are not required
to provide your name, location,
00:11:07.090 --> 00:11:09.770
email or phone number to
the vibrant and comments
00:11:09.770 --> 00:11:11.700
but you may, if you wish to.
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Comments can also
be provided by an email,
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USPS mail and the phone.
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To date we have received
over 115 written comments.
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Also, if you listening to this hearing
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and would like to watch the live stream
00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:29.050
or watch an archive of
the stream at a later time,
00:11:29.050 --> 00:11:33.947
please go to
www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpc.
00:11:37.070 --> 00:11:39.970
If you wish to find more
information on becoming a party,
00:11:39.970 --> 00:11:41.350
subscribing to this proceeding
00:11:41.350 --> 00:11:44.420
to receive notifications
of filings and rulings
00:11:44.420 --> 00:11:46.850
or submitting comments as I mentioned,
00:11:46.850 --> 00:11:50.790
please go to our website cpc.ca.gov
00:11:50.790 --> 00:11:52.900
or email the public advisor's office.
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That email address again,
is public.advisor@cpc.ca.gov.
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We look forward to your comments today.
00:12:00.040 --> 00:12:01.993
Thank you again for joining us, Judge.
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Thank you Alison.
00:12:05.810 --> 00:12:08.390
We'll now hear from Carlos Sulei,
00:12:08.390 --> 00:12:10.670
the Commission's Communication Division,
00:12:10.670 --> 00:12:14.693
who will present some
findings on this case so far.
00:12:17.800 --> 00:12:18.720
Good evening.
00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:20.140
My name is Carlos Sulei.
00:12:20.140 --> 00:12:22.890
I'm with the California
Public Utilities Commission
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and I work in the
Communications Division.
00:12:25.550 --> 00:12:27.010
So I understand that some of you
00:12:27.010 --> 00:12:30.160
are unable to see the
presentation, you're on the phone,
00:12:30.160 --> 00:12:33.052
so please bear with me,
I will try and speak slowly
00:12:33.052 --> 00:12:37.830
and clearly also for the
benefit of the interpreters
00:12:37.830 --> 00:12:39.093
and the court reporters.
00:12:40.780 --> 00:12:45.020
So this is the staff
proposal for interim rates.
00:12:45.020 --> 00:12:47.850
So for the purpose
of the staff proposal,
00:12:47.850 --> 00:12:50.980
Incarcerated Calling Services or ICS
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are defined as any and
all communication services
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provided by telephone corporations
00:12:57.590 --> 00:13:00.350
to incarcerated or detained minors
00:13:00.350 --> 00:13:02.450
or adults held in California,
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including but not limited to federal
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and state correctional facilities
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and immigration detention
centers, city and county jails,
00:13:12.670 --> 00:13:16.323
juvenile detention centers,
holding centers and camps.
00:13:17.370 --> 00:13:18.390
The services are provided
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through approximately
350 facilities in California,
00:13:22.705 --> 00:13:25.680
for individual contracts
between service providers
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and state, county
and municipal facilities.
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Calls are funded through collect calls,
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prepaid calls, dip and
prepaid debit cards
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and also in some
facilities through kiosks.
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Next slide, please.
00:13:48.589 --> 00:13:51.020
The FCC is currently
addressing ICS rates
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and has compiled an extensive record.
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To get a better
understanding of the issues
00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:58.520
and the ICS markets in California,
00:13:58.520 --> 00:14:00.510
staff sent out data requests
00:14:00.510 --> 00:14:03.770
to over 800 service
providers in California
00:14:03.770 --> 00:14:05.500
and identified six providers
00:14:05.500 --> 00:14:07.773
that offer Incarcerated
Calling Services.
00:14:09.230 --> 00:14:11.370
Staff also reached out
and met with advocates
00:14:11.370 --> 00:14:14.860
and stakeholders on
how ICS actually works
00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:15.867
in the facilities
00:14:15.867 --> 00:14:17.970
and the impacts on the incarcerated,
00:14:17.970 --> 00:14:19.833
their family and friends.
00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:22.377
Next slide please.
00:14:26.030 --> 00:14:28.090
Studies have shown that
incarcerated individuals
00:14:28.090 --> 00:14:31.090
in regular contact with family
are more likely to succeed
00:14:31.090 --> 00:14:33.893
after release and have
lower recidivism rates.
00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:37.890
In traditional rate making
the end user pays the bills,
00:14:37.890 --> 00:14:39.880
however for ICS, most of the costs
00:14:39.880 --> 00:14:41.600
are paid by families or friends,
00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.500
which adds to their financial burdens.
00:14:44.530 --> 00:14:46.280
So some of the things that staff found
00:14:46.280 --> 00:14:48.460
is that Incarcerated Calling Services
00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:52.050
are provided to approximately
350 facilities in California,
00:14:52.050 --> 00:14:54.450
through contracts with jurisdictions,
00:14:54.450 --> 00:14:56.113
or individual facilities.
00:14:57.260 --> 00:14:59.270
The current rates are not market-based
00:14:59.270 --> 00:15:02.500
and terms and conditions
are set forth in contracts
00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:06.203
between service providers,
facilities or jurisdictions.
00:15:07.630 --> 00:15:10.070
The current rates are
inconsistent throughout the state
00:15:10.070 --> 00:15:12.683
and vary between jails and prisons.
00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:16.370
Fees from non telecommunication services
00:15:16.370 --> 00:15:18.910
add to the cost of the call
00:15:18.910 --> 00:15:22.163
and revenues from calls
support other programs.
00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:24.270
Next slide, please.
00:15:26.990 --> 00:15:28.880
Here's a survey with staff pound
00:15:28.880 --> 00:15:31.490
based on the data
requests that were sent out.
00:15:31.490 --> 00:15:33.960
Intrastate per minute
charges range from free
00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:35.423
to 1.75 per minute.
00:15:36.930 --> 00:15:40.423
First minute charges range
from free to 3.60 per minute.
00:15:41.710 --> 00:15:42.933
Ancillary charges,
00:15:44.330 --> 00:15:47.180
single call rates are
as high as three dollars,
00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:50.740
automated payment charge
are as high as three dollars,
00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:54.750
third-party fees as high as 6.95,
00:15:54.750 --> 00:15:58.570
live agent fees as high as 5.95,
00:15:58.570 --> 00:16:01.803
paper bill fees as high as 2.95.
00:16:04.370 --> 00:16:05.270
Next slide please.
00:16:10.560 --> 00:16:13.340
So the staff proposal
proposes immediate relief
00:16:13.340 --> 00:16:17.830
by adopting the proposal
of the FCC interim rates
00:16:17.830 --> 00:16:21.170
and we try to keep the
proposal very simple.
00:16:21.170 --> 00:16:22.350
There's two rates,
00:16:22.350 --> 00:16:24.620
there's a rate cap at 21
cents per minute for debit
00:16:24.620 --> 00:16:25.773
and prepaid calls,
00:16:26.769 --> 00:16:29.070
there is a rate cap
at 25 cents per minute
00:16:29.070 --> 00:16:30.173
for collect calls,
00:16:31.547 --> 00:16:34.100
there's also a rate cap
on the following fees,
00:16:34.100 --> 00:16:37.340
there are no markups
on single call fees,
00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:38.327
automated payment fees
00:16:38.327 --> 00:16:40.603
are a maximum of three dollars per use.
00:16:41.890 --> 00:16:46.470
No markups on third-party
financial transaction fees,
00:16:46.470 --> 00:16:49.630
live agent fees are 5.95 per transaction
00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:53.123
and paper bill fees are
two dollars per statement.
00:16:55.380 --> 00:16:58.030
So I just wanted to describe
some of the other fees
00:16:58.030 --> 00:17:00.030
that are currently being charged.
00:17:00.030 --> 00:17:04.380
These fees are carrier access
fees, account setup fees,
00:17:04.380 --> 00:17:08.250
transfer fees, prepaid
refund processing fees
00:17:08.250 --> 00:17:10.370
and fees for bail refunds.
00:17:10.370 --> 00:17:13.370
So these will no longer be
allowed under the proposed rules.
00:17:16.100 --> 00:17:17.050
Next slide, please.
00:17:19.190 --> 00:17:21.830
That further proposes
that prohibition on markets
00:17:21.830 --> 00:17:24.763
for mandatory pass through
government taxes and fees.
00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:28.410
As I mentioned, the
provision on all ancillary fees
00:17:28.410 --> 00:17:30.150
not specified by the FCC
00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.070
and this Interim Rate
Structure will stay in place
00:17:34.070 --> 00:17:35.220
until the Commission adopts
00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:37.870
the proposed FCC's permanent rates
00:17:37.870 --> 00:17:40.500
of 14 cents per minute for prisons
00:17:40.500 --> 00:17:42.470
and 16 cents for jails
00:17:42.470 --> 00:17:44.973
or a final decision in his rule making.
00:17:47.510 --> 00:17:50.340
In closing, I'd like to
mention that besides the work
00:17:50.340 --> 00:17:52.213
at the federal level
at the FCC is doing,
00:17:52.213 --> 00:17:54.240
there's a lot of activity at the state
00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.053
and local level for lowering rates.
00:17:57.099 --> 00:17:58.770
There are some models
that are being talked about
00:17:58.770 --> 00:18:00.520
and these models
include free phone calls
00:18:00.520 --> 00:18:03.410
and also a method of charging per call
00:18:03.410 --> 00:18:04.560
rather than per minute.
00:18:05.470 --> 00:18:07.030
I also wanna recognize the work
00:18:07.030 --> 00:18:10.000
of the San Francisco
financial justice project.
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.780
So they were able to
bring free phone calls
00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:14.913
to San Francisco to
the innovative program.
00:18:15.970 --> 00:18:17.920
So we thank you for your participation.
00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:23.450
Also, there was a copy of this,
00:18:23.450 --> 00:18:24.658
before I go pardon me,
00:18:24.658 --> 00:18:26.740
there's a copy of this staff
proposal on the website
00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:28.840
for those you can't access it.
00:18:28.840 --> 00:18:29.673
Thank you.
00:18:33.350 --> 00:18:35.373
Great,
thank you, Carlos.
00:18:36.897 --> 00:18:41.530
We will begin the public
commentary very shortly.
00:18:41.530 --> 00:18:44.540
Before we do that I
just like to remind folks
00:18:44.540 --> 00:18:47.150
that this is a public
participation hearing
00:18:47.150 --> 00:18:50.090
for the Commission to hear
from members of the public.
00:18:50.090 --> 00:18:55.010
Entities that are part of the
formal proceeding rulemaking,
00:18:55.010 --> 00:18:58.940
R2010002, should please not call in
00:18:58.940 --> 00:19:01.000
to provide a comment at this time.
00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:02.480
If you could please go ahead
00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.860
and use the formal proceedings
00:19:03.860 --> 00:19:05.680
to express your views.
00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:07.960
Yesterday we actually
allowed a party to speak
00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:10.763
and we will not be having
parties speak tonight.
00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:14.300
So regarding the public comment period
00:19:14.300 --> 00:19:17.580
if you're providing comments,
again, please speak slowly
00:19:17.580 --> 00:19:20.450
and clearly and
directly into your phone.
00:19:20.450 --> 00:19:22.810
Please do not use a speaker phone,
00:19:22.810 --> 00:19:24.850
it makes it very hard to hear you
00:19:24.850 --> 00:19:28.160
and hard for the court reporters
to transcribe your comments
00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:30.270
which we would like to go back
00:19:30.270 --> 00:19:33.550
and study carefully after this hearing,
00:19:33.550 --> 00:19:36.373
so please do speak slowly
and directly into the phone.
00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.560
Please keep your comments brief
00:19:40.830 --> 00:19:44.460
and a chime will be
sounding when your time is up.
00:19:44.460 --> 00:19:47.170
Another reminder is that
this is a public hearing
00:19:47.170 --> 00:19:50.170
so callers must use language
appropriate to the setting
00:19:50.170 --> 00:19:52.980
and must speak to the topic of prices
00:19:52.980 --> 00:19:57.880
and services offered by a
prison phone call companies.
00:19:57.880 --> 00:20:00.080
Callers that do not
adhere to this guidance
00:20:00.080 --> 00:20:02.440
may have your speaking time shortened.
00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:05.040
And please also keep your ears
00:20:06.290 --> 00:20:08.460
to your phone so that you can hear me
00:20:08.460 --> 00:20:13.003
if I need to interrupt you and
ask you to speak more slowly.
00:20:14.020 --> 00:20:16.823
So please pay
attention also to listening.
00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:20.820
Operator, how many callers
are in the queue at this point?
00:20:24.800 --> 00:20:29.150
And right now we
have five parties in queue.
00:20:29.150 --> 00:20:31.680
Okay, super, thank you.
00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:34.520
If anyone listening to
the hearing right now
00:20:34.520 --> 00:20:36.970
would like to make a
comment as we go forward
00:20:36.970 --> 00:20:41.310
please do press star
one and unmute your line,
00:20:41.310 --> 00:20:44.130
the operator will respond shortly
00:20:44.130 --> 00:20:46.233
and get you in line to make a statement.
00:20:49.950 --> 00:20:53.690
And we will be starting with
two minutes for each speaker,
00:20:53.690 --> 00:20:57.210
if the number of speakers increases
00:20:57.210 --> 00:20:58.420
we may need to adjust that
00:20:58.420 --> 00:21:01.320
but for now we'll start with
two minutes per speaker.
00:21:01.320 --> 00:21:05.320
So operator, if you could
please announce the first caller
00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:08.660
and again, a reminder
to please speak slowly
00:21:08.660 --> 00:21:10.670
and please if you're
going to provide your name,
00:21:10.670 --> 00:21:12.850
which is not required,
please do state your name
00:21:12.850 --> 00:21:16.053
and then slowly spell it as
you get started, operator.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:21.200
Our first
Caller is Troy Deck.
00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:22.350
Troy, you may go ahead.
00:21:23.750 --> 00:21:26.820
Hello, thank you
for holding this hearing.
00:21:26.820 --> 00:21:28.260
As members of the Commission
00:21:28.260 --> 00:21:31.190
you all have a unique opportunity
to make a huge difference
00:21:31.190 --> 00:21:33.420
in the lives of tens of
thousands of people.
00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:36.650
Many inmates in California
come from low income communities
00:21:36.650 --> 00:21:39.130
and make less than
minimum wage in prison.
00:21:39.130 --> 00:21:41.460
Reducing the burden
of these high call rates
00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:43.060
is the prudent thing to do,
00:21:43.060 --> 00:21:45.610
making it easier for
inmates to build relationships
00:21:45.610 --> 00:21:48.580
that will allow them to
reintegrate into free society
00:21:48.580 --> 00:21:51.210
is also the moral and just thing to do.
00:21:51.210 --> 00:21:52.850
Inmates should not be forced to pay
00:21:52.850 --> 00:21:55.860
more than the general
public for human connection.
00:21:55.860 --> 00:21:57.900
I would also encourage the Commission
00:21:57.900 --> 00:22:02.050
to just look into the definition
of telephone corporations
00:22:02.050 --> 00:22:04.780
and see if there's any
wiggle room for companies
00:22:04.780 --> 00:22:08.140
to get around that if they'd
like to avoid these rate caps.
00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:08.973
Thank you.
00:22:10.690 --> 00:22:13.610
Thank you,
Mr. Deck, I believe it is.
00:22:13.610 --> 00:22:16.434
Is it Troy Deck, D U C K?
00:22:16.434 --> 00:22:18.270
D E C K.
00:22:18.270 --> 00:22:21.010
D E C K, okay,
thank you, Mr. Deck.
00:22:21.010 --> 00:22:25.363
And operator, if you could
please announce the next caller.
00:22:27.510 --> 00:22:30.831
Our next caller
is caller number one.
00:22:30.831 --> 00:22:31.831
So you may go ahead.
00:22:32.760 --> 00:22:34.240
Yes, I'm currently calling
00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.760
from George Bailey Detention Facility
00:22:36.760 --> 00:22:40.040
in South San Diego
County, the local County jail
00:22:40.040 --> 00:22:42.497
and it's my first time
ever being incarcerated
00:22:42.497 --> 00:22:44.970
and I've been here for almost two years,
00:22:44.970 --> 00:22:46.300
it'll be two years in May.
00:22:46.300 --> 00:22:49.660
I got kind of trapped in
the COVID-19 lockdown
00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:52.453
and I really appreciate Judge Vogel
00:22:52.453 --> 00:22:54.394
and the Commissioner is taking the time
00:22:54.394 --> 00:22:57.380
to look into this issue from
people who are on the outside,
00:22:57.380 --> 00:22:59.400
people who have never been incarcerated
00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:00.900
or won't be incarcerated.
00:23:00.900 --> 00:23:02.930
It's a really, really acute problem,
00:23:02.930 --> 00:23:05.540
being able to have contact
with your family members.
00:23:05.540 --> 00:23:07.300
Just as a point of reference,
00:23:07.300 --> 00:23:09.550
I pay 21 cents per
minute to call someone
00:23:09.550 --> 00:23:11.330
outside of the State of California
00:23:11.330 --> 00:23:13.820
and I pay 33 cents a minute
for every single phone call
00:23:13.820 --> 00:23:15.513
I make inside the State of California.
00:23:15.513 --> 00:23:19.890
What that means is my
dad single-handedly has paid
00:23:19.890 --> 00:23:23.270
over 7,000 dollars in the past two years
00:23:23.270 --> 00:23:25.430
for our phone conversations
00:23:25.430 --> 00:23:27.040
and what that gives us is it gives
00:23:27.040 --> 00:23:29.930
us about 30 minutes a day, give or take.
00:23:29.930 --> 00:23:31.340
Sometimes we talk a little bit less
00:23:31.340 --> 00:23:33.300
and sometimes we talk a little bit more
00:23:33.300 --> 00:23:36.560
but 30 minutes a day is a lifeline
00:23:36.560 --> 00:23:39.240
not just to have connection
with someone who is connected
00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:41.150
to you outside of your charges,
00:23:41.150 --> 00:23:45.460
which is a very, very unique
person relationship to have
00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:48.463
but to have a point of
reference to the outside world.
00:23:49.540 --> 00:23:51.680
I know people on the outside
00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:54.510
don't really have a great idea
00:23:54.510 --> 00:23:56.591
of the level of disenfranchisement
00:23:56.591 --> 00:23:59.960
that people on the inside
are having to deal with
00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:04.120
but just imagine being
put in a bit of a vacuum
00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:06.660
where you have no
real outside information,
00:24:06.660 --> 00:24:08.560
you're not able to send something out,
00:24:08.560 --> 00:24:10.260
at least not in a efficient way,
00:24:10.260 --> 00:24:12.480
you're not able to look
something up on your own.
00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:13.840
So my dad acts
00:24:13.840 --> 00:24:16.110
not just kind of as my
mental health counselor
00:24:16.110 --> 00:24:17.560
but also as a point of reference
00:24:17.560 --> 00:24:19.077
as to what's going on in the outside,
00:24:19.077 --> 00:24:20.940
things that are
happening with my children
00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:23.200
and things that are
happening with my family.
00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:25.590
So I really do appreciate the
time that the Commissioner
00:24:25.590 --> 00:24:29.360
is taking just to try and advocate.
00:24:29.360 --> 00:24:31.890
in Nelson Mandela's book,
"Long Walk to Freedom,"
00:24:31.890 --> 00:24:35.120
he spent 27 years on Robben Island
00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:38.880
and he calls communication
with family and human rights
00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:41.343
and he was speaking
specifically about the ability
00:24:41.343 --> 00:24:43.860
that the state was putting
on his, not being able
00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:45.460
to have access to visitation
00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:47.270
and I do believe it's exactly the same
00:24:47.270 --> 00:24:49.853
in terms of having an
ability to have phone calls.
00:24:52.130 --> 00:24:53.290
The idea that people
00:24:53.290 --> 00:24:55.590
are not just in some of
the most stressful situations
00:24:55.590 --> 00:24:56.830
that they've ever been in
00:24:56.830 --> 00:24:58.350
but then on top of that, their families
00:24:58.350 --> 00:25:00.360
are right alongside them,
00:25:00.360 --> 00:25:02.900
they're going through very similar
00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:04.610
but very difficult situations
00:25:04.610 --> 00:25:06.149
with the level of being incarcerated
00:25:06.149 --> 00:25:08.570
and that the communication
is really limited.
00:25:08.570 --> 00:25:11.940
I'm totally blessed and
lucky that I have a family
00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:14.410
that can afford to pay
thousands of dollars
00:25:14.410 --> 00:25:15.780
for me to make phone calls
00:25:15.780 --> 00:25:17.953
but I am an extreme, extreme minority.
00:25:18.985 --> 00:25:21.288
(bell ringing)
00:25:21.288 --> 00:25:25.000
Thank you caller.
00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:27.580
Sorry about that loud bell.
00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:31.660
We had been having trouble
hearing the bell yesterday,
00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:34.690
so we may adjust the
volume downward a little bit.
00:25:34.690 --> 00:25:37.150
So apologies if that
kind of startled you
00:25:37.150 --> 00:25:40.395
but we do appreciate your call very much
00:25:40.395 --> 00:25:43.340
and we're very glad
00:25:43.340 --> 00:25:45.020
that you were able
to join us this evening.
00:25:45.020 --> 00:25:47.770
So thank you so much for
sharing your thoughts with us.
00:25:52.734 --> 00:25:57.100
Okay, operator, could we
take the next caller please?
00:25:57.100 --> 00:25:59.217
Next caller
is Amy Bernoski,
00:25:59.217 --> 00:26:00.323
you may go ahead.
00:26:02.051 --> 00:26:04.300
Hello, this is Amy Bernoski
00:26:04.300 --> 00:26:06.890
and I would love to thank Mrs. Brown,
00:26:06.890 --> 00:26:09.060
the public works Commission,
00:26:09.060 --> 00:26:11.960
Judge Vogel, the
Administrative Law Judge
00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:14.670
and all the staff and
everyone who is working
00:26:14.670 --> 00:26:16.380
to get us to this point
00:26:16.380 --> 00:26:18.530
where we are talking
about prisoners rights
00:26:19.982 --> 00:26:24.393
efficiently today, about
their right to communication.
00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:27.530
Thank you for the testimony
00:26:27.530 --> 00:26:29.300
from the gentleman from George Bailey.
00:26:29.300 --> 00:26:30.977
I am a sister from Las Colinas
00:26:30.977 --> 00:26:34.650
who just got out Monday
morning at 9:04 AM
00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.990
and everything that he
spoke of the pressure cooker
00:26:40.990 --> 00:26:42.450
and the rate, those were things
00:26:42.450 --> 00:26:44.547
that I had wanted to talk to you about.
00:26:44.547 --> 00:26:47.493
I'm lucky to be talking
about it from the outside.
00:26:49.010 --> 00:26:51.510
I'd love to talk to him
and see how he's doing
00:26:51.510 --> 00:26:53.033
but that's beside the point.
00:26:54.320 --> 00:26:56.040
Thank you for everything
that you've done
00:26:56.040 --> 00:26:57.520
to bring it to this point.
00:26:57.520 --> 00:26:59.610
I think from your testimonies yesterday
00:26:59.610 --> 00:27:01.730
and what you've heard today so far,
00:27:01.730 --> 00:27:04.220
you can certainly see that
there's human atrocities
00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:06.890
occurring with prisoners
not being allowed
00:27:06.890 --> 00:27:08.140
to actually speak with
00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:11.160
and communicate with their
families and their loved ones
00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:14.720
and that the caps should
be zero, quite frankly
00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:17.350
and that those
telecommunication companies
00:27:17.350 --> 00:27:19.400
that don't wanna get on board with that
00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:21.448
and don't wanna pay repercussions,
00:27:21.448 --> 00:27:23.070
I don't know what happens to you,
00:27:23.070 --> 00:27:25.350
maybe you get consolidated
by the ones who do
00:27:25.350 --> 00:27:27.670
because that's the way it should be
00:27:27.670 --> 00:27:29.450
and I know that there's
good business people
00:27:29.450 --> 00:27:30.900
out there who believe in that
00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:34.010
and that fundamental
right to communicate
00:27:34.010 --> 00:27:35.980
our first amendment, right to speech.
00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:38.700
That is our first amendment
right, a right to speech,
00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:42.050
that is taken away from us
when we are incarcerated,
00:27:42.050 --> 00:27:45.100
our right to speech, our
right to pen, right to pencil,
00:27:45.100 --> 00:27:47.610
right to ability to communicate.
00:27:47.610 --> 00:27:51.100
On so many levels it
would boggle your mind,
00:27:51.100 --> 00:27:53.410
you can't understand
it unless you've seen it
00:27:53.410 --> 00:27:54.850
and I've seen it
00:27:54.850 --> 00:27:56.770
and I'm here to
testify for all my sisters
00:27:56.770 --> 00:27:59.660
and brothers who are
still incarcerated right now
00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:00.940
and that's who I stand for.
00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:03.760
And again, my name is Amy Bernoski
00:28:03.760 --> 00:28:05.410
and I live in LA Jolla, California
00:28:05.410 --> 00:28:06.940
and I'm a five times felon
00:28:06.940 --> 00:28:09.400
with a Criminal Justice
and Criminology Degree
00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:11.500
from the University
of Texas at Arlington.
00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:16.990
Thank you
so much Ms. Bernoski.
00:28:16.990 --> 00:28:18.590
If you are still on the line,
00:28:18.590 --> 00:28:21.210
if you wouldn't mind
spelling your last name for us
00:28:21.210 --> 00:28:23.700
so we can be sure to get that right.
00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:26.520
Absolutely, my
name is Amy, A M Y,
00:28:26.520 --> 00:28:29.620
middle name is Lynn, L Y N N,
00:28:29.620 --> 00:28:32.250
the spelling on my
last name is Bernoski,
00:28:32.250 --> 00:28:37.210
B as in boy E R N O S K I.
00:28:37.210 --> 00:28:41.560
I'd also like to add that I'm
a female disabled veteran
00:28:41.560 --> 00:28:44.713
who has PTSD and acute anxiety,
00:28:46.063 --> 00:28:49.720
just so everybody knows
when this disabled veteran,
00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:51.820
when they're meeting
this disabled veteran
00:28:53.210 --> 00:28:55.490
and I look forward to meeting
everyone on the committee
00:28:55.490 --> 00:28:57.210
and everyone who's doing the work
00:28:57.210 --> 00:29:01.400
and Judge Vogel to get us
to the point that we are now.
00:29:01.400 --> 00:29:04.710
I can't wait for the moment
when all the prisoners
00:29:04.710 --> 00:29:07.220
on the other side get
to go pick up the phone
00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:08.477
and call their loved ones
00:29:09.887 --> 00:29:12.203
and reconnect with their community.
00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:14.730
I really look forward to it
00:29:14.730 --> 00:29:17.842
and I'd be happy to stay
on the line and speak
00:29:17.842 --> 00:29:20.690
and answer any questions
that you might have,
00:29:20.690 --> 00:29:22.760
I'm here on the line.
00:29:22.760 --> 00:29:25.160
Thank you very much for
your time and your work.
00:29:26.130 --> 00:29:27.449
Thank you so much.
00:29:27.449 --> 00:29:30.032
(Amy laughing)
00:29:31.291 --> 00:29:32.820
Thank you.
00:29:32.820 --> 00:29:35.438
Thank you,
thank you for calling in
00:29:35.438 --> 00:29:37.240
and congratulations on your release.
00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:38.140
Thank you.
00:29:40.470 --> 00:29:42.282
It was a wicked web.
00:29:42.282 --> 00:29:45.430
(Amy laughing)
00:29:45.430 --> 00:29:47.663
I'll try not to comment
from here on out.
00:29:47.663 --> 00:29:49.440
(Amy laughing)
00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:50.820
Okay, operator,
00:29:50.820 --> 00:29:53.713
I think we're ready for
the next caller, thank you.
00:29:55.717 --> 00:29:57.917
And our
next caller is Andreye.
00:30:01.235 --> 00:30:02.068
Thank you.
00:30:02.068 --> 00:30:06.390
Again, Commission, my
name is Andreye, A N D R E Y E
00:30:06.390 --> 00:30:08.600
and I'm calling from
Los Angeles, California.
00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:10.080
I'm calling in my own capacity
00:30:10.080 --> 00:30:11.753
as a formerly incarcerated person,
00:30:11.753 --> 00:30:13.450
as well as directly impacted
00:30:13.450 --> 00:30:15.490
through several currently
incarcerated loved ones
00:30:15.490 --> 00:30:19.030
and husband as well as in
my organizational capacity,
00:30:19.030 --> 00:30:20.550
San Bernardino Freedom All.
00:30:20.550 --> 00:30:22.050
Again, I'd like to thank
the Commissioner.
00:30:22.050 --> 00:30:25.870
Andreye,
sorry to interrupt,
00:30:25.870 --> 00:30:27.870
if you wouldn't mind slowing down
00:30:27.870 --> 00:30:30.220
for our court reporters
to be able to record you,
00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:31.486
appreciate it.
00:30:31.486 --> 00:30:33.140
Sure, sorry
about that, thank you.
00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:34.890
Again, I'd like to thank the Commission
00:30:34.890 --> 00:30:36.350
for holding this meeting
00:30:36.350 --> 00:30:38.500
although I really would
like the Commission
00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:41.830
to understand the
barriers that are in place
00:30:41.830 --> 00:30:45.560
for incarcerated people
to call into be part
00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:48.600
of this hearing yesterday and today's.
00:30:48.600 --> 00:30:49.930
I'd like to highlight what happened
00:30:49.930 --> 00:30:52.910
to one of our members
who was actively seeking
00:30:52.910 --> 00:30:57.910
and using the grievance
process to try to be here yesterday
00:30:59.070 --> 00:30:59.903
and today.
00:31:01.280 --> 00:31:03.970
One of our members had
used the grievance process
00:31:03.970 --> 00:31:06.970
to ask for permission of the facility
00:31:06.970 --> 00:31:09.480
to attend both hearings
yesterday and today,
00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:12.360
which is what an
incarcerated person should do
00:31:12.360 --> 00:31:13.920
if they wanted to be here
00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:15.440
and attend a full entire hearing,
00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:17.430
they would have to
have first permission.
00:31:17.430 --> 00:31:20.510
So he did do that and
the instructions to him,
00:31:20.510 --> 00:31:25.220
the response was to
connect with the Commission
00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:26.820
with the public advisor's office,
00:31:26.820 --> 00:31:29.290
which was false information
00:31:29.290 --> 00:31:31.640
and so he used the grievance process
00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:34.472
again to grieve and stop response.
00:31:34.472 --> 00:31:37.443
This is no secret, this is
on recorded phone calls
00:31:37.443 --> 00:31:40.210
that he was doing this,
he was trying to get here
00:31:40.210 --> 00:31:45.200
when we find that it was
absolutely no mistake
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:48.780
that he was matched about midnight today
00:31:48.780 --> 00:31:50.590
or early this morning,
00:31:50.590 --> 00:31:53.160
moved to another
facility in another county.
00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:56.100
All of his property
was removed from him,
00:31:56.100 --> 00:31:58.260
which means he has no commissary,
00:31:58.260 --> 00:32:01.950
no hygiene, no pencil,
no paper, no envelopes
00:32:01.950 --> 00:32:06.320
where he cannot even submit
his comment or be here today.
00:32:06.320 --> 00:32:09.560
His lawyer has no idea
what had even happened.
00:32:09.560 --> 00:32:10.843
I really want the
Commission to understand
00:32:10.843 --> 00:32:14.230
that these kinds of
things do happen to people
00:32:14.230 --> 00:32:16.350
who are organizing on the inside
00:32:16.350 --> 00:32:21.350
and trying to voice and use
the right that we still do have
00:32:22.530 --> 00:32:24.797
and it's very important
that this Commission
00:32:24.797 --> 00:32:29.110
how to include them
in the future process.
00:32:29.110 --> 00:32:30.870
So their voice can be heard.
00:32:30.870 --> 00:32:31.703
Thank you.
00:32:33.022 --> 00:32:35.247
Thank you, Andreye
00:32:35.247 --> 00:32:40.247
and I'm sorry to hear that
about your friend and colleague.
00:32:42.496 --> 00:32:44.260
I just wanted to mention that
00:32:51.504 --> 00:32:54.670
if he was able to get access
eventually to paper and pen
00:32:54.670 --> 00:32:55.810
we do have the option
00:32:55.810 --> 00:32:59.350
for folks to write in via regular mail
00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:04.130
and there may be some
other options for you
00:33:04.130 --> 00:33:06.830
or a family member of
his to post a comment
00:33:06.830 --> 00:33:10.130
from him onto our
public comment website,
00:33:10.130 --> 00:33:12.593
which was, if you can see the screen,
00:33:12.593 --> 00:33:15.460
the website is listed below,
00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:17.150
I'll also say it again,
00:33:17.150 --> 00:33:22.150
it's www.cpc.ca.gov/R2010002Comments.
00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:29.230
So we're sorry your
friend is not able to join us
00:33:29.230 --> 00:33:31.140
this evening or yesterday
00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:36.053
and we do encourage you to assist him
00:33:36.053 --> 00:33:38.860
because you can to make his voice heard
00:33:38.860 --> 00:33:41.060
through some of these other means.
00:33:41.060 --> 00:33:41.893
Thank you.
00:33:41.893 --> 00:33:42.980
May I receive a confirmation
00:33:42.980 --> 00:33:46.780
if a person can submit a comment by mail
00:33:46.780 --> 00:33:49.460
as long as it is post-dated before
00:33:49.460 --> 00:33:53.200
or on May first, is that efficient?
00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:55.090
Yes and
thank you for asking that.
00:33:55.090 --> 00:33:57.502
There is no time limit on providing
00:33:57.502 --> 00:34:01.450
a written comment by regular mail.
00:34:01.450 --> 00:34:05.330
Initially, there was a
notification that went public
00:34:05.330 --> 00:34:07.220
that said that May 1st was the deadline
00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:09.730
and that is not a deadline.
00:34:09.730 --> 00:34:13.562
So for the rest of the year anyone
00:34:13.562 --> 00:34:16.710
may write a regular letter to us
00:34:16.710 --> 00:34:18.890
and we will receive it and consider it.
00:34:18.890 --> 00:34:21.560
We will be able to take
our first interim decision
00:34:21.560 --> 00:34:23.950
in this case.
00:34:23.950 --> 00:34:25.690
The Commissioners will be considering
00:34:25.690 --> 00:34:27.390
that around August of this year.
00:34:27.390 --> 00:34:30.470
So in the next couple of
months is the best time to write
00:34:30.470 --> 00:34:34.550
but we will be accepting
comments by regular mail
00:34:34.550 --> 00:34:36.500
for as long as this proceeding is open.
00:34:37.350 --> 00:34:40.220
Thank you
so much for clarifying.
00:34:40.220 --> 00:34:42.650
Thank you,
thank you for calling in,
00:34:42.650 --> 00:34:43.483
appreciate it.
00:34:45.170 --> 00:34:47.910
And operator, if you could
please call the next caller
00:34:47.910 --> 00:34:52.490
and again, a reminder to
callers to please speak slowly
00:34:52.490 --> 00:34:54.190
and if you are gonna provide your name,
00:34:54.190 --> 00:34:57.100
which is not required,
please do state it
00:34:57.100 --> 00:35:00.253
and then spell it slowly
as you begin, operator.
00:35:04.566 --> 00:35:07.810
And our next
caller is Ambrose Brooks,
00:35:07.810 --> 00:35:08.660
you may go ahead.
00:35:10.270 --> 00:35:12.670
Hi, my name
is Ambrose Brooks.
00:35:12.670 --> 00:35:15.390
I am calling in my individual capacity
00:35:15.390 --> 00:35:17.540
as a law school graduate
00:35:17.540 --> 00:35:20.830
and I'm also working with
San Bernardino Freedom All.
00:35:20.830 --> 00:35:24.830
I want to thank the
committee for considering this
00:35:24.830 --> 00:35:27.830
however, make it
clear that it's quite sad
00:35:27.830 --> 00:35:31.660
that it took a pandemic for
movement on prisoners rights
00:35:31.660 --> 00:35:35.440
related to their right to communication.
00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:37.960
California incarcerates
more than any other state
00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:38.793
in the country,
00:35:38.793 --> 00:35:42.380
the highest rate of
incarceration in the world
00:35:42.380 --> 00:35:47.020
and so I'm of the belief
that this Commission
00:35:47.020 --> 00:35:51.620
and judges in this state
should take it upon them to try
00:35:51.620 --> 00:35:54.340
to reduce the mass incarceration
00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:57.623
that really has overcome California.
00:35:58.660 --> 00:36:01.340
And one way that would help
00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:04.310
and recidivism would be to encourage
00:36:04.310 --> 00:36:06.320
and build community ties
00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:08.330
between individuals who are incarcerated
00:36:08.330 --> 00:36:11.770
and their communities,
families and loved ones.
00:36:11.770 --> 00:36:13.160
In fact, what's happening now
00:36:13.160 --> 00:36:16.980
and as was made more
apparent during COVID-19
00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:19.200
is that prisoners are often cut off
00:36:19.200 --> 00:36:21.420
and isolated from their communities.
00:36:21.420 --> 00:36:25.150
If we want to set up a system
that supports the well-being
00:36:25.150 --> 00:36:29.810
and a re-entry pathway
for incarcerated individuals,
00:36:29.810 --> 00:36:32.970
this Commission must act now
00:36:32.970 --> 00:36:37.531
and really make phone
calls free for individuals
00:36:37.531 --> 00:36:40.883
incarcerated in prisons, jails,
00:36:41.976 --> 00:36:45.160
both federal and state, ice centers,
00:36:45.160 --> 00:36:47.790
juvenile facilities, holding centers,
00:36:47.790 --> 00:36:50.780
that's over 350 facilities
00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:53.887
and hundreds of thousands
of individuals incarcerated.
00:36:53.887 --> 00:36:56.533
So please, do the right thing, thanks.
00:36:58.240 --> 00:36:59.710
Thank you
so much, Ms. Brooks
00:36:59.710 --> 00:37:04.650
and I believe your name
is spelled B R O O K S.
00:37:04.650 --> 00:37:05.483
Yes.
00:37:06.460 --> 00:37:08.440
Okay,
thanks for calling,
00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:10.020
appreciate your comments.
00:37:10.020 --> 00:37:11.500
Thank you.
00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:15.220
And operator
let's take the next caller
00:37:15.220 --> 00:37:18.090
and are there any callers
using the Spanish line
00:37:18.090 --> 00:37:18.960
at this time?
00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:20.000
If so, please go ahead
00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:23.533
and call someone from the
Spanish line next, please.
00:37:25.190 --> 00:37:27.010
And we have no
callers in the Spanish line
00:37:27.010 --> 00:37:28.240
at this time.
00:37:28.240 --> 00:37:30.750
Our next caller on
the East line, Deidra.
00:37:35.110 --> 00:37:35.943
Hello.
00:37:35.943 --> 00:37:38.930
Your line is
open, you may go ahead.
00:37:38.930 --> 00:37:43.070
Hello, my name
is Deidra, D E I D R A.
00:37:43.070 --> 00:37:46.670
I would like to thank the
courts for hosting this meeting.
00:37:46.670 --> 00:37:48.670
I am a criminal justice major
00:37:48.670 --> 00:37:51.320
so I know the importance of inmates
00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:54.000
not going out into the community
00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:57.110
and not committing any further crimes
00:37:57.110 --> 00:38:00.320
or inflicting harm amongst citizens
00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:04.680
and it is imperative that
these phone companies
00:38:04.680 --> 00:38:09.680
make adjustments to these
high prison calls and jail calls.
00:38:11.090 --> 00:38:13.330
I have a loved one that's
currently incarcerated
00:38:13.330 --> 00:38:18.010
and I've spent so
much money on jail calls
00:38:18.010 --> 00:38:19.590
that it's not even funny
00:38:19.590 --> 00:38:23.020
and the reason why is because
when my friend comes out
00:38:23.020 --> 00:38:25.934
I wanna make sure that he
doesn't go out into the community
00:38:25.934 --> 00:38:28.770
and does any further harm.
00:38:28.770 --> 00:38:32.060
And I feel that by me being there,
00:38:32.060 --> 00:38:36.510
being educated minority,
00:38:36.510 --> 00:38:39.400
I will be able to help him
00:38:41.160 --> 00:38:42.680
be rehabilitated
00:38:42.680 --> 00:38:47.090
because if CDR systems they
just don't rehabilitate people
00:38:47.090 --> 00:38:52.063
as they should and by
not having phone time,
00:38:56.313 --> 00:38:58.780
especially in the jail system
and the prison system
00:38:58.780 --> 00:39:01.430
once they're transferred
from county to prison,
00:39:01.430 --> 00:39:03.580
it's just cruel and inhumane.
00:39:03.580 --> 00:39:07.430
And we're tough on crime
in the state of California,
00:39:07.430 --> 00:39:10.210
our mass incarceration rates are high
00:39:10.210 --> 00:39:14.463
and by taking away this human
rights with these phone calls,
00:39:14.463 --> 00:39:17.430
is just another burden,
not only on the inmates
00:39:17.430 --> 00:39:20.520
but as well as their
families and friends
00:39:20.520 --> 00:39:22.500
and loved ones like myself.
00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:24.290
So with that being said,
00:39:24.290 --> 00:39:26.612
they really need to
make these calls through.
00:39:26.612 --> 00:39:28.430
It's just the right thing to do.
00:39:28.430 --> 00:39:33.430
They profit just by housing
inmates yearly and it's costly
00:39:35.384 --> 00:39:39.050
and in order for us to make change,
00:39:39.050 --> 00:39:41.160
we have to be the
change that we wanna see,
00:39:41.160 --> 00:39:43.080
we have to make better decisions
00:39:43.080 --> 00:39:46.280
and it's important that
we start with this step here,
00:39:46.280 --> 00:39:49.210
that's one way that we
can make a difference
00:39:49.210 --> 00:39:52.823
to our incarcerated individuals.
00:39:55.140 --> 00:39:57.073
Thank you so
much Deidra for calling
00:39:57.073 --> 00:40:00.623
I appreciate you
sharing that perspective.
00:40:01.690 --> 00:40:04.210
We heard something very similar
00:40:04.210 --> 00:40:06.780
but not quite the same way
00:40:06.780 --> 00:40:08.470
from some of the callers yesterday
00:40:08.470 --> 00:40:10.940
about the role of friends and family
00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:13.590
helping to rehabilitate prisoners
00:40:13.590 --> 00:40:15.890
and remain a lifeline
to the outside world.
00:40:15.890 --> 00:40:18.363
So appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
00:40:19.750 --> 00:40:20.800
Thank you.
00:40:22.571 --> 00:40:25.980
Operator, if we
could take the next caller
00:40:25.980 --> 00:40:29.970
and again, a reminder
for callers, two reminders,
00:40:29.970 --> 00:40:33.540
if you're listening to this
live stream or on the phone
00:40:33.540 --> 00:40:35.750
and you have decided
you'd like to make a comment
00:40:35.750 --> 00:40:39.068
at this time, you can enter
into the queue at any time
00:40:39.068 --> 00:40:43.520
by just pressing star one
and unmuting your phone
00:40:43.520 --> 00:40:45.720
and the operator will answer shortly
00:40:45.720 --> 00:40:47.790
and get you in the queue
00:40:47.790 --> 00:40:52.120
and for our next speakers,
again, a reminder, please,
00:40:52.120 --> 00:40:53.950
you're not required
to provide your name,
00:40:53.950 --> 00:40:56.590
if you do provide your
name, please state your name
00:40:56.590 --> 00:40:59.680
and then spell it slowly
as you get started
00:40:59.680 --> 00:41:02.150
and please speak slowly
for our court reporters.
00:41:02.150 --> 00:41:03.253
Thank you very much,
00:41:08.270 --> 00:41:10.770
Operator, if we could
please take our next caller.
00:41:11.860 --> 00:41:14.720
Our next caller
is Catharine Grainge.
00:41:14.720 --> 00:41:15.570
You may go ahead.
00:41:16.540 --> 00:41:17.560
Hi, good evening.
00:41:17.560 --> 00:41:19.410
My name is Catharine Grainge.
00:41:19.410 --> 00:41:24.410
That's C A T H A R I N E,
00:41:25.040 --> 00:41:29.240
last name is G R A I N G E.
00:41:29.240 --> 00:41:31.287
Thank you so much for taking my call
00:41:31.287 --> 00:41:33.120
and for holding this hearing.
00:41:33.120 --> 00:41:35.820
Also the things that have
been said so far today
00:41:35.820 --> 00:41:38.773
have been outstanding
and so encouraging to hear.
00:41:40.530 --> 00:41:45.050
I am calling because my
boyfriend is currently incarcerated
00:41:45.050 --> 00:41:47.150
in San Joaquin County Jail.
00:41:47.150 --> 00:41:50.220
He has been incarcerated
for the past 13 years.
00:41:50.220 --> 00:41:51.790
He was convicted of
something that he did
00:41:51.790 --> 00:41:53.670
when he was 17 years old
00:41:53.670 --> 00:41:56.140
and given juvenile life without parole.
00:41:56.140 --> 00:41:58.510
So he's currently
back in the county jail
00:41:58.510 --> 00:42:00.450
going through hearings.
00:42:00.450 --> 00:42:03.810
When he is in the county jail
00:42:03.810 --> 00:42:06.600
I have found that I ended up spending
00:42:06.600 --> 00:42:10.160
two to three times the
amount I spend on my rent,
00:42:10.160 --> 00:42:13.270
my monthly rent, every
month, just to talk to him
00:42:13.270 --> 00:42:16.460
and we try to keep ourselves to one
00:42:16.460 --> 00:42:18.320
or two phone calls a day,
00:42:18.320 --> 00:42:21.240
so that's six or 12 dollars a day
00:42:21.240 --> 00:42:23.870
and then I've of course
also have to put money
00:42:23.870 --> 00:42:26.880
or decide to put money on his commissary
00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:29.840
and all of that ends up on equaling
00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:32.373
about two to three
times my monthly rent.
00:42:33.246 --> 00:42:34.950
That's really hard on me
00:42:34.950 --> 00:42:37.710
but I know that as a lawyer, myself,
00:42:37.710 --> 00:42:40.600
I am in a much better
position to pay those amounts
00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:45.140
than most people who
find their loved ones in jail.
00:42:45.140 --> 00:42:46.780
So I do want to recognize that.
00:42:46.780 --> 00:42:48.180
I won't say too much more,
00:42:48.180 --> 00:42:51.150
I just also one thing I
haven't heard highlighted
00:42:51.150 --> 00:42:55.700
directly yet is what does it
say about a justice system
00:42:55.700 --> 00:42:58.210
that allows other organizations
00:42:58.210 --> 00:43:02.020
or other businesses to profit
off of incarcerating people?
00:43:02.020 --> 00:43:05.980
I think it's per se a conflict.
00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:08.980
I think it creates harm
00:43:08.980 --> 00:43:13.980
because different entities are
then given a money incentive
00:43:15.200 --> 00:43:17.650
to support mass incarceration
00:43:17.650 --> 00:43:21.890
and look what we have,
mass incarceration,
00:43:21.890 --> 00:43:25.388
especially in the State of California.
00:43:25.388 --> 00:43:27.838
Thank you so much for
hearing my comment tonight.
00:43:29.570 --> 00:43:32.143
Thank you, Ms. Grange,
appreciate your calling in.
00:43:34.288 --> 00:43:38.113
Operator, could we call
our next caller, please.
00:43:39.760 --> 00:43:43.090
And our next
caller is Sarah Esparza.
00:43:43.090 --> 00:43:44.820
You may go ahead.
00:43:44.820 --> 00:43:46.470
Hi, thank
you, I appreciate it
00:43:46.470 --> 00:43:48.690
and I just wanted to thank
everybody for bringing
00:43:48.690 --> 00:43:50.720
this serious issue board for us
00:43:50.720 --> 00:43:52.953
because it's so
important to the families.
00:43:54.550 --> 00:43:59.000
Somebody who's
incarcerated I feel, which is hard
00:43:59.000 --> 00:44:01.410
but the thing I just
wanted to say is that
00:44:02.870 --> 00:44:04.540
I'm pregnant and disabled
00:44:04.540 --> 00:44:07.870
and I still am looking at to
say that I'm privileged enough
00:44:07.870 --> 00:44:11.260
to be able to afford
some phone calls with him
00:44:11.260 --> 00:44:14.080
and that's on a very fixed income,
00:44:14.080 --> 00:44:16.390
on top of that if,
it's a little off subject
00:44:16.390 --> 00:44:18.550
but my father is a vet
00:44:18.550 --> 00:44:21.940
and he's incarcerated and there's just
00:44:25.060 --> 00:44:29.690
no way to handle somebody
who has PTSD being a vet
00:44:29.690 --> 00:44:31.570
and then walk them away, isolate them
00:44:31.570 --> 00:44:33.223
and since that's sort of rehabilitating
00:44:33.223 --> 00:44:35.540
them with no contact with their families
00:44:35.540 --> 00:44:36.880
and their families are struggling
00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:40.950
and vulnerable to trying to
help keep in contact with them
00:44:40.950 --> 00:44:44.720
as well as the fact that
there's so many prisoners
00:44:44.720 --> 00:44:49.350
and people in jail in California
with very minimal time
00:44:49.350 --> 00:44:51.840
to even use the phones
when they do have families
00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:54.343
and loved ones to help
them make these calls.
00:44:55.760 --> 00:44:56.720
I just think that
00:44:58.255 --> 00:44:59.771
(inaudible)
00:44:59.771 --> 00:45:01.110
that's definitely something possible
00:45:01.110 --> 00:45:03.003
and I appreciate all your
guys who have talked,
00:45:03.003 --> 00:45:04.730
that's all I have to say.
00:45:04.730 --> 00:45:06.540
Thank you
so much Mrs.Esparza.
00:45:06.540 --> 00:45:07.680
If you're still on the line,
00:45:07.680 --> 00:45:11.006
if you wouldn't mind
spelling your last name for us.
00:45:11.006 --> 00:45:15.333
E S P A R Z A,
00:45:16.390 --> 00:45:18.810
the last name Sarah, S A R A H.
00:45:18.810 --> 00:45:22.513
I'm sorry, I'm just really
upset because it's really hard.
00:45:24.320 --> 00:45:25.442
I understand.
00:45:25.442 --> 00:45:28.510
It's very hard and so
it's hard to remember
00:45:28.510 --> 00:45:31.300
to say one's name as we
get going on these things.
00:45:31.300 --> 00:45:33.963
So no worries about
that and I appreciate.
00:45:35.930 --> 00:45:37.007
And I thank
you guys very much
00:45:37.007 --> 00:45:39.000
and have a wonderful night.
00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:39.833
Thank you so much,
00:45:39.833 --> 00:45:41.714
thank you for calling.
00:45:41.714 --> 00:45:45.080
Operator, if we could
please take our next caller
00:45:45.080 --> 00:45:47.130
and a reminder for callers,
00:45:47.130 --> 00:45:48.700
you do not need to provide your name
00:45:48.700 --> 00:45:49.980
but if you do provide your name,
00:45:49.980 --> 00:45:51.340
please state your name
00:45:51.340 --> 00:45:54.073
and spell it as you
get started, operator.
00:45:56.680 --> 00:46:00.040
And our next
caller is Reynaldo Castillo,
00:46:00.040 --> 00:46:00.873
you may go ahead
00:46:04.340 --> 00:46:05.910
Hello.
00:46:05.910 --> 00:46:08.023
Reynaldo,
we can hear you.
00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:11.470
All right, I'm
calling for Reynaldo Castillo
00:46:11.470 --> 00:46:13.750
and I thank you for this Commission
00:46:13.750 --> 00:46:15.340
but I'm also calling for Vincent Bell,
00:46:15.340 --> 00:46:16.550
who is on the line too,
00:46:16.550 --> 00:46:19.820
who is also a recipient
of that free call right now
00:46:19.820 --> 00:46:20.653
and he wants to speak.
00:46:20.653 --> 00:46:21.486
go ahead, Vincent.
00:46:22.380 --> 00:46:23.790
My name is Vincent Bell,
00:46:23.790 --> 00:46:27.730
V I N C E N T, B E L L.
00:46:27.730 --> 00:46:31.888
I'm currently incarcerated
in San Francisco County Jail,
00:46:31.888 --> 00:46:34.323
where we do get free phone calls.
00:46:36.274 --> 00:46:38.760
Due to the free phone
calls I've been able to
00:46:40.290 --> 00:46:42.470
invent a car alarm
00:46:42.470 --> 00:46:45.960
in order to stop crime and car break-ins
00:46:45.960 --> 00:46:47.893
and I'm currently getting it patented.
00:46:49.910 --> 00:46:54.320
I'm able to reach out to my son daily,
00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:57.990
he's in high school and
we do homework together,
00:46:57.990 --> 00:47:01.020
I'm able to call his counselors,
00:47:01.020 --> 00:47:03.480
I was able to even the call here
00:47:03.480 --> 00:47:05.770
which I've been on
waiting for like 30 minutes
00:47:05.770 --> 00:47:08.310
but if I had to pay for
this I wouldn't be able
00:47:08.310 --> 00:47:10.590
to speak now.
00:47:10.590 --> 00:47:13.090
When they were
charging phone calls here,
00:47:13.090 --> 00:47:17.900
Global Tel Link was stealing
from us two cents extra
00:47:17.900 --> 00:47:21.906
on every call and
when I grieved it
00:47:21.906 --> 00:47:24.630
because the sheriff was
getting kickbacks on it,
00:47:24.630 --> 00:47:27.250
the sheriff basically
blocked my grievance
00:47:27.250 --> 00:47:30.740
and told me I would have to
sue in to get my change back,
00:47:30.740 --> 00:47:33.160
in order to get the
money they stole it back.
00:47:33.160 --> 00:47:35.995
I've been incarcerated
for the last nine years,
00:47:35.995 --> 00:47:40.740
locked in ad SEG, which
is 24 hours a day locked in
00:47:40.740 --> 00:47:44.660
except I get three hours a
week of walk time and a shower
00:47:44.660 --> 00:47:48.563
and the only thing I have to
reach my family is this phone.
00:47:50.460 --> 00:47:52.350
And due to the free phone calls,
00:47:52.350 --> 00:47:57.350
I was able to not only think about
00:47:57.410 --> 00:48:01.350
how am I gonna pay
to talk to my family
00:48:01.350 --> 00:48:05.990
but I was also able to think of
how can I help my community
00:48:05.990 --> 00:48:08.560
as far as London Breed our mayor,
00:48:08.560 --> 00:48:11.900
being able to get us free phone
calls and lower commissary
00:48:11.900 --> 00:48:15.410
so I don't have to worry so
much about how am I gonna eat
00:48:15.410 --> 00:48:20.410
and how often will I be
able to talk to my family?
00:48:21.030 --> 00:48:26.030
We spent in the last nine
years, I believe 46,000 dollars
00:48:27.120 --> 00:48:28.220
on phone calls
00:48:30.040 --> 00:48:34.883
and they stole, like I
said, two cents a minute,
00:48:35.790 --> 00:48:39.870
two cents a phone call, which adds up
00:48:39.870 --> 00:48:43.670
and I was just lucky
to be able to call today
00:48:43.670 --> 00:48:46.450
and I appreciate everybody
that's out there fighting
00:48:46.450 --> 00:48:48.170
for us to get these free phone calls.
00:48:48.170 --> 00:48:50.610
I think that if they have texts
00:48:50.610 --> 00:48:53.200
now where you can get an email
00:48:53.200 --> 00:48:55.200
and have a free phone call,
00:48:55.200 --> 00:49:00.200
I don't see why every
inmate in California
00:49:00.800 --> 00:49:03.220
shouldn't have free phone calls
00:49:03.220 --> 00:49:05.050
or at least at a reduced rate
00:49:05.050 --> 00:49:06.802
to where we can actually afford it
00:49:06.802 --> 00:49:09.950
(bell ringing)
and think about other things
00:49:09.950 --> 00:49:13.870
except trying to make phone
calls, paying for phone calls.
00:49:13.870 --> 00:49:15.490
I thank you Commission
00:49:15.490 --> 00:49:18.530
and everybody that participated in this.
00:49:18.530 --> 00:49:20.110
And I'm his uncle.
00:49:20.110 --> 00:49:22.150
I am a former incarcerated inmate.
00:49:22.150 --> 00:49:25.040
I did spend a whole lot of
money on those things too
00:49:25.040 --> 00:49:26.850
but we're able to
communicate with each other
00:49:26.850 --> 00:49:28.620
and create this car alarm system.
00:49:28.620 --> 00:49:31.060
I hope that it's gonna
help San Francisco
00:49:31.060 --> 00:49:32.420
and fight that crime.
00:49:32.420 --> 00:49:33.253
I just wanna thank the Commission,
00:49:33.253 --> 00:49:34.160
thank you very much.
00:49:38.260 --> 00:49:39.093
Hello?
00:49:40.112 --> 00:49:42.285
Excuse me.
00:49:42.285 --> 00:49:45.230
Thank you, Mr. Bell and
thank you, Mr. Castillo,
00:49:45.230 --> 00:49:47.030
appreciate your calling in very much.
00:49:47.030 --> 00:49:50.090
And Mr. Castillo, could
you, if you wouldn't mind,
00:49:50.090 --> 00:49:51.010
if you're still on the lines,
00:49:51.010 --> 00:49:53.220
could you spell your name for us please?
00:49:53.220 --> 00:49:57.400
Yes, it's
R E Y N A L D O,
00:49:57.400 --> 00:50:00.993
last name is C A S T I L L O.
00:50:02.960 --> 00:50:04.010
Great,
thank you very much
00:50:04.010 --> 00:50:06.260
and Commissioners, do
you have any questions?
00:50:07.950 --> 00:50:09.600
Any of you?
00:50:09.600 --> 00:50:10.730
Okay, great.
00:50:10.730 --> 00:50:13.700
Thank you so much for
calling in, appreciate it.
00:50:13.700 --> 00:50:15.040
No problem, thank you
00:50:15.040 --> 00:50:16.923
thank you for listening.
00:50:17.880 --> 00:50:19.692
You're welcome.
00:50:19.692 --> 00:50:22.380
Operator, if you could
please call the next caller
00:50:22.380 --> 00:50:26.153
and for the next caller,
again, reminder to folks,
00:50:27.650 --> 00:50:32.220
if you could, please, if you're
going to provide your name,
00:50:32.220 --> 00:50:34.710
which is not required, if
you could please state it
00:50:34.710 --> 00:50:36.860
and then spell it as
you're getting started
00:50:38.260 --> 00:50:41.610
and if you are listening
and you have decided
00:50:41.610 --> 00:50:43.450
you'd like to make a
comment at this time
00:50:43.450 --> 00:50:45.550
please go ahead and press star one
00:50:45.550 --> 00:50:49.100
and the operator will answer your call
00:50:49.100 --> 00:50:51.853
and you can get in
the queue and operator.
00:50:55.320 --> 00:50:57.670
Our next
caller is Melissa Marino,
00:50:57.670 --> 00:50:58.520
you may go ahead.
00:51:00.020 --> 00:51:01.560
Hi, my name
is Melissa Moreno.
00:51:01.560 --> 00:51:04.160
I'm calling from San Diego, California.
00:51:04.160 --> 00:51:07.660
I wanna thank you guys
for holding this meeting.
00:51:07.660 --> 00:51:10.880
I'm calling on behalf
of, I have a husband
00:51:10.880 --> 00:51:12.673
who is currently incarcerated.
00:51:13.959 --> 00:51:16.390
As you guys may know
this pandemic has caused
00:51:16.390 --> 00:51:18.580
a lot of burdens on everyone.
00:51:18.580 --> 00:51:21.700
Inmates down here in
San Diego are locked down
00:51:21.700 --> 00:51:24.790
23 hours a day, every single day.
00:51:24.790 --> 00:51:28.450
They are out for maybe
30 minutes to an hour
00:51:28.450 --> 00:51:33.450
and the cost of these phone
calls are extremely high.
00:51:33.610 --> 00:51:35.530
Sometimes, unfortunately
in my husband's case,
00:51:35.530 --> 00:51:40.490
he has to decide rather
who he's going to be calling
00:51:40.490 --> 00:51:42.640
just because their cost is so high.
00:51:42.640 --> 00:51:47.640
We do spend on average about
400 or 500 dollars every month.
00:51:47.940 --> 00:51:50.310
I am a single parent currently expecting
00:51:50.310 --> 00:51:53.460
and I am his only source
00:51:53.460 --> 00:51:56.620
of communication out
here to the outside world.
00:51:56.620 --> 00:52:01.350
I'm keeping him sane in there as visits
00:52:01.350 --> 00:52:03.980
are not allowed down here yet
00:52:03.980 --> 00:52:08.710
and they are not able to
communicate with other inmates,
00:52:08.710 --> 00:52:11.000
day room, time has been canceled,
00:52:11.000 --> 00:52:12.390
all of that is going on.
00:52:12.390 --> 00:52:15.420
So these phone calls that we get a day
00:52:15.420 --> 00:52:19.230
they do cost us on average
about 10 to 12 dollars daily
00:52:19.230 --> 00:52:22.240
for 30 minutes, it adds up.
00:52:22.240 --> 00:52:23.770
Definitely it's money
00:52:23.770 --> 00:52:26.030
that we could be using for other things
00:52:26.030 --> 00:52:30.070
but as these inmates
they are incarcerated
00:52:30.070 --> 00:52:32.210
almost 24 hours a day,
00:52:32.210 --> 00:52:35.910
they need that connection
to the outside world
00:52:35.910 --> 00:52:39.580
to be able to speak to
their family and their children
00:52:39.580 --> 00:52:43.653
and to be able to keep that
positive relationship going on.
00:52:44.860 --> 00:52:47.450
So with that being
said, I just wanted to say
00:52:47.450 --> 00:52:50.100
thank you guys for holding this meeting
00:52:50.100 --> 00:52:51.470
and hopefully we can do something
00:52:51.470 --> 00:52:54.520
about the cost of inmate calls,
00:52:54.520 --> 00:52:56.310
rather it's free phone calls
00:52:56.310 --> 00:53:00.000
or even if it's at a
reduced rate at this point,
00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:01.350
anything is helpful.
00:53:01.350 --> 00:53:02.183
Thank you.
00:53:03.560 --> 00:53:05.210
Thank you
so much Mrs. Moreno
00:53:05.210 --> 00:53:06.143
for your comments,
00:53:08.423 --> 00:53:09.933
for time to call in.
00:53:10.830 --> 00:53:11.913
Thank you.
00:53:13.781 --> 00:53:15.750
Operator,
if we could hear
00:53:15.750 --> 00:53:17.150
from the next caller, please
00:53:19.270 --> 00:53:21.350
Our next
caller is Richard Clark
00:53:21.350 --> 00:53:22.350
so you may go ahead.
00:53:24.290 --> 00:53:27.230
Yes, good evening
Commissioners,
00:53:27.230 --> 00:53:28.530
good evening, Judge Vogel.
00:53:28.530 --> 00:53:33.530
My name is Richard Clark
that's spelled R I C H A R D,
00:53:33.570 --> 00:53:36.383
last name Clark, C L A R K.
00:53:37.720 --> 00:53:41.100
I'm formerly the director
of the consumer protection
00:53:41.100 --> 00:53:42.940
and safety division for 11 years
00:53:42.940 --> 00:53:46.210
under the nose of
Administrative Law Judge,
00:53:46.210 --> 00:53:49.363
the last three years of my
time with the Commission.
00:53:50.850 --> 00:53:54.480
I became interested in
this issue of pre phone calls
00:53:54.480 --> 00:53:59.480
when I served on the the
board of the Marin County,
00:54:00.550 --> 00:54:02.183
ACLU Chapter.
00:54:03.440 --> 00:54:05.900
Making my comments here this evening
00:54:05.900 --> 00:54:07.440
in my personal capacity
00:54:07.440 --> 00:54:11.833
not in any way associated with the ACLU.
00:54:15.886 --> 00:54:17.520
The isolation
00:54:17.520 --> 00:54:22.223
and lack of connection is devastating,
00:54:23.080 --> 00:54:25.970
so we've heard many of
the college here tonight
00:54:25.970 --> 00:54:28.720
that everyone on both sides
00:54:28.720 --> 00:54:31.383
this broken communications mechanism.
00:54:32.870 --> 00:54:35.400
The fact that people are
being charged anything
00:54:35.400 --> 00:54:37.060
in order to connect with family
00:54:37.060 --> 00:54:40.280
and loved ones is just heartbreaking,
00:54:40.280 --> 00:54:44.350
that's the best term
that I can come up with
00:54:44.350 --> 00:54:46.840
having talked with numerous people
00:54:46.840 --> 00:54:48.750
about this in the Marine County Jail,
00:54:48.750 --> 00:54:50.193
where I'm part of an effort.
00:54:52.100 --> 00:54:54.660
A bit stalled at this
point, thanks to COVID
00:54:54.660 --> 00:54:59.210
but part of an effort to get the sheriff
00:54:59.210 --> 00:55:01.827
to allow free phone calls
as they do in San Francisco
00:55:01.827 --> 00:55:04.233
and other places around the nation.
00:55:06.200 --> 00:55:09.920
The inability, the difficulty,
00:55:09.920 --> 00:55:11.890
the sheer difficulty for people
00:55:11.890 --> 00:55:13.960
to be able to make a telephone call,
00:55:13.960 --> 00:55:18.130
let alone be able to
afford a telephone call
00:55:18.130 --> 00:55:23.130
is so incredibly important
for the Commissioners
00:55:24.573 --> 00:55:29.200
and for the judge in
this matter to understand.
00:55:29.200 --> 00:55:33.710
I would encourage you to
perhaps go and visit a jail,
00:55:33.710 --> 00:55:37.710
if you can, to see
how it actually works,
00:55:37.710 --> 00:55:39.800
do a hands-on experiment
00:55:39.800 --> 00:55:43.800
what it's like to have to wait around
00:55:43.800 --> 00:55:45.050
for somebody to call you
00:55:45.050 --> 00:55:48.240
and then have to pay
exorbitant fees for somebody
00:55:48.240 --> 00:55:50.760
when they are able to finally
getting in touch with you
00:55:50.760 --> 00:55:54.680
'cause you happen
to be (bell ringing)
00:55:54.680 --> 00:55:55.680
not able to work
00:55:55.680 --> 00:55:58.530
and be out there earning
money to pay the exorbitant fees
00:55:58.530 --> 00:56:01.653
that are being charged to
these unfortunate people.
00:56:03.220 --> 00:56:07.460
Again, I would encourage
free phone calls,
00:56:07.460 --> 00:56:09.200
support anything that cuts
00:56:12.300 --> 00:56:16.365
charges being both for
phone calls and for commissary
00:56:16.365 --> 00:56:18.544
but I understand the
Commission doesn't have
00:56:18.544 --> 00:56:20.700
any jurisdiction on commissary.
00:56:20.700 --> 00:56:24.747
These costs are crippling to people
00:56:24.747 --> 00:56:27.950
who are just trying to make
it through and get back out
00:56:27.950 --> 00:56:30.880
and have good life.
00:56:30.880 --> 00:56:33.200
Thank you so much Commissioners,
00:56:33.200 --> 00:56:35.650
thank you so much, Judge Vogel
00:56:35.650 --> 00:56:37.340
and all the other people
00:56:37.340 --> 00:56:42.130
for taking a look at
this issue to the staff
00:56:42.130 --> 00:56:43.710
and thank you so much more
00:56:43.710 --> 00:56:46.180
even to the incarcerated individuals
00:56:46.180 --> 00:56:50.433
who've been incarcerated,
standing up, speaking out.
00:56:51.410 --> 00:56:52.910
This is a very critical issue.
00:56:55.661 --> 00:56:57.361
Thank you, Mr. Clark.
00:57:02.660 --> 00:57:05.593
Operator, could you call
our next caller please?
00:57:07.870 --> 00:57:10.240
Our next caller
is Terressa Johnson,
00:57:10.240 --> 00:57:11.090
you may go ahead.
00:57:14.980 --> 00:57:15.813
Hello.
00:57:16.768 --> 00:57:19.450
Hello Ms.
Johnson, we can hear you.
00:57:19.450 --> 00:57:20.283
Okay, thank you.
00:57:20.283 --> 00:57:22.190
Hi, my name is Theresa Johnson.
00:57:22.190 --> 00:57:25.740
It's spelled T E R R E S S A,
00:57:25.740 --> 00:57:29.650
last name Johnson, J O H N S O N.
00:57:29.650 --> 00:57:31.620
My sister is Kamiqua Johnson.
00:57:31.620 --> 00:57:34.760
She's currently at CCWF
00:57:34.760 --> 00:57:37.340
and it's like a four
hour drive for our family.
00:57:37.340 --> 00:57:39.890
She has a 13 year old daughter
00:57:39.890 --> 00:57:41.980
and the days that
we're not able to visit
00:57:41.980 --> 00:57:43.700
the phone calls are very important
00:57:43.700 --> 00:57:46.670
for her to try to keep a
relationship with our family,
00:57:46.670 --> 00:57:50.610
not only her 13 year only
child, with her daughter
00:57:50.610 --> 00:57:52.270
and when the rates are so high
00:57:52.270 --> 00:57:55.680
and we're trying to put
money on our phone for her.
00:57:55.680 --> 00:57:58.170
At the beginning of this nine years ago
00:57:58.170 --> 00:58:00.120
we were raising money
to try to make sure
00:58:00.120 --> 00:58:03.410
that we had calls for
my niece to talk to her,
00:58:03.410 --> 00:58:05.670
to keep a relationship with her mom.
00:58:05.670 --> 00:58:07.660
And if you guys can do whatever you can
00:58:07.660 --> 00:58:09.470
I thank you for the
time and the opportunity
00:58:09.470 --> 00:58:12.730
to keep those rates low
doesn't mean a lot to us,
00:58:12.730 --> 00:58:14.380
even as using the Jpay,
00:58:15.440 --> 00:58:17.480
buying the stamps can
be a little bit expensive
00:58:17.480 --> 00:58:20.270
'cause we had to buy them
for ourself for communication,
00:58:20.270 --> 00:58:23.670
then we had to buy them for her to reply
00:58:23.670 --> 00:58:26.680
and due to the COVID maybe even worse,
00:58:26.680 --> 00:58:28.460
where we couldn't visit our loved one
00:58:28.460 --> 00:58:30.593
even though it's a four
hour drive to and from for us,
00:58:30.593 --> 00:58:33.993
like an eight hour day
in the car just to visit her.
00:58:34.930 --> 00:58:36.550
Not having those phone calls
00:58:36.550 --> 00:58:38.190
and just limited free calls
00:58:38.190 --> 00:58:40.240
and they don't have their freedom,
00:58:40.240 --> 00:58:43.300
she's not working,
she's not on the yard
00:58:43.300 --> 00:58:45.340
and having yard time.
00:58:45.340 --> 00:58:47.220
Plenty of time she
fell into a depression
00:58:47.220 --> 00:58:51.930
and without able to communicate
with us in that 15 minutes
00:58:51.930 --> 00:58:55.020
to try to lift her spirits is very hard
00:58:55.020 --> 00:58:57.590
on any family that has
a loved one in prison.
00:58:57.590 --> 00:59:00.580
So whatever you guys
can do to keep the rates low,
00:59:00.580 --> 00:59:02.230
I understand it's not a business,
00:59:02.230 --> 00:59:05.200
if it's not gonna be free,
please try to keep them low,
00:59:05.200 --> 00:59:07.930
so we continue communication
with our loved one
00:59:07.930 --> 00:59:09.190
while they're in prison.
00:59:09.190 --> 00:59:12.400
It's very hard and it's very
hardship for everybody,
00:59:12.400 --> 00:59:15.410
especially during this
time during the COVID.
00:59:15.410 --> 00:59:16.243
Thank you.
00:59:17.260 --> 00:59:18.660
Thank you
so much Ms. Johnson,
00:59:18.660 --> 00:59:22.273
I appreciate you taking the
time to call this this evening.
00:59:25.520 --> 00:59:26.670
Thank you.
00:59:28.940 --> 00:59:29.773
Operator,
00:59:29.773 --> 00:59:32.160
if you could please call
our next caller, please.
00:59:33.300 --> 00:59:36.150
Our next
caller is Nevaeh Lemons,
00:59:36.150 --> 00:59:37.000
you may go ahead.
00:59:39.740 --> 00:59:41.690
Hi, yes, my
name is Nevaeh Lemons,
00:59:41.690 --> 00:59:45.333
it's spelt N E V A E H, L E M O N S.
00:59:47.020 --> 00:59:50.600
Miss Lemons,
sorry to interrupt you,
00:59:50.600 --> 00:59:52.180
we can't hear you very well,
00:59:52.180 --> 00:59:53.940
could you try speaking into your phone
00:59:53.940 --> 00:59:54.970
a little more directly?
00:59:54.970 --> 00:59:56.340
And if you're on a speakerphone,
00:59:56.340 --> 00:59:59.783
please, please go ahead
and use a regular phone.
01:00:01.113 --> 01:00:04.670
It' might be a
little muffled, I'm sorry.
01:00:04.670 --> 01:00:07.430
There, that was
much better, there you go.
01:00:07.430 --> 01:00:08.630
Okay, thank you.
01:00:08.630 --> 01:00:10.800
Hi, yes, I am 13 years old.
01:00:10.800 --> 01:00:12.710
My mother is Kamiqua Johnson.
01:00:12.710 --> 01:00:16.170
My relations is Teressa
Johnson is auntie
01:00:16.170 --> 01:00:17.963
who you just finished speaking to.
01:00:19.040 --> 01:00:21.590
Most importantly, why
I got on this call today,
01:00:21.590 --> 01:00:25.260
is because my mother is a great
01:00:25.260 --> 01:00:29.220
and powerful person that I
love to keep a relationship to
01:00:29.220 --> 01:00:31.850
and as my auntie said,
01:00:31.850 --> 01:00:35.340
that we live about a four
way drive from CCWS
01:00:35.340 --> 01:00:39.020
and it's very difficult 'cause
COVID, cannot see her
01:00:39.020 --> 01:00:41.880
and my mother is like a world to me
01:00:41.880 --> 01:00:44.827
and it hurts me every day
not talking to my mother
01:00:44.827 --> 01:00:47.070
when I can talk to her once a week.
01:00:47.070 --> 01:00:48.007
It does hurt everybody.
01:00:48.007 --> 01:00:50.260
I don't know if everybody
feels the same way
01:00:50.260 --> 01:00:51.537
but when you have a loved one
01:00:51.537 --> 01:00:55.280
and you want to keep good
contact with them, it's very hard
01:00:55.280 --> 01:00:57.273
'cause you can't see them
as much as you want to
01:00:57.273 --> 01:00:59.140
and you can not make plans,
01:00:59.140 --> 01:01:00.730
you can't talk to them as much
01:01:00.730 --> 01:01:04.530
the best thing to do is have
a conversation with them,
01:01:04.530 --> 01:01:07.430
even if it's a 15 minute,
30 minute, 20 minute,
01:01:07.430 --> 01:01:09.040
five minute conversation
01:01:09.040 --> 01:01:10.840
and the prices should not go up
01:01:10.840 --> 01:01:13.240
because not everybody could pay that.
01:01:13.240 --> 01:01:16.240
There's no reason why
somebody has to pay something
01:01:16.240 --> 01:01:19.160
way higher when you only
talk to them for a limited time
01:01:19.160 --> 01:01:19.993
and they cut you off.
01:01:19.993 --> 01:01:22.250
You can barely say how your day is.
01:01:22.250 --> 01:01:24.650
It hurts everybody, it
hurts me even more
01:01:24.650 --> 01:01:27.050
because I will be 14 next month,
01:01:27.050 --> 01:01:29.390
haven't had my mother in four years
01:01:29.390 --> 01:01:31.113
and she was falsely incarcerated.
01:01:32.800 --> 01:01:34.910
She was taken away from
me since I was four years old
01:01:34.910 --> 01:01:38.610
on my own for four years,
so that's almost 10 years
01:01:38.610 --> 01:01:40.470
and me talking to her consistently,
01:01:40.470 --> 01:01:42.320
seeing her consistently, talking to her,
01:01:42.320 --> 01:01:44.360
now when they wanna change rates
01:01:44.360 --> 01:01:46.370
and I know I can barely talk to her
01:01:46.370 --> 01:01:47.900
'cause, if the rates change
01:01:47.900 --> 01:01:50.550
and it's terrible for a 14 year old
01:01:50.550 --> 01:01:52.660
can barely go a day without her mother
01:01:52.660 --> 01:01:55.250
and talk to her mother,
father is passed away
01:01:55.250 --> 01:01:57.320
'cause of all the situations.
01:01:57.320 --> 01:01:59.327
I just want my mother to talk to me
01:01:59.327 --> 01:02:01.020
'cause I know it's the best
01:02:01.020 --> 01:02:03.630
that she could lift their spirits to.
01:02:03.630 --> 01:02:06.640
She barely calls anybody
else when she has a chance
01:02:06.640 --> 01:02:08.730
but one person who likes to call is me
01:02:08.730 --> 01:02:11.400
and that brings my
day, that brings joy to me
01:02:11.400 --> 01:02:13.540
to something that
has raised higher quote
01:02:13.540 --> 01:02:16.360
and break for a particular reason,
01:02:16.360 --> 01:02:17.820
that probably has no reason
01:02:17.820 --> 01:02:19.330
that should be brought to this day
01:02:19.330 --> 01:02:21.290
that's why we're on this conference.
01:02:21.290 --> 01:02:24.140
I believe that if we pulled up
01:02:24.140 --> 01:02:25.460
there should not be anything else,
01:02:25.460 --> 01:02:26.660
we should keep it the same
01:02:26.660 --> 01:02:29.440
but if that's not my power to be choice,
01:02:29.440 --> 01:02:31.310
then at least you've taken the time
01:02:31.310 --> 01:02:33.220
and listen to all our comments.
01:02:33.220 --> 01:02:34.317
I just wanna talk to mother
01:02:34.317 --> 01:02:36.857
and I just wanna to speak
to her as much as I can
01:02:36.857 --> 01:02:38.320
and as much as I want to
01:02:38.320 --> 01:02:41.120
at the time that I can
actually talk to her
01:02:41.120 --> 01:02:42.020
then make her day.
01:02:42.948 --> 01:02:45.520
(bell ringing)
01:02:45.520 --> 01:02:46.818
Thank you so much.
01:02:46.818 --> 01:02:50.400
Did you say your name
was Rameni, was that right?
01:02:50.400 --> 01:02:52.060
No, Nevaeh.
01:02:52.060 --> 01:02:54.260
Oh, could you
spell your name for us please?
01:02:54.260 --> 01:02:56.020
I couldn't hear it.
01:02:56.020 --> 01:03:01.020
N E V A E H.
01:03:01.430 --> 01:03:03.170
Okay, super,
thank you Nevaeh,
01:03:03.170 --> 01:03:06.419
I appreciate that and
sorry to hear about this.
01:03:06.419 --> 01:03:07.252
Judge Vogel,
01:03:07.252 --> 01:03:09.390
I just wanted to
reiterate the appreciation
01:03:09.390 --> 01:03:13.131
for you Nevaeh, thank
you so much for sharing.
01:03:13.131 --> 01:03:15.920
You're welcome.
01:03:17.780 --> 01:03:19.623
Okay, thank you.
01:03:21.640 --> 01:03:23.400
Just a reminder for anyone listening.
01:03:23.400 --> 01:03:25.880
If you'd like to call in
and make a comment,
01:03:25.880 --> 01:03:30.880
please do just press star
one and unmute your phone,
01:03:31.150 --> 01:03:34.310
the operator will answer you shortly
01:03:34.310 --> 01:03:35.773
and get you in the queue.
01:03:36.660 --> 01:03:38.200
We'll go ahead and take the next caller
01:03:38.200 --> 01:03:42.900
and again, a reminder to
callers to please speak slowly
01:03:42.900 --> 01:03:45.420
so that our court
reporters can transcribe
01:03:45.420 --> 01:03:47.930
what you're saying and
we can go back to it later
01:03:47.930 --> 01:03:49.590
and make sure we
haven't missed anything.
01:03:49.590 --> 01:03:51.540
So please do speak slowly
01:03:51.540 --> 01:03:54.270
and that you are not
required to provide your name
01:03:54.270 --> 01:03:56.130
but if you do want to provide it.
01:03:56.130 --> 01:03:57.830
if you could please state your name
01:03:57.830 --> 01:04:00.730
and then spell it slowly as you begin,
01:04:00.730 --> 01:04:03.003
we'd really appreciate it, operator.
01:04:05.930 --> 01:04:08.630
Our next caller is
Dharshan Chandramohan,
01:04:09.700 --> 01:04:10.550
you may go ahead.
01:04:11.990 --> 01:04:14.960
Hi, my name is
Dharshan Chandramohan,
01:04:14.960 --> 01:04:19.960
that's D H A R S H A N,
01:04:20.640 --> 01:04:25.640
last name C H A N D R A M O H A N.
01:04:28.140 --> 01:04:30.250
I'm commenting on behalf of myself
01:04:30.250 --> 01:04:32.330
as a concerned resident
of the State of California
01:04:32.330 --> 01:04:33.550
and as a medical student
01:04:33.550 --> 01:04:36.950
and member of the COVID-19
Relief Action Committee
01:04:36.950 --> 01:04:38.610
in the inland empire.
01:04:38.610 --> 01:04:40.580
Our committee feels that capping charges
01:04:40.580 --> 01:04:43.110
and fees for prison phone
calls is the bare minimum
01:04:43.110 --> 01:04:45.600
that can be done to alleviate a unique
01:04:45.600 --> 01:04:47.510
and cruel harm of the pandemic
01:04:47.510 --> 01:04:50.520
to incarcerated individuals
and their families.
01:04:50.520 --> 01:04:54.030
Access to reliable, affordable
and consistent communication
01:04:54.030 --> 01:04:56.900
with family is critical in this pandemic
01:04:56.900 --> 01:04:59.360
for both the mental and physical health
01:04:59.360 --> 01:05:02.260
of incarcerated individuals
and their families.
01:05:02.260 --> 01:05:04.580
More over the burden
of not having access
01:05:04.580 --> 01:05:06.810
to telecommunications
during the pandemic
01:05:06.810 --> 01:05:09.167
has damaging impacts on public health.
01:05:09.167 --> 01:05:12.500
The incarcerated population
was hit hard by COVID-19
01:05:12.500 --> 01:05:14.540
early in the pandemic when the disease
01:05:14.540 --> 01:05:16.580
spread rapidly through, hello.
01:05:16.580 --> 01:05:20.390
Dharshan,
hello, yes, sorry to interrupt.
01:05:20.390 --> 01:05:23.890
Often when people are
reading a written statement
01:05:23.890 --> 01:05:26.050
we kind of see speed
up without realizing it.
01:05:26.050 --> 01:05:27.980
If you wouldn't mind just
slowing down a little bit,
01:05:27.980 --> 01:05:28.933
we'd appreciate it.
01:05:30.650 --> 01:05:33.640
Sure, so the
burden of not having access
01:05:33.640 --> 01:05:36.210
to telecommunications
during the pandemic
01:05:36.210 --> 01:05:38.810
has damaging impacts on public health.
01:05:38.810 --> 01:05:41.630
The incarcerated population was hit hard
01:05:41.630 --> 01:05:43.690
by COVID-19 early in the pandemic
01:05:43.690 --> 01:05:45.780
when the disease spread rampantly
01:05:45.780 --> 01:05:48.160
through California detention facilities.
01:05:48.160 --> 01:05:49.790
Additionally, the racial
01:05:49.790 --> 01:05:51.710
and ethnic populations have suffered
01:05:51.710 --> 01:05:54.290
and died the most under the pandemic
01:05:54.290 --> 01:05:58.550
have also disproportionately
high rates of incarceration.
01:05:58.550 --> 01:06:02.510
We want to reiterate as other
commenters have expressed
01:06:02.510 --> 01:06:07.000
that the exorbitant cost of
prison phone calls is racism.
01:06:07.000 --> 01:06:09.280
When so many people,
even outside of prison,
01:06:09.280 --> 01:06:12.110
have been traumatized by
the limited communication
01:06:12.110 --> 01:06:15.930
between loved ones, imposed
by pandemic lock downs,
01:06:15.930 --> 01:06:18.480
the injustice and
cruelty of the high cost
01:06:18.480 --> 01:06:21.170
of prison phone calls is multiplied.
01:06:21.170 --> 01:06:23.820
As many have shared,
phone calls are crucial
01:06:23.820 --> 01:06:25.930
in providing support for family members
01:06:25.930 --> 01:06:27.520
dealing with illness.
01:06:27.520 --> 01:06:29.830
Denying that lifeline during a pandemic
01:06:29.830 --> 01:06:32.300
will have far reaching consequences,
01:06:32.300 --> 01:06:36.770
especially in a pandemic
where concern, anxiety, paranoia
01:06:36.770 --> 01:06:38.590
and misinformation about the virus
01:06:38.590 --> 01:06:40.550
and vaccines abound.
01:06:40.550 --> 01:06:44.440
Reliable access to communication
with trusted individuals,
01:06:44.440 --> 01:06:46.280
family and physicians
01:06:46.280 --> 01:06:49.640
is critical to combat vaccine hesitancy.
01:06:49.640 --> 01:06:51.170
We're aware that vaccination
01:06:51.170 --> 01:06:53.420
is being carried out
in California prisons
01:06:53.420 --> 01:06:56.760
and incarcerated individuals
sharing their experiences
01:06:56.760 --> 01:06:59.020
with the vaccine with family members
01:06:59.020 --> 01:07:03.240
can help California as a
whole reach herd immunity.
01:07:03.240 --> 01:07:06.140
The COVID-9 pandemic
has made information
01:07:06.140 --> 01:07:08.420
and communication a critical resource
01:07:08.420 --> 01:07:11.750
to bar incarcerated
individuals from that resource
01:07:11.750 --> 01:07:13.550
is cruel and traumatic
01:07:13.550 --> 01:07:15.590
and in like these extreme circumstances
01:07:15.590 --> 01:07:17.870
we would advocate
that calls should be free.
01:07:17.870 --> 01:07:20.110
However, the proposal of the Commission
01:07:20.110 --> 01:07:22.710
is a minimal first step to ameliorating
01:07:22.710 --> 01:07:26.050
the disproportionate harm
faced by incarcerated people
01:07:26.050 --> 01:07:28.200
and their families in this pandemic.
01:07:28.200 --> 01:07:29.800
Thank you so much for your time.
01:07:30.920 --> 01:07:34.730
Thank you
Mr. Chandramohan, I appreciate it
01:07:34.730 --> 01:07:37.000
and apologies for interrupting you
01:07:37.000 --> 01:07:41.320
and thanks for taking the
time to call in for us today
01:07:41.320 --> 01:07:44.320
and operator, if you'd like
to call our next caller, please.
01:07:46.670 --> 01:07:50.573
And our next
caller is caller number one,
01:07:52.270 --> 01:07:54.070
you may go ahead, your line is open.
01:07:55.040 --> 01:07:56.950
Can you hear you guys?
01:07:56.950 --> 01:07:58.530
Yes, we can.
01:07:58.530 --> 01:07:59.520
Thank you so much.
01:07:59.520 --> 01:08:01.610
So I was wanting to just make sure
01:08:01.610 --> 01:08:03.630
that there was an understanding
01:08:03.630 --> 01:08:07.364
as to how when you're
incarcerated, where phone calls are
01:08:07.364 --> 01:08:09.870
and I know it's tough
for people on the outside
01:08:09.870 --> 01:08:12.930
to understand the level
of isolation on the inside
01:08:12.930 --> 01:08:17.930
but I am one of maybe two
people out of 136 in my module
01:08:19.300 --> 01:08:21.750
that regularly make phone calls.
01:08:21.750 --> 01:08:25.930
Just yesterday, my bunky
his sister's husband died
01:08:25.930 --> 01:08:27.230
and he heard about it
01:08:27.230 --> 01:08:30.386
and he hasn't made a phone
call to anyone on the outside
01:08:30.386 --> 01:08:32.650
because he can't afford
it for the last six months
01:08:32.650 --> 01:08:34.309
and so I let him use my phone time
01:08:34.309 --> 01:08:37.940
and the one 30 minute
phone call costs 12 dollars.
01:08:37.940 --> 01:08:42.940
And I know that people
can hypothetically imagine
01:08:43.580 --> 01:08:45.600
what the isolation's like on the inside
01:08:45.600 --> 01:08:47.430
but I would just really ask
01:08:47.430 --> 01:08:50.810
and I'm trying to put words
together to encourage people
01:08:50.810 --> 01:08:53.240
that are on this call
because when you're inside
01:08:53.240 --> 01:08:55.050
you believe everybody
in the world hates you.
01:08:55.050 --> 01:08:58.040
You think you're not
just the scum of the earth
01:08:58.040 --> 01:08:59.410
but you believe
everybody's abandoned you
01:08:59.410 --> 01:09:00.951
and everyone's rejected you.
01:09:00.951 --> 01:09:01.847
And you're just
listening to the comments
01:09:01.847 --> 01:09:03.570
and the feedback from
all the different people
01:09:03.570 --> 01:09:04.690
who've called in
01:09:04.690 --> 01:09:06.598
and not just their
support for this proposition
01:09:06.598 --> 01:09:09.710
but for the idea that
inmates are valuable,
01:09:09.710 --> 01:09:11.870
for the idea that they
still have humanity,
01:09:11.870 --> 01:09:13.790
you have no idea to
an incarcerated person
01:09:13.790 --> 01:09:16.510
what that actually means,
you do not only forget that
01:09:16.510 --> 01:09:19.720
but you live in the absence
of that day in and day out
01:09:19.720 --> 01:09:22.230
and that connection to someone
on the outside who sees you
01:09:22.230 --> 01:09:25.800
as more than just the
charges on your case file
01:09:25.800 --> 01:09:30.628
it's beyond life-giving,
it's the hope that you have
01:09:30.628 --> 01:09:33.730
and I do think it's sad
that it is a money issue
01:09:33.730 --> 01:09:35.970
but I know that's kind
of the world we live in.
01:09:35.970 --> 01:09:37.950
In San Diego, in
California, they just asked
01:09:37.950 --> 01:09:40.220
the County Board of
supervisors a little law
01:09:40.220 --> 01:09:41.850
and we found out in an investigation
01:09:41.850 --> 01:09:45.410
that Securus is paying a
minimum of 2.8 million dollars
01:09:45.410 --> 01:09:48.395
every year to the San
Diego County jails,
01:09:48.395 --> 01:09:51.780
that's a guaranteed
minimum as a kickback
01:09:51.780 --> 01:09:53.560
for what they're making
off of the phone system.
01:09:53.560 --> 01:09:56.970
And I don't know how
that number hits people
01:09:56.970 --> 01:09:59.010
but for somebody who is
paying 33 cents a minute
01:09:59.010 --> 01:10:01.640
every time they wanna
call anybody in their life,
01:10:01.640 --> 01:10:03.279
that's a lot of money.
01:10:03.279 --> 01:10:06.280
And I wish on some level,
01:10:06.280 --> 01:10:09.160
not just for for California to lead
01:10:09.160 --> 01:10:12.540
but for example, that
San Francisco stat,
01:10:12.540 --> 01:10:15.196
which I didn't even know
about till this phone call
01:10:15.196 --> 01:10:16.860
and that could really
become a precedent.
01:10:16.860 --> 01:10:20.160
I think could understand
that on some level money
01:10:20.160 --> 01:10:22.000
shouldn't be the barrier for people
01:10:22.000 --> 01:10:24.170
not just being able
to have a relationship
01:10:24.170 --> 01:10:26.290
but being able to have
any type of contact
01:10:26.290 --> 01:10:29.680
with somebody outside
of these four prison walls.
01:10:29.680 --> 01:10:32.350
And I can't speak for what
it's like staying in prison
01:10:32.350 --> 01:10:34.750
but I can definitely tell you in COVID
01:10:34.750 --> 01:10:39.670
in the jails is incredibly,
I can't overstate it
01:10:39.670 --> 01:10:42.760
but it's not just the
type of the lockdown
01:10:42.760 --> 01:10:44.880
and the restrictions
and the lack of visits
01:10:44.880 --> 01:10:47.033
but anything that the Commission can do,
01:10:47.033 --> 01:10:48.870
anything that the individuals can do
01:10:48.870 --> 01:10:51.000
and I really do encourage
everyone that's on the call,
01:10:51.000 --> 01:10:52.930
thank you so much not just for your care
01:10:52.930 --> 01:10:54.070
but for your participation
01:10:54.070 --> 01:10:55.390
and to people who are incarcerated,
01:10:55.390 --> 01:10:56.877
I'm gonna go back to my dorm tonight
01:10:56.877 --> 01:10:59.180
and just try to encourage
people that people care
01:10:59.180 --> 01:11:01.650
and that not only are they saying things
01:11:01.650 --> 01:11:03.680
but it seems like action is happening
01:11:03.680 --> 01:11:06.223
and it will make a big
impact in the lives of people.
01:11:07.395 --> 01:11:10.050
(bell ringing)
01:11:10.050 --> 01:11:13.210
Thank you caller
for your call, appreciate it
01:11:13.210 --> 01:11:14.749
and I can tell you
01:11:14.749 --> 01:11:17.560
you have been a very
articulate representative
01:11:17.560 --> 01:11:19.220
of incarcerated persons,
01:11:19.220 --> 01:11:22.663
so appreciate your
taking the time to call in.
01:11:29.660 --> 01:11:31.390
If there are no questions
from the Commissioners,
01:11:31.390 --> 01:11:34.963
well, I'll ask the operator to
take our next caller, please.
01:11:41.567 --> 01:11:46.133
Our next caller
is Moh, you may go ahead.
01:11:46.980 --> 01:11:49.320
I would like to thank
the committee for their time
01:11:49.320 --> 01:11:52.400
but also let's be mindful
that your articulate
01:11:52.400 --> 01:11:55.160
is not the compliment
to an incarcerated person
01:11:55.160 --> 01:11:56.840
that you think it is.
01:11:56.840 --> 01:12:00.170
I wanna elevate the
concern that has been raised
01:12:00.170 --> 01:12:01.450
by community advocates,
01:12:01.450 --> 01:12:04.850
that this is the least California can do
01:12:04.850 --> 01:12:08.400
to help those that we
have chosen to incarcerate.
01:12:08.400 --> 01:12:10.830
I wanna humanize and bring home
01:12:10.830 --> 01:12:14.880
how many people are currently
in our state prison system.
01:12:14.880 --> 01:12:23.120
92,000 men, 92,106
men, 3,711 women.
01:12:23.120 --> 01:12:24.900
Those are people who
have been ripped apart
01:12:24.900 --> 01:12:27.800
from their families and forced to live
01:12:27.800 --> 01:12:30.950
probably in the middle of
nowhere for a lot of these places.
01:12:30.950 --> 01:12:35.890
And so I really can't
understate how vital
01:12:37.500 --> 01:12:40.890
phones have been in my experience
01:12:40.890 --> 01:12:43.810
and in my life with my husband.
01:12:43.810 --> 01:12:46.880
So he's been in for over 10 years.
01:12:46.880 --> 01:12:49.560
I've spent hundreds
of thousands of dollars
01:12:49.560 --> 01:12:52.548
on phone calls through that time
01:12:52.548 --> 01:12:56.640
to maintain our relationship.
01:12:56.640 --> 01:12:59.370
He lost all contact with his family
01:12:59.370 --> 01:13:04.330
because they couldn't afford
to obviously keep putting money
01:13:04.330 --> 01:13:06.770
on the books for as long as he was in.
01:13:06.770 --> 01:13:10.573
And he comes from
the foster care system,
01:13:11.660 --> 01:13:16.510
which surprisingly enough
are a lot of our people
01:13:16.510 --> 01:13:20.490
in our state prison system
have spent time in foster care.
01:13:20.490 --> 01:13:25.270
That being said, well, we
want us to think about who rates
01:13:25.270 --> 01:13:29.150
and fees disproportionately
impact the most,
01:13:29.150 --> 01:13:30.150
we're looking at black
01:13:30.150 --> 01:13:32.480
and brown folks who are overrepresented
01:13:32.480 --> 01:13:34.130
not only in the prison population
01:13:34.130 --> 01:13:37.650
but also within the
entire foster care system.
01:13:37.650 --> 01:13:39.590
I've worked as a youth counselor
01:13:39.590 --> 01:13:42.240
directly with foster care students.
01:13:42.240 --> 01:13:45.370
I can't tell you how many relationships
01:13:45.370 --> 01:13:47.630
I have watched disintegrate
01:13:47.630 --> 01:13:52.630
because families could not
afford to have the child stay
01:13:53.140 --> 01:13:54.730
with a relative or a loved one
01:13:54.730 --> 01:13:57.530
or the person that they
could place the child with,
01:13:57.530 --> 01:14:01.270
could not afford phone calls
to maintain that communication
01:14:01.270 --> 01:14:04.620
and so I've watched
(bell ringing)
01:14:04.620 --> 01:14:07.320
grow up without their parents
01:14:07.320 --> 01:14:09.203
and nobody deserves that.
01:14:14.220 --> 01:14:15.053
Thank you
01:14:15.053 --> 01:14:16.783
Thank
you Moh for your call,
01:14:17.730 --> 01:14:19.830
appreciate you taking
the time to call in.
01:14:21.020 --> 01:14:23.787
Operator, if you could
call our next caller please.
01:14:26.740 --> 01:14:29.090
Our next
caller is Jessica Dungar,
01:14:29.970 --> 01:14:30.820
you may go ahead.
01:14:33.080 --> 01:14:35.640
Hi, yes, my
name is Jessica Dungar.
01:14:35.640 --> 01:14:42.360
It is J E S S I C
A, D U N G E R.
01:14:42.360 --> 01:14:45.970
I'm calling on behalf
of myself, my family,
01:14:45.970 --> 01:14:48.480
my son who's incarcerated
01:14:48.480 --> 01:14:51.283
and been incarcerated going
on three and a half years.
01:14:52.150 --> 01:14:54.450
Sorry, I have a dog
barking in the background.
01:14:56.540 --> 01:14:57.890
I would just like to piggyback
01:14:57.890 --> 01:15:01.340
on some things that were
said today and my focus
01:15:02.540 --> 01:15:05.960
was the last callers
throwing out the statistic
01:15:05.960 --> 01:15:09.610
of how many people
we do have incarcerated.
01:15:09.610 --> 01:15:11.910
The focus on rehabilitation
01:15:14.290 --> 01:15:16.900
and basic human connection,
01:15:16.900 --> 01:15:20.420
I can't stress this enough,
if that's what our country
01:15:20.420 --> 01:15:25.420
and California is about
rehabilitation of these men
01:15:25.480 --> 01:15:28.160
and women then it is our job
01:15:28.160 --> 01:15:30.280
for the people that are on the outside
01:15:31.529 --> 01:15:33.810
to make that happen.
01:15:33.810 --> 01:15:37.780
To be, again, it's
been said on this call,
01:15:37.780 --> 01:15:41.680
they're like in a vacuum,
they can only do so much.
01:15:41.680 --> 01:15:46.010
So it is a team effort, I think,
to make our country better
01:15:46.010 --> 01:15:48.820
to get these prisoners rehabilitated
01:15:48.820 --> 01:15:53.820
and that starts with basic
human connection, phone calls.
01:15:55.600 --> 01:15:57.420
There's plenty of other politics
01:15:57.420 --> 01:16:00.970
and money making ways for
the prison system to make money
01:16:00.970 --> 01:16:02.130
and they are.
01:16:02.130 --> 01:16:05.280
I think this could be
a very easy first step
01:16:07.770 --> 01:16:09.290
to seeing that rehabilitation
01:16:09.290 --> 01:16:11.290
and we already heard
it from a caller tonight,
01:16:11.290 --> 01:16:14.970
who gets free phone calls
01:16:14.970 --> 01:16:19.530
and is able to create a
program and do the rehabilitation.
01:16:19.530 --> 01:16:20.700
We heard it firsthand.
01:16:20.700 --> 01:16:23.200
So again, I just have
to go back to the word,
01:16:23.200 --> 01:16:26.640
if that's what we're
focused on is rehabilitation
01:16:26.640 --> 01:16:29.850
then we have to show
up for the rehabilitation
01:16:29.850 --> 01:16:33.773
of these inmates and that
starts with human connection.
01:16:34.662 --> 01:16:37.320
My son was supposed to
be on this phone call tonight
01:16:37.320 --> 01:16:39.960
and again, I will bring
up there's so many politics
01:16:39.960 --> 01:16:40.993
in the system.
01:16:42.290 --> 01:16:44.870
I don't know whether a
guard didn't let him on tonight,
01:16:44.870 --> 01:16:46.880
I don't know if he didn't have funds,
01:16:46.880 --> 01:16:48.450
he was worried about all these things
01:16:48.450 --> 01:16:50.540
and for the last two
weeks, we've been trying
01:16:50.540 --> 01:16:53.980
to make sure he's prepared
to get on this phone call
01:16:55.388 --> 01:16:56.920
and I don't think he was able to
01:16:56.920 --> 01:17:00.510
and I don't think money
should ever be a reason
01:17:00.510 --> 01:17:03.550
at this point when, these
prisoners have to deal
01:17:03.550 --> 01:17:06.672
with all the other politics,
money shouldn't be an issue.
01:17:06.672 --> 01:17:09.255
(bell ringing)
01:17:11.423 --> 01:17:12.620
Thank you.
01:17:12.620 --> 01:17:15.550
Oh, yeah, tank
you so much, Ms. Dunder,
01:17:15.550 --> 01:17:16.680
appreciate you calling
01:17:16.680 --> 01:17:21.680
and I am sorry to hear about your son
01:17:22.400 --> 01:17:24.284
that we haven't yet
heard from him tonight.
01:17:24.284 --> 01:17:28.200
We do understand
it's been very difficult,
01:17:28.200 --> 01:17:30.210
We've made really every effort we could
01:17:30.210 --> 01:17:32.150
with the time we had
to make that possible
01:17:32.150 --> 01:17:35.610
but we understand that it
has been extremely difficult,
01:17:35.610 --> 01:17:38.730
if not impossible for many
incarcerated persons to call in
01:17:38.730 --> 01:17:40.640
and we were sorry to hear that.
01:17:40.640 --> 01:17:42.320
So appreciate your taking the time
01:17:42.320 --> 01:17:46.100
and I do encourage
you to let you make sure
01:17:46.100 --> 01:17:48.060
your son knows that it is possible
01:17:48.060 --> 01:17:49.370
to provide their written comments
01:17:49.370 --> 01:17:51.340
as we've said throughout the meeting.
01:17:51.340 --> 01:17:52.600
Yes, thank you
01:17:52.600 --> 01:17:53.770
and I just like to piggyback
01:17:53.770 --> 01:17:55.620
and say COVID I think is an excuse,
01:17:55.620 --> 01:17:57.953
these politics were
happening before COVID.
01:18:00.858 --> 01:18:02.890
Okay,
Thank you for that.
01:18:07.060 --> 01:18:09.993
Operator, could we hear
from the next caller, please?
01:18:11.560 --> 01:18:14.460
Yes, our
next caller is Rita Heinz,
01:18:14.460 --> 01:18:15.310
you may go ahead.
01:18:17.060 --> 01:18:22.060
Hi, my name is Rita
Himes, R I T A, H I M E S.
01:18:23.560 --> 01:18:27.510
I'm calling on behalf of
the coalition for family unity.
01:18:27.510 --> 01:18:32.510
We are a coalition of about
29 organizations led by directly
01:18:33.920 --> 01:18:37.310
and system impacted people
that are addressing the effects
01:18:37.310 --> 01:18:40.220
of mass incarceration on families.
01:18:40.220 --> 01:18:44.170
I wanna emphasize
that phone calls, like visits
01:18:44.170 --> 01:18:45.960
and other forms of communication,
01:18:45.960 --> 01:18:49.140
are critical to maintaining
family connections
01:18:49.140 --> 01:18:51.660
during incarceration,
01:18:51.660 --> 01:18:55.532
which is critical for our whole state,
01:18:55.532 --> 01:19:00.090
including the children
who are left behind
01:19:01.070 --> 01:19:04.640
by incarcerated parents who
have not committed a crime.
01:19:04.640 --> 01:19:07.840
They have doubled the risk
of mental health problems.
01:19:07.840 --> 01:19:09.760
Having incarcerated parents
01:19:09.760 --> 01:19:12.200
is an adverse childhood experience
01:19:12.200 --> 01:19:14.583
that is correlated with physical
01:19:14.583 --> 01:19:16.990
and mental health problems
01:19:16.990 --> 01:19:19.340
and there's research that establishes
01:19:19.340 --> 01:19:21.580
that when children have frequent contact
01:19:21.580 --> 01:19:23.643
with their incarcerated parents,
01:19:25.465 --> 01:19:26.360
they do better in school
01:19:26.360 --> 01:19:30.300
and their mental health
is substantially improved.
01:19:30.300 --> 01:19:32.740
And of course, these
family connections help
01:19:32.740 --> 01:19:35.660
the incarcerated people
themselves with their mental health.
01:19:35.660 --> 01:19:38.090
It improves conduct in custody
01:19:38.090 --> 01:19:40.650
and help people thrive after release,
01:19:40.650 --> 01:19:44.370
lowering recidivism rates by up to 30%
01:19:44.370 --> 01:19:48.890
because between 40 and
80% of incarcerated people
01:19:48.890 --> 01:19:50.793
rely on families after release.
01:19:51.650 --> 01:19:56.540
Phone calls are a necessary
supplement to in-person visiting
01:19:56.540 --> 01:20:00.520
because, especially in a
huge state like California
01:20:00.520 --> 01:20:03.420
that places prisons in remote areas,
01:20:03.420 --> 01:20:08.190
traveled time and costs of visiting
01:20:08.190 --> 01:20:11.083
is onerous on many families.
01:20:12.060 --> 01:20:16.530
Also the California prison
system has limited hours
01:20:16.530 --> 01:20:18.230
which has caused overcrowding
01:20:18.230 --> 01:20:23.230
so visits are simply inadequate
to maintain relationships.
01:20:25.549 --> 01:20:28.380
Families need more regular interactions
01:20:28.380 --> 01:20:30.570
that could be provided by phone
01:20:30.570 --> 01:20:32.860
and those phone calls
need to be high quality
01:20:32.860 --> 01:20:35.820
without interruptions, with clear audio
01:20:35.820 --> 01:20:38.440
and enough time to have an actual
01:20:40.160 --> 01:20:45.160
ordinary conversation that
will maintain connection.
01:20:45.830 --> 01:20:50.010
The costs (bell ringing)
are a huge burden
01:20:50.010 --> 01:20:55.010
and I would like to encourage
the Commission to consider
01:20:56.960 --> 01:21:01.450
whether counties could pull together
01:21:01.450 --> 01:21:04.260
in order to negotiate lower rates
01:21:05.260 --> 01:21:08.430
if that is a factor and how the CDCR
01:21:08.430 --> 01:21:12.230
was recently able to
negotiate much lower rates
01:21:12.230 --> 01:21:15.340
with its current GPL phone contracts.
01:21:15.340 --> 01:21:18.530
So consider whether counties
01:21:18.530 --> 01:21:22.330
should join together in
negotiating in order to solve
01:21:22.330 --> 01:21:26.600
any kind of in an unequal
bargaining power issues
01:21:26.600 --> 01:21:30.173
and thank you very much for
carrying out this proceeding.
01:21:32.500 --> 01:21:34.583
Thank you
so much MS. Himes,
01:21:35.610 --> 01:21:37.273
Very helpful comments.
01:21:40.151 --> 01:21:43.590
Operator, do we have
any more callers waiting?
01:21:43.590 --> 01:21:46.380
If so, please go ahead
and announce them.
01:21:46.380 --> 01:21:48.860
First of all, I'll just
make a short reminder,
01:21:48.860 --> 01:21:50.890
if you are listening to today's hearing
01:21:50.890 --> 01:21:53.820
and would like to make
a comment at this time
01:21:53.820 --> 01:21:55.890
and you haven't done so
yet, please just go ahead
01:21:55.890 --> 01:21:58.903
and press star one
and unmute your phone.
01:21:59.880 --> 01:22:01.680
And again, for callers,
01:22:01.680 --> 01:22:04.880
if you would like to provide your name,
01:22:04.880 --> 01:22:06.060
which is not required,
01:22:06.060 --> 01:22:07.900
if you could please state your name
01:22:07.900 --> 01:22:11.250
and then spell it slowly
as you get started
01:22:11.250 --> 01:22:12.100
and please do speak
01:22:12.100 --> 01:22:15.683
slowly for our court
reporters, operator.
01:22:18.946 --> 01:22:21.230
And our
next caller is Michelle,
01:22:21.230 --> 01:22:22.880
you may go ahead.
01:22:22.880 --> 01:22:24.690
Hello, my
name is Michelle,
01:22:24.690 --> 01:22:28.543
that's M I C H E L L E.
01:22:29.788 --> 01:22:33.333
I don't know if it's okay if I
add my last name as well.
01:22:34.230 --> 01:22:35.310
Certainly.
01:22:35.310 --> 01:22:36.940
Okay, Correa Gonzalez,
01:22:36.940 --> 01:22:41.940
C O R R E A, G O N Z A L E Z.
01:22:48.770 --> 01:22:50.660
Great, please go
ahead with your comment,
01:22:50.660 --> 01:22:52.110
Ms. Gonzalez.
01:22:52.110 --> 01:22:54.440
Okay, I just wanna say
01:22:54.440 --> 01:22:57.152
that I truly appreciate every one of you
01:22:57.152 --> 01:22:58.510
and what you're doing
01:22:58.510 --> 01:23:01.283
regarding regulating telecommunications.
01:23:02.690 --> 01:23:04.840
The reason why this
issue is so important to me
01:23:04.840 --> 01:23:07.790
is because I have been
directly impacted by this
01:23:07.790 --> 01:23:11.143
and I have a loved one
who is currently incarcerated.
01:23:13.070 --> 01:23:15.880
So not only are people
having to bear the costs
01:23:15.880 --> 01:23:19.230
to communicate with incarcerated
loved ones in California,
01:23:19.230 --> 01:23:21.470
they are facing a much
more difficult problem
01:23:21.470 --> 01:23:23.990
and not just in
California, in every state.
01:23:23.990 --> 01:23:26.250
Not being able to physically see someone
01:23:26.250 --> 01:23:27.770
during something so serious
01:23:27.770 --> 01:23:30.730
like a health-related
worldwide pandemic could result
01:23:30.730 --> 01:23:34.040
in a serious financial
crisis and much more, why?
01:23:34.040 --> 01:23:36.610
Because most of us cannot
bear the fact that a pandemic
01:23:36.610 --> 01:23:38.730
has separated us from our loved ones
01:23:38.730 --> 01:23:41.520
and although paying extra
for the extra phone calls
01:23:41.520 --> 01:23:45.000
almost daily or daily will make us
01:23:45.000 --> 01:23:48.230
and them feel better
emotionally and mentally,
01:23:48.230 --> 01:23:50.600
we cannot hide the
fact that it's truly causing
01:23:50.600 --> 01:23:52.750
a financial strain in our pockets
01:23:52.750 --> 01:23:55.540
because jail and prison
calls are so expensive.
01:23:55.540 --> 01:23:57.510
We have been faced
with financial harshes
01:23:57.510 --> 01:24:00.750
because we understand that
as human beings incarcerated
01:24:00.750 --> 01:24:03.360
or not, we need those
phone calls for emotional
01:24:03.360 --> 01:24:05.263
and mental support and stability.
01:24:07.190 --> 01:24:11.670
So if there was a
way to reduce the rates
01:24:11.670 --> 01:24:17.420
to a much more reasonable
amount or omit the fees
01:24:17.420 --> 01:24:21.640
or possibly make it free for
everybody to make these calls,
01:24:21.640 --> 01:24:25.793
then that would help a lot.
01:24:31.950 --> 01:24:34.050
It's been a lot
01:24:36.030 --> 01:24:38.200
just thinking about like
the poor mental health
01:24:38.200 --> 01:24:40.363
that increased behavior problems,
01:24:41.598 --> 01:24:46.598
these inmates will have
trouble reintegrating into society
01:24:47.020 --> 01:24:50.833
once they are released, their
experience in incarceration.
01:24:52.366 --> 01:24:54.600
How can inmates be successful before
01:24:54.600 --> 01:24:55.920
and after they're released,
01:24:55.920 --> 01:24:58.130
if they're unable to
maintain communication
01:24:58.130 --> 01:25:00.880
and relationships while incarcerated?
01:25:00.880 --> 01:25:02.710
What about their wellbeing?
(bell ringing)
01:25:02.710 --> 01:25:05.370
Their children's wellbeing
and their families,
01:25:05.370 --> 01:25:07.470
friends loved ones well being?
01:25:07.470 --> 01:25:08.590
Phone calls are the primary
01:25:08.590 --> 01:25:10.890
and honestly, the easiest
way of keeping communication
01:25:10.890 --> 01:25:12.480
between inmates and their families,
01:25:12.480 --> 01:25:15.250
especially when inmates are
incarcerated far from home.
01:25:15.250 --> 01:25:17.620
Everyone hates visitation restrictions
01:25:17.620 --> 01:25:18.970
and most that are incarcerated
01:25:18.970 --> 01:25:21.730
come from low income
families already struggling.
01:25:21.730 --> 01:25:25.000
So hopefully we can
change this and as
01:25:27.484 --> 01:25:29.753
I had mentioned, per call
01:25:31.130 --> 01:25:33.353
instead of a per minute rate,
01:25:33.353 --> 01:25:34.860
that would be amazing,
01:25:34.860 --> 01:25:37.884
that would be a huge help for everybody.
01:25:37.884 --> 01:25:42.884
I appreciate it, thank you.
01:25:43.667 --> 01:25:46.720
Thank you Ms.
Gonzalez, appreciate it
01:25:46.720 --> 01:25:50.180
and yes, we are looking at the rates
01:25:50.180 --> 01:25:52.117
as well as the fees
01:25:52.117 --> 01:25:54.223
and appreciate your suggestion.
01:25:55.990 --> 01:25:58.993
Operator, if you could
please call our next caller.
01:26:00.810 --> 01:26:03.550
Our next
caller is Haley Loper,
01:26:03.550 --> 01:26:04.400
You may go ahead.
01:26:06.160 --> 01:26:09.080
Hi, my name is Haley Loper,
01:26:09.080 --> 01:26:14.080
it's spelled H A L E Y, L O P E R.
01:26:16.530 --> 01:26:20.870
And I just want to speak about how
01:26:20.870 --> 01:26:25.870
not only do I have passed
experience being incarcerated
01:26:26.290 --> 01:26:27.783
in California jails,
01:26:28.917 --> 01:26:32.720
I also now have experienced
01:26:32.720 --> 01:26:35.780
being on the outside
as far as supporting
01:26:35.780 --> 01:26:38.940
and taking care of different people
01:26:38.940 --> 01:26:42.083
who are incarcerated, male and female.
01:26:43.270 --> 01:26:47.810
Before when I was
incarcerated in Foster County Jail
01:26:49.430 --> 01:26:54.430
I was able to intermix with
people from all over the state
01:26:56.060 --> 01:27:00.553
and you come to find out
that things like phone time,
01:27:01.420 --> 01:27:03.260
become kind of like a lottery
01:27:03.260 --> 01:27:07.820
and things can become very violent,
01:27:07.820 --> 01:27:11.713
things can become really scary in jail.
01:27:12.741 --> 01:27:14.310
When you're in jail
01:27:14.310 --> 01:27:17.150
and you don't have people to support you
01:27:17.150 --> 01:27:20.200
and put money on your phone time
01:27:21.460 --> 01:27:26.110
because not only in jail
and prisons, you have money
01:27:26.110 --> 01:27:28.530
to put on your own phone
01:27:28.530 --> 01:27:30.430
so you can call out whoever you want
01:27:30.430 --> 01:27:32.760
but then your loved ones
also have to put money
01:27:32.760 --> 01:27:34.100
on their own phone
01:27:34.100 --> 01:27:36.280
so you can just strictly call them
01:27:37.630 --> 01:27:42.461
but people in jail will
start to cell phone time,
01:27:42.461 --> 01:27:47.461
will do trades, whatever it is
01:27:48.010 --> 01:27:53.010
and there's times I've witnessed
different people promise,
01:27:53.670 --> 01:27:56.090
hey, let me borrow some phone time,
01:27:56.090 --> 01:28:00.140
my family will put the
money on this next week
01:28:00.140 --> 01:28:03.550
and I'll get you back and
that next week comes around
01:28:03.550 --> 01:28:05.910
and it wasn't put on
01:28:05.910 --> 01:28:08.530
and people are getting beat up
01:28:08.530 --> 01:28:11.800
and they're having to
be removed from the tank
01:28:11.800 --> 01:28:15.600
because they were so beat up
01:28:15.600 --> 01:28:19.290
and it's a huge ordeal.
01:28:19.290 --> 01:28:22.230
So that's a big thing that
a lot of people don't see
01:28:22.230 --> 01:28:26.480
and understand, not only is
the expense of the phone calls
01:28:26.480 --> 01:28:30.783
but also just about the politics inside.
01:28:30.783 --> 01:28:33.150
(bell ringing)
01:28:33.150 --> 01:28:36.900
Yeah, you get people who
are sharing the phone time,
01:28:36.900 --> 01:28:38.580
loaning phone time out
01:28:38.580 --> 01:28:42.950
and sometimes things
happen where the other people
01:28:42.950 --> 01:28:44.800
can't hold up their end of the bargain
01:28:44.800 --> 01:28:47.670
and the deal and
yeah, fights will happen,
01:28:47.670 --> 01:28:49.253
riots will happen,
01:28:51.060 --> 01:28:53.230
just a lot of scary stuff
01:28:53.230 --> 01:28:58.230
and I believe that that
could be greatly eliminated
01:28:58.690 --> 01:29:03.690
by making phone calls,
if not cheaper but free.
01:29:04.790 --> 01:29:08.670
I think it would be
realistic to maybe have
01:29:08.670 --> 01:29:11.370
like a set amount of
01:29:12.580 --> 01:29:14.940
given phone time for inmates
01:29:14.940 --> 01:29:16.503
while they're incarcerated,
01:29:17.827 --> 01:29:20.610
that limit that they can at least
01:29:21.630 --> 01:29:23.350
make a certain amount of phone calls
01:29:23.350 --> 01:29:27.530
and then maybe after a
certain amount of time,
01:29:27.530 --> 01:29:31.150
however many hours or however much,
01:29:31.150 --> 01:29:33.980
then you purchase from there
01:29:33.980 --> 01:29:37.130
but at least, there's a guarantee
01:29:37.130 --> 01:29:40.433
that people can make
phone calls if they have to.
01:29:44.814 --> 01:29:46.461
Thank you.
01:29:46.461 --> 01:29:48.770
If you could please wrap it up,
01:29:48.770 --> 01:29:50.280
appreciate your comments, miss Loper
01:29:50.280 --> 01:29:52.933
but if you could go ahead
and wrap up your thoughts.
01:29:54.126 --> 01:29:56.560
Thank you so much.
01:29:56.560 --> 01:29:57.659
Yes, thank you.
01:29:57.659 --> 01:29:59.810
You shared something
that hasn't been shared
01:29:59.810 --> 01:30:02.090
with us yet in these
hearings, so appreciate it,
01:30:02.090 --> 01:30:04.770
Appreciate you taking
the time to call in.
01:30:04.770 --> 01:30:05.770
Thank you.
01:30:09.168 --> 01:30:11.720
Caller, if
you could please,
01:30:11.720 --> 01:30:12.997
excuse me, operator,
01:30:12.997 --> 01:30:15.247
if you could please
announce the next caller.
01:30:18.170 --> 01:30:20.883
Yes, our next
caller is Gwen Raymond,
01:30:22.300 --> 01:30:23.150
you may go ahead.
01:30:24.170 --> 01:30:25.290
Hi, yes.
01:30:25.290 --> 01:30:26.470
Thank you guys for your time.
01:30:26.470 --> 01:30:31.470
I just wanted to say
that as a family member
01:30:32.830 --> 01:30:36.200
who has somebody many,
actually people who are incarcerated
01:30:36.200 --> 01:30:38.590
it's very important that
they have these calls.
01:30:38.590 --> 01:30:41.348
I was a nurse and I've
worked in mental health
01:30:41.348 --> 01:30:44.313
and I'm a major in psychology.
01:30:45.210 --> 01:30:48.280
We would never do animals
01:30:48.280 --> 01:30:50.670
in a way where we
isolated them to this point
01:30:50.670 --> 01:30:53.010
and with the pandemic happening.
01:30:53.010 --> 01:30:55.180
Luckily it's kind of
clearing a little bit
01:30:55.180 --> 01:30:56.590
where we can get visits and stuff
01:30:56.590 --> 01:30:59.570
but mail has been backed
up, visits were canceled,
01:30:59.570 --> 01:31:02.340
phone calls are outrageous
01:31:02.340 --> 01:31:05.030
and they're already being punished
01:31:05.030 --> 01:31:06.580
by being where they're at
01:31:06.580 --> 01:31:08.030
we don't need to further punish them
01:31:08.030 --> 01:31:11.040
by isolating them from the
only people that they have,
01:31:11.040 --> 01:31:13.990
that they love their contact.
01:31:13.990 --> 01:31:16.330
Me, myself, my family members,
01:31:16.330 --> 01:31:18.210
they need to go check on their children,
01:31:18.210 --> 01:31:19.240
check on our families,
01:31:19.240 --> 01:31:21.503
we have elders, we have sick people
01:31:21.503 --> 01:31:24.740
and this is their instant contact
01:31:24.740 --> 01:31:26.770
with us to be able to
get through quickly.
01:31:26.770 --> 01:31:29.930
Mails just so backed
up right now, no visits,
01:31:29.930 --> 01:31:32.760
without these calls
being still outrageous
01:31:32.760 --> 01:31:34.000
and people not being able to afford it,
01:31:34.000 --> 01:31:35.943
it's just inhumane.
01:31:39.130 --> 01:31:43.429
Thank you and I
believe was your name Gwen?
01:31:43.429 --> 01:31:45.490
Did I get that right?
01:31:45.490 --> 01:31:46.620
Yes ma'am.
01:31:46.620 --> 01:31:48.330
And if you
wouldn't mind, Gwen,
01:31:48.330 --> 01:31:50.450
spelling your last name for us.
01:31:50.450 --> 01:31:53.915
R A Y M O N D, Raymond.
01:31:53.915 --> 01:31:58.843
Great, thank
you, Gwen, for calling in,
01:31:58.843 --> 01:32:01.150
appreciate you taking the time.
01:32:01.150 --> 01:32:03.491
And we thank you
very much for you guys
01:32:03.491 --> 01:32:06.640
holding these proceedings
and getting it this far,
01:32:06.640 --> 01:32:08.170
it's much appreciated by everybody
01:32:08.170 --> 01:32:11.433
and all the loved ones and the
incarcerated men and women.
01:32:13.860 --> 01:32:16.050
Right, thank
you for that comment.
01:32:16.050 --> 01:32:17.810
Thank you, bye-bye.
01:32:17.810 --> 01:32:19.460
Bye-bye.
01:32:19.460 --> 01:32:22.123
Operator, if you could
please call our next speaker.
01:32:23.230 --> 01:32:28.230
Our next
speaker is caller number 10,
01:32:28.410 --> 01:32:29.260
you may go ahead.
01:32:31.550 --> 01:32:32.968
Thank you.
01:32:32.968 --> 01:32:36.680
I am an attorney, I'm
calling from the inland empire
01:32:36.680 --> 01:32:39.770
and although I would like
to second all the comments
01:32:39.770 --> 01:32:41.620
that have been made, I will try to focus
01:32:41.620 --> 01:32:44.600
on additional comments
that have not previously
01:32:44.600 --> 01:32:45.433
been addressed.
01:32:46.350 --> 01:32:50.100
One, I think that is measures
required by the companies
01:32:50.100 --> 01:32:51.980
to the extent fees remain,
01:32:51.980 --> 01:32:55.380
although I think fees are inappropriate.
01:32:55.380 --> 01:32:58.110
The disclosures to
the families are critical.
01:32:58.110 --> 01:33:00.800
If you look on these company's website
01:33:00.800 --> 01:33:03.930
and you try to figure out
the most cost efficient way
01:33:03.930 --> 01:33:07.200
to make phone
calls it is very difficult.
01:33:07.200 --> 01:33:10.110
The disclosure associated
with the last two days
01:33:10.110 --> 01:33:13.270
worth of proceedings
were much more prominent
01:33:13.270 --> 01:33:16.710
than any disclosures
having to do with fees.
01:33:16.710 --> 01:33:20.300
The family members when
someone becomes incarcerated
01:33:20.300 --> 01:33:21.133
are in a position
01:33:21.133 --> 01:33:22.880
that they are going to try to research
01:33:22.880 --> 01:33:24.870
and making the information accessible
01:33:24.870 --> 01:33:28.840
to them will assist in reducing
the burden on families.
01:33:28.840 --> 01:33:29.673
Number two,
01:33:32.560 --> 01:33:35.200
patients to the incarcerated individuals
01:33:35.200 --> 01:33:37.440
having to deal with the fees
01:33:37.440 --> 01:33:42.080
so that they way to reach
out to family members.
01:33:42.080 --> 01:33:43.113
Number three.
01:33:46.090 --> 01:33:51.090
I'm sorry,
caller, sorry to interrupt,
01:33:52.580 --> 01:33:54.000
you cut out there a little bit.
01:33:54.000 --> 01:33:58.290
If you wouldn't mind going
back to your second point
01:33:58.290 --> 01:33:59.480
and then starting again
01:33:59.480 --> 01:34:01.880
and I'll have our timer reset the timer
01:34:01.880 --> 01:34:04.470
and please just make sure
you're speaking into the phone
01:34:04.470 --> 01:34:07.645
so it's clear as you
can so we can hear you.
01:34:07.645 --> 01:34:08.700
I appreciate that.
01:34:08.700 --> 01:34:13.280
My second comment was
to ensure that the companies
01:34:13.280 --> 01:34:17.720
provide accurate information
to the incarcerated individuals
01:34:17.720 --> 01:34:20.510
having to deal with the fees associated
01:34:20.510 --> 01:34:23.500
with the methods of the calls
01:34:23.500 --> 01:34:27.630
and my third point was
associated with COVID.
01:34:27.630 --> 01:34:30.010
We have learned how the advancement
01:34:30.010 --> 01:34:34.730
of technology can assist in
allowing the world to progress
01:34:34.730 --> 01:34:37.610
and there are many free
services that are available
01:34:37.610 --> 01:34:40.220
to non incarcerated people.
01:34:40.220 --> 01:34:43.550
Most frequently, I think
we are familiar with Zoom.
01:34:43.550 --> 01:34:48.300
Zoom allows for 40 minutes
calls without any fees,
01:34:48.300 --> 01:34:50.420
obviously, assuming
that you have the ability
01:34:50.420 --> 01:34:53.660
to have internet access and a computer.
01:34:53.660 --> 01:34:57.190
There is no basis for fees
for incarcerated people
01:34:57.190 --> 01:34:58.403
to make phone calls.
01:34:59.470 --> 01:35:03.810
And at the conclusion of
someone's incarceration
01:35:03.810 --> 01:35:07.720
there can be a balance
left on someone's account.
01:35:07.720 --> 01:35:09.572
I will tell you that in my experience.
01:35:09.572 --> 01:35:11.750
there's a six month period of time
01:35:11.750 --> 01:35:15.980
that the company allows
you to seek reimbursement
01:35:15.980 --> 01:35:18.170
and the disclosures go out
01:35:18.170 --> 01:35:20.980
near the end of that
six month period of time
01:35:20.980 --> 01:35:23.370
and by the time that you call
01:35:23.370 --> 01:35:25.550
and get connected to the right person,
01:35:25.550 --> 01:35:28.800
it can be too late to
receive that refund.
01:35:28.800 --> 01:35:30.370
Those are the types of disclosures
01:35:30.370 --> 01:35:32.810
that should continue to be the focus
01:35:33.710 --> 01:35:36.130
to the extent fees remain.
01:35:36.130 --> 01:35:39.270
As heard, this is a mental health issue
01:35:39.270 --> 01:35:41.790
and it impacts mostly the people
01:35:41.790 --> 01:35:44.570
that are the innocent family members
01:35:44.570 --> 01:35:49.570
attempting to assist in
the rehabilitation process.
01:35:49.900 --> 01:35:50.923
Thank you very much.
01:35:52.530 --> 01:35:54.780
Thank you so
much color for calling in
01:35:54.780 --> 01:35:59.370
and particularly appreciated
your focus on new points
01:35:59.370 --> 01:36:01.420
that hadn't been made yet.
01:36:01.420 --> 01:36:03.698
Did any of the Commissioners
have any questions
01:36:03.698 --> 01:36:06.453
they wanted to ask the caller?
01:36:08.690 --> 01:36:13.012
I had one other
comment, may I make it?
01:36:13.012 --> 01:36:14.762
Yeah, please go ahead.
01:36:15.660 --> 01:36:16.493
The last thing
01:36:16.493 --> 01:36:19.010
is the company's movement,
01:36:19.010 --> 01:36:23.980
the amount of money you can
put on your account per time
01:36:23.980 --> 01:36:26.890
and that amount from my
experience with Securus
01:36:26.890 --> 01:36:30.960
as well as Global Tel is 50 dollars
01:36:30.960 --> 01:36:32.960
and you get charged the same fee,
01:36:32.960 --> 01:36:34.930
whether you put 10 dollars
01:36:34.930 --> 01:36:39.510
or 50 dollars on there should
be either a higher amount
01:36:39.510 --> 01:36:43.370
you can put on each time to
the extent these are allowed
01:36:43.370 --> 01:36:46.121
or the fees should be reduced
01:36:46.121 --> 01:36:49.200
because that is the way
that they continue to promote
01:36:50.090 --> 01:36:52.423
their profit at our expense.
01:36:53.663 --> 01:36:55.320
All right, thank you.
01:36:55.320 --> 01:36:58.420
We heard a lot about
that yesterday as well
01:36:58.420 --> 01:37:02.030
and just a reminder for the caller
01:37:02.030 --> 01:37:03.710
as well as other callers
01:37:05.110 --> 01:37:07.270
or if you have other folks listening
01:37:07.270 --> 01:37:08.776
that haven't yet made a comment,
01:37:08.776 --> 01:37:13.300
we do welcome submittal of emails
01:37:13.300 --> 01:37:15.880
to our public advisor's office.
01:37:15.880 --> 01:37:19.420
If you have any further
information you'd like to provide
01:37:19.420 --> 01:37:21.420
to us, the public advisor's email
01:37:21.420 --> 01:37:26.403
is public.advisor@cpc.ca.gov
01:37:27.300 --> 01:37:29.730
or you can call the
public advisor's office
01:37:29.730 --> 01:37:33.180
and they will assist you in
navigating a Commission
01:37:33.180 --> 01:37:37.283
and our practices and their
phone number is 18668498390.
01:37:42.210 --> 01:37:44.070
So appreciate the comments
01:37:45.464 --> 01:37:47.970
and you're taking the time to call in
01:37:49.748 --> 01:37:53.990
Operator, do we have any more callers
01:37:53.990 --> 01:37:55.230
waiting to make a comment?
01:37:55.230 --> 01:37:57.653
If so if you could
please call the next one.
01:37:59.200 --> 01:38:01.160
Yes, we have
five additional in queue
01:38:01.160 --> 01:38:05.770
at this time and our
next caller is Liz Araiza,
01:38:05.770 --> 01:38:06.620
you may go ahead.
01:38:09.590 --> 01:38:10.590
Hello, good evening.
01:38:10.590 --> 01:38:17.320
My name is Liz L I Z, Last
name Araiza, A R A I Z,
01:38:17.320 --> 01:38:18.360
as in zebra, A
01:38:19.900 --> 01:38:23.380
and I have a son who is incarcerated
01:38:23.380 --> 01:38:27.210
and one of my issues with the fees
01:38:27.210 --> 01:38:30.330
is that they had on the website
01:38:30.330 --> 01:38:32.350
we could do video chat,
01:38:32.350 --> 01:38:35.480
so I paid for two different video chats,
01:38:35.480 --> 01:38:37.850
was not able to log
onto those video chats
01:38:37.850 --> 01:38:39.540
'cause the facility in which my son
01:38:39.540 --> 01:38:41.523
is does not have that access.
01:38:42.360 --> 01:38:44.560
I called their customer service to see
01:38:44.560 --> 01:38:47.730
if I could get a refund
and they told me no,
01:38:47.730 --> 01:38:49.070
'cause that's not their problem,
01:38:49.070 --> 01:38:51.368
that that facility doesn't offer that.
01:38:51.368 --> 01:38:55.600
So I felt that was very crooked,
01:38:55.600 --> 01:38:57.230
you could tell right away
01:38:57.230 --> 01:39:00.050
my son has not been
incarcerated for much time,
01:39:00.050 --> 01:39:01.420
it's only been three weeks
01:39:01.420 --> 01:39:02.740
and in that three week period,
01:39:02.740 --> 01:39:06.410
I can tell you already
that my first interaction
01:39:06.410 --> 01:39:07.503
with this company,
01:39:08.550 --> 01:39:12.120
I could already tell it's
a very slimy company,
01:39:12.120 --> 01:39:13.710
who's just there to make profit
01:39:13.710 --> 01:39:17.210
and money in taking these fees
01:39:17.210 --> 01:39:21.420
and so I did talk to a
representative who was very rude
01:39:21.420 --> 01:39:22.520
and not
01:39:24.480 --> 01:39:26.350
a good customer client experience
01:39:26.350 --> 01:39:28.803
either ways for the
money that they're making.
01:39:30.800 --> 01:39:33.580
And again, like some
of the callers have said,
01:39:33.580 --> 01:39:35.190
I've had to make some phone calls
01:39:35.190 --> 01:39:37.790
in which the phone calls are cut off
01:39:37.790 --> 01:39:41.030
yet they still take the full
15 minutes, dollar price
01:39:41.030 --> 01:39:44.430
and not getting a refund
or anything in that nature
01:39:44.430 --> 01:39:46.320
for my call being cut off
01:39:46.320 --> 01:39:49.970
and it's a lot of money to be paying
01:39:49.970 --> 01:39:52.210
when we said it's a pandemic.
01:39:52.210 --> 01:39:56.760
People are already in,
some people are in despair,
01:39:56.760 --> 01:39:59.540
some people are
already in some situations
01:39:59.540 --> 01:40:01.760
that are you know, dire,
01:40:01.760 --> 01:40:04.600
so it doesn't make it any easier
01:40:04.600 --> 01:40:07.120
but definitely having a system
01:40:07.120 --> 01:40:10.510
or at least like they said,
something where we can read
01:40:10.510 --> 01:40:14.131
the disclosure and
know their return policy
01:40:14.131 --> 01:40:17.040
or refund policy if one of the products
01:40:17.040 --> 01:40:18.720
that they are selling on their site
01:40:18.720 --> 01:40:20.430
is not accessible in the facility
01:40:20.430 --> 01:40:21.690
in which your family
01:40:21.690 --> 01:40:25.107
or loved one is in, that
would be really good as well
01:40:25.107 --> 01:40:27.180
(bell ringing)
01:40:27.180 --> 01:40:30.400
having some type of monthly
maybe subscription service
01:40:30.400 --> 01:40:31.560
or something of that nature,
01:40:31.560 --> 01:40:34.410
like a flat fee that they could have,
01:40:34.410 --> 01:40:36.460
maybe that's something
that could be looked at as well,
01:40:36.460 --> 01:40:38.110
thank you.
01:40:38.110 --> 01:40:41.430
Thank you,
Ms. Araiza, for your call
01:40:41.430 --> 01:40:44.970
and if you feel comfortable,
if you could mention
01:40:44.970 --> 01:40:48.533
the company that you're referring to,
01:40:50.300 --> 01:40:51.650
I don't know if you're
comfortable with that
01:40:51.650 --> 01:40:54.920
but if you we are learning somethings
01:40:54.920 --> 01:40:56.870
I would say that we
didn't know previously
01:40:56.870 --> 01:41:01.770
about families pre-paying
for 15 minute calls.
01:41:01.770 --> 01:41:05.350
So it would help us to
look into that a little bit more
01:41:05.350 --> 01:41:07.660
or if you wouldn't mind
sending that information
01:41:07.660 --> 01:41:10.233
via email to us, we'd
appreciate that as well.
01:41:11.120 --> 01:41:12.420
Yeah, it's the GT,
01:41:13.500 --> 01:41:18.853
I think it's GTO, I believe
or GTL, GTL service.
01:41:20.949 --> 01:41:24.819
[Commissioner Martha]
(inaudible) Miss Ariana
01:41:24.819 --> 01:41:26.863
is at what facility?
01:41:29.210 --> 01:41:30.160
Santa Rita.
01:41:31.423 --> 01:41:32.712
[Commissioner
Martha] Thank you.
01:41:32.712 --> 01:41:33.545
Thank you.
01:41:33.545 --> 01:41:36.290
And Ms.Araiza,
01:41:36.290 --> 01:41:38.550
I don't know if it's of interest to you
01:41:38.550 --> 01:41:40.640
but if you would like to try
01:41:40.640 --> 01:41:43.900
and speak with our
public advisor's office,
01:41:43.900 --> 01:41:47.020
they may be able to help
you in seeking some refunds,
01:41:47.020 --> 01:41:49.730
if that's not sure if that
would be possible or not
01:41:49.730 --> 01:41:52.470
but I've read the
number a couple of times
01:41:52.470 --> 01:41:54.340
and the public advisor's office
01:41:54.340 --> 01:41:56.637
if you'd like to try that
is (186) 684-98390,
01:42:01.100 --> 01:42:05.683
again, that's (186) 684-98390.
01:42:08.490 --> 01:42:09.390
Thank you.
01:42:11.720 --> 01:42:12.560
Operator, if we could
01:42:12.560 --> 01:42:14.163
please take the next caller.
01:42:16.770 --> 01:42:20.160
Our next
caller is Gle Morgan,
01:42:20.160 --> 01:42:21.010
you may go ahead.
01:42:22.050 --> 01:42:24.540
Thank you, Gle Morgan,
01:42:24.540 --> 01:42:29.540
I'm with the Public Housing
Authority for Sacramento,
01:42:30.710 --> 01:42:34.524
G L E, M O R G A N.
01:42:34.524 --> 01:42:39.524
I'm concerned about the
fees that approximately 3,300
01:42:39.800 --> 01:42:42.150
of our clients pay
01:42:42.150 --> 01:42:46.010
and I also have a
grandson who is incarcerated
01:42:46.010 --> 01:42:47.200
at the
01:42:50.810 --> 01:42:53.323
Substance Abuse Treatment
Center in CALCRIM.
01:42:54.466 --> 01:42:56.880
And so I know a lot of
people like talk about things
01:42:56.880 --> 01:42:58.580
you don't have power over.
01:42:58.580 --> 01:43:00.223
I would like to bring up an issue
01:43:00.223 --> 01:43:02.590
that I know you guys control
01:43:02.590 --> 01:43:05.900
and that is the lifeline
01:43:05.900 --> 01:43:08.770
and possibly the Obama phones
01:43:08.770 --> 01:43:13.040
and would it be possible to
use some of the same regulations
01:43:13.040 --> 01:43:16.870
that you used to control those programs
01:43:16.870 --> 01:43:21.260
and apply it to the
inmate phone program?
01:43:21.260 --> 01:43:23.410
I think that would be very beneficial.
01:43:23.410 --> 01:43:27.140
You can use some of
the same criteria to award
01:43:29.302 --> 01:43:32.870
cheaper calling for inmates that are
01:43:35.120 --> 01:43:36.470
in the junkie, if you will.
01:43:37.490 --> 01:43:40.660
So that was the main
thing I wanted to talk about
01:43:40.660 --> 01:43:45.660
and I will say that that
Adam calls me every day
01:43:46.680 --> 01:43:50.630
and I look forward to
those calls every day
01:43:50.630 --> 01:43:53.930
and he did call while
I was waiting on hold
01:43:53.930 --> 01:43:57.850
and I let him hear a
little bit of it before he left.
01:43:57.850 --> 01:43:59.800
I put about 50 dollars on
01:43:59.800 --> 01:44:03.680
and I think probably GTL at CALCRIM
01:44:03.680 --> 01:44:06.050
is cheaper than a lot of these people
01:44:06.050 --> 01:44:07.490
have been talking about
01:44:07.490 --> 01:44:10.710
and I don't have to pay some of the fees
01:44:10.710 --> 01:44:13.500
and it might be worth
looking into what they're doing
01:44:13.500 --> 01:44:14.987
there for everybody else
01:44:14.987 --> 01:44:18.740
and also look at what
your current programs
01:44:18.740 --> 01:44:19.666
are in the office
01:44:19.666 --> 01:44:22.130
and see if you could
apply it to this program also.
01:44:22.130 --> 01:44:22.963
Thank you.
01:44:24.380 --> 01:44:26.233
Thank you, Mr. Morgan
01:44:26.233 --> 01:44:28.933
and Commissioners, do
you have any questions?
01:44:32.270 --> 01:44:35.720
If not thanks for taking the time,
01:44:35.720 --> 01:44:38.003
that's certainly something to consider.
01:44:39.180 --> 01:44:42.990
Operator, if you could
call our next caller, please.
01:44:44.510 --> 01:44:46.970
Our next
caller is Sandra Hardy,
01:44:46.970 --> 01:44:47.820
you may go ahead.
01:44:53.820 --> 01:44:55.970
Yup, hello, Ms.
Hardy, we can hear you,
01:44:55.970 --> 01:44:57.154
are you there?
01:44:57.154 --> 01:44:59.080
Yes, can you hear me?
01:44:59.080 --> 01:45:00.950
Yes, we can.
01:45:00.950 --> 01:45:03.990
Okay, I'll just say
that I went to lend my voice
01:45:03.990 --> 01:45:07.560
and say I'm happy that
you're providing this service
01:45:07.560 --> 01:45:12.423
and just like our tax
dollars being used,
01:45:13.320 --> 01:45:14.623
we have a say.
01:45:16.930 --> 01:45:19.060
The people who are incarcerated
01:45:19.060 --> 01:45:22.363
and that just a reminder to all,
01:45:23.215 --> 01:45:25.548
(inaudible)
01:45:32.095 --> 01:45:36.600
Ms. Hardy off
the record for a minute.
01:45:36.600 --> 01:45:39.070
We are having difficulty
hearing you, Ms. Hardy,
01:45:39.070 --> 01:45:41.650
if you could please
make sure you're speaking
01:45:41.650 --> 01:45:46.650
close into the phone and
if you're on speaker phone,
01:45:46.740 --> 01:45:48.690
please take yourself off speaker phone
01:45:49.760 --> 01:45:52.240
and we'll be back on the record
01:45:52.240 --> 01:45:55.030
and go ahead when
you're ready, Ms. Hardy.
01:45:55.030 --> 01:45:56.830
Okay, can you hear me now?
01:45:58.204 --> 01:45:59.287
Is it better?
01:46:00.926 --> 01:46:02.844
Yeah, it is.
01:46:02.844 --> 01:46:06.240
Just want
to reiterate the point
01:46:06.240 --> 01:46:10.900
of having these kinds of
opportunities for the community
01:46:10.900 --> 01:46:14.570
to have something to
say and to lend our support
01:46:15.833 --> 01:46:19.860
and the humane treatment
of people who are incarcerated
01:46:19.860 --> 01:46:22.400
and a reminder to all of
us that because someone
01:46:22.400 --> 01:46:26.120
makes a mistake, that
does not make you inhuman
01:46:26.120 --> 01:46:29.310
and our goal is to rehabilitate
01:46:29.310 --> 01:46:33.690
and to help people to
be able to be reintegrated
01:46:33.690 --> 01:46:37.120
into society because they do matter.
01:46:37.120 --> 01:46:39.653
They're actually the
loved ones of many of us.
01:46:39.653 --> 01:46:42.480
I have a nephew that's incarcerated
01:46:42.480 --> 01:46:45.770
and just to remind
ourselves that they mattered
01:46:45.770 --> 01:46:47.823
to us quite a bit.
01:46:48.796 --> 01:46:50.800
Let's see what else?
01:46:50.800 --> 01:46:52.900
Also that we have to remember
01:46:52.900 --> 01:46:56.930
that we don't want to punish families
01:46:56.930 --> 01:47:01.930
or family members that
they're missing their loved ones
01:47:04.780 --> 01:47:06.630
but then we're going to
punish family members
01:47:06.630 --> 01:47:10.160
again by having them
pay for the communication
01:47:13.148 --> 01:47:15.481
(inaudible)
01:47:20.310 --> 01:47:24.520
but one that is really part
of the process of helping
01:47:24.520 --> 01:47:26.330
to make things better
01:47:26.330 --> 01:47:28.087
and appreciate what we're doing
01:47:28.087 --> 01:47:30.440
and I hope we'll continue to do it
01:47:30.440 --> 01:47:32.313
and that it will make a difference.
01:47:33.160 --> 01:47:34.163
Thank you very much.
01:47:35.270 --> 01:47:37.273
Thank you
so much, Ms. Hardy.
01:47:37.273 --> 01:47:39.063
I appreciate your taking the time.
01:47:41.320 --> 01:47:44.070
And let's see,
01:47:44.070 --> 01:47:46.440
operator, if you have any more callers
01:47:46.440 --> 01:47:49.090
or if you'd like to make
another announcement for us.
01:47:50.530 --> 01:47:51.620
Yes, thank you.
01:47:51.620 --> 01:47:53.530
Again, if you would like
to make a public comment,
01:47:53.530 --> 01:47:54.900
please unmute your phone
01:47:54.900 --> 01:47:57.923
and press star one to join the queue.
01:47:58.850 --> 01:48:02.490
Our next caller is Teresa Rockwell,
01:48:02.490 --> 01:48:03.340
you may go ahead.
01:48:06.760 --> 01:48:10.750
Hello, thank you
very much for this opportunity
01:48:10.750 --> 01:48:17.250
to speak my opinion and
my view on the situation
01:48:17.250 --> 01:48:19.960
and thank you for all of the committee
01:48:19.960 --> 01:48:23.160
who has made this possible.
01:48:23.160 --> 01:48:27.398
First, I wanna say I
commend every single caller,
01:48:27.398 --> 01:48:32.398
I get emotional because I can sympathize
01:48:32.650 --> 01:48:34.810
and empathize with
every single situation
01:48:34.810 --> 01:48:36.000
people have been in.
01:48:36.000 --> 01:48:38.190
This is my first situation
01:48:38.190 --> 01:48:41.950
where I have had a
loved one incarcerated
01:48:41.950 --> 01:48:46.660
and unfortunately his
family they're immigrants,
01:48:46.660 --> 01:48:49.380
so they have a very low income
01:48:49.380 --> 01:48:54.380
and they rely on me for the calling
01:48:54.380 --> 01:48:58.200
and any commissary
01:49:00.830 --> 01:49:02.100
help that I can give.
01:49:02.100 --> 01:49:04.580
In the last two years that
he's been incarcerated
01:49:04.580 --> 01:49:09.580
I've spent over 21,000 dollars
just on fees with Securus.
01:49:09.630 --> 01:49:11.480
And I wanna make note
01:49:11.480 --> 01:49:14.510
that there was a couple
of callers making a mention
01:49:14.510 --> 01:49:16.260
about Securus is that
01:49:19.112 --> 01:49:23.570
they charge you the
three dollars flat fee
01:49:23.570 --> 01:49:26.010
no matter how much
you're putting on the card,
01:49:26.010 --> 01:49:29.739
whether it's 10 dollars,
five dollars or 20 dollars
01:49:29.739 --> 01:49:32.800
and yet there is a cap of 50 dollars.
01:49:32.800 --> 01:49:37.540
I wanna also add that
they drop calls constantly.
01:49:37.540 --> 01:49:40.580
They have a recording
during our conversation,
01:49:40.580 --> 01:49:43.870
there is a recording at
least 30 seconds long
01:49:43.870 --> 01:49:45.760
and it's very annoying
01:49:45.760 --> 01:49:50.380
and that to me if I'm paying
for this kind of service,
01:49:50.380 --> 01:49:53.650
to me that is just
unacceptable for a phone call
01:49:53.650 --> 01:49:55.033
that is so important.
01:49:56.420 --> 01:49:58.427
I wanna say so many things.
01:49:58.427 --> 01:50:00.390
A lot of the callers have mentioned
01:50:00.390 --> 01:50:02.327
so many things that is so important
01:50:02.327 --> 01:50:03.743
and that I wanna mention.
01:50:05.012 --> 01:50:08.910
I wanna talk about how it is so sad
01:50:08.910 --> 01:50:10.240
that there are so many inmates
01:50:10.240 --> 01:50:12.210
in there that can't reach out,
01:50:12.210 --> 01:50:16.120
that don't have the ability
to fund their phone calls
01:50:16.120 --> 01:50:19.050
or their family can't
afford to call them
01:50:19.050 --> 01:50:21.683
and so yes, they do share phone time,
01:50:23.400 --> 01:50:25.820
hello.
(bell ringing)
01:50:25.820 --> 01:50:27.650
Yes, we can
hear you, Ms. Rockwell,
01:50:27.650 --> 01:50:29.540
why don't you go ahead
and finish your comments.
01:50:29.540 --> 01:50:30.590
I'm so sorry.
01:50:30.590 --> 01:50:34.590
They do share phone
time and it's crucial to them
01:50:34.590 --> 01:50:38.740
and because of that my boyfriend
has shared his phone time
01:50:38.740 --> 01:50:42.380
several times for inmates
who don't have the opportunity
01:50:42.380 --> 01:50:45.980
to have that allowance.
01:50:45.980 --> 01:50:47.040
And I wanna make a note
01:50:47.040 --> 01:50:49.580
that it is so important
for them to have that
01:50:49.580 --> 01:50:53.200
because they only make 25
cents a day if they're working
01:50:53.200 --> 01:50:55.630
and how can they afford
to make any phone calls
01:50:55.630 --> 01:50:57.370
on five dollars a month?
01:50:57.370 --> 01:51:00.680
And second of all, there's
inmates in there that are,
01:51:00.680 --> 01:51:02.470
I particularly know this one incident
01:51:02.470 --> 01:51:04.740
where we were on the phone
01:51:04.740 --> 01:51:09.740
and his his bunk buddy
had a massive heart attack
01:51:10.210 --> 01:51:12.120
and his family could not be reached
01:51:12.120 --> 01:51:14.910
and to this day, I don't
know the outcome of it
01:51:14.910 --> 01:51:17.640
and it concerns me,
not just for my loved one
01:51:17.640 --> 01:51:21.060
but now I'm concerned about
other people that are in there.
01:51:21.060 --> 01:51:24.490
And again, there's so many
things that I can validate
01:51:24.490 --> 01:51:27.100
that the other callers have mentioned.
01:51:27.100 --> 01:51:32.030
And I am so appreciative that
you guys have come together
01:51:32.030 --> 01:51:36.180
and allowed us to voice
our opinion and our concerns
01:51:36.180 --> 01:51:39.560
and I hope there's a really
good positive outcome from this.
01:51:39.560 --> 01:51:42.060
I probably won't affect me
'cause he's getting out very soon
01:51:42.060 --> 01:51:45.302
but I just appreciate you
guys having the compassion
01:51:45.302 --> 01:51:47.250
to do something about this
01:51:47.250 --> 01:51:50.400
and I thank you again
for your time and efforts
01:51:50.400 --> 01:51:53.653
and I hope that again, there's
a good outcome from this.
01:51:56.090 --> 01:51:57.500
Thank you
so much, Ms. Rockwell
01:51:57.500 --> 01:51:59.520
for taking the time to call in
01:52:01.016 --> 01:52:02.441
and making those points
01:52:02.441 --> 01:52:04.980
and sharing your concerns is.
01:52:04.980 --> 01:52:07.090
We have heard those
points as well yesterday
01:52:07.090 --> 01:52:10.593
so it's definitely something
we'll be looking into.
01:52:11.510 --> 01:52:12.660
Thank you.
01:52:14.840 --> 01:52:17.580
Okay,
operator, you'd like to call
01:52:17.580 --> 01:52:20.060
the next caller and I'll just
say one more time before then
01:52:20.060 --> 01:52:23.970
that if anyone is
listening on the live stream
01:52:23.970 --> 01:52:26.290
or on the phone and
you have not yet spoken
01:52:26.290 --> 01:52:28.350
and you'd like to, please just go ahead
01:52:28.350 --> 01:52:31.500
and press star one and unmute your phone
01:52:31.500 --> 01:52:34.110
and the operator will
be with you shortly.
01:52:34.110 --> 01:52:36.860
Operator, if you could
announce our next caller please.
01:52:38.470 --> 01:52:40.870
Our next
caller is Delores Cannoli,
01:52:41.720 --> 01:52:42.570
you may go ahead.
01:52:44.180 --> 01:52:46.040
Hello, thank
you much for providing
01:52:46.040 --> 01:52:47.310
this opportunity.
01:52:47.310 --> 01:52:48.901
I would like to share my experience.
01:52:48.901 --> 01:52:52.360
I have a son that is
incarcerated at Theo Lacy,
01:52:52.360 --> 01:52:56.250
a men's facility in
Orange County, California
01:52:56.250 --> 01:52:59.000
and through the service,
Global Tel Network,
01:52:59.000 --> 01:53:02.610
there's oftentimes
that, not just with my son
01:53:02.610 --> 01:53:05.230
but many of the
individuals, will call home
01:53:05.230 --> 01:53:09.000
and us family members will
be attempting to accept the call,
01:53:09.000 --> 01:53:11.010
we'll press the zero and the five
01:53:11.010 --> 01:53:13.750
and everything it asks
of us over and over
01:53:13.750 --> 01:53:18.540
and then the recording will
tell the incarcerated person,
01:53:18.540 --> 01:53:20.370
your call was refused
01:53:20.370 --> 01:53:23.440
and this creates a lot of chaos,
01:53:23.440 --> 01:53:27.150
it compels on the trauma
of the family separation
01:53:27.150 --> 01:53:29.450
that you're already
experiencing anyways,
01:53:29.450 --> 01:53:31.410
being separated from your loved one.
01:53:31.410 --> 01:53:33.790
I have conveyed to my
son what is happening,
01:53:33.790 --> 01:53:36.330
he's also communicated
to me that it's happening
01:53:36.330 --> 01:53:37.700
with numerous individuals
01:53:37.700 --> 01:53:39.570
through the Global Tel Link Network.
01:53:39.570 --> 01:53:43.570
Another thing that continues to happen.
01:53:43.570 --> 01:53:45.370
Ms. sorry to interrupt.
01:53:46.949 --> 01:53:48.860
Let's go off the record for a minute.
01:53:48.860 --> 01:53:52.397
If you wouldn't mind
speaking a little more slowly,
01:53:52.397 --> 01:53:55.180
possibly hard for us to catch up
01:53:55.180 --> 01:53:57.790
and as we go back on the record
01:53:57.790 --> 01:53:59.930
if you wouldn't mind
stating your name again
01:53:59.930 --> 01:54:01.220
for us we'd appreciate it
01:54:01.220 --> 01:54:03.290
and stating and spelling as you could
01:54:03.290 --> 01:54:05.040
and go on it will be on the record.
01:54:05.890 --> 01:54:10.750
Thank you, my
name is Delores Cannolis
01:54:10.750 --> 01:54:13.530
and I have a son that is
incarcerated right now.
01:54:13.530 --> 01:54:16.930
He's being held in
Theo Lacy Men's Facility,
01:54:16.930 --> 01:54:19.360
in Orange, California
01:54:19.360 --> 01:54:23.190
and one thing that many
family members are experiencing
01:54:23.190 --> 01:54:26.250
is when we attempt to accept the call,
01:54:26.250 --> 01:54:28.930
the collect call from the
Global Tel Link Network,
01:54:28.930 --> 01:54:31.440
which is referred to as GTL,
01:54:31.440 --> 01:54:34.720
the GTL service will refuse our call
01:54:34.720 --> 01:54:36.340
and then on the recording
01:54:36.340 --> 01:54:41.310
it will tell the incarcerated
person that your call
01:54:41.310 --> 01:54:45.550
was refused, which is
absolutely not the case.
01:54:45.550 --> 01:54:47.660
It has caused a lot of concern,
01:54:47.660 --> 01:54:52.660
it's added to the trauma that
families are already enduring
01:54:52.840 --> 01:54:55.520
and suffering when they
can't reach their loved one
01:54:55.520 --> 01:54:56.700
and then they're being told
01:54:56.700 --> 01:54:59.130
that their loved one
is refusing the call.
01:54:59.130 --> 01:55:01.230
This is something that
continues to happen
01:55:01.230 --> 01:55:04.922
over and over again,
even after multiple attempts.
01:55:04.922 --> 01:55:08.650
I've already told my son
this is what's happening,
01:55:08.650 --> 01:55:10.420
he's explained to me that it's happening
01:55:10.420 --> 01:55:12.970
to many individuals inside,
01:55:12.970 --> 01:55:15.450
so they are more aware
of this to keep trying
01:55:15.450 --> 01:55:17.260
over and over again.
01:55:17.260 --> 01:55:19.280
Another thing that I've experienced
01:55:19.280 --> 01:55:22.260
with GTL, Global Tel Link Network
01:55:22.260 --> 01:55:24.140
because I receive numerous calls
01:55:24.140 --> 01:55:27.210
from state prisons across
the State of California,
01:55:27.210 --> 01:55:32.210
as I am a family advocate,
is that when the person calls,
01:55:33.690 --> 01:55:36.282
if I'm busy or something,
Global Tel Link
01:55:36.282 --> 01:55:38.230
will still put it through
01:55:38.230 --> 01:55:40.810
and they'll be talking to my voicemail
01:55:40.810 --> 01:55:43.330
even when I have not accepted.
01:55:43.330 --> 01:55:48.330
So it's like you experience
the technical difficulties
01:55:49.210 --> 01:55:52.660
of both sides of it where
I didn't accept the call
01:55:52.660 --> 01:55:54.530
but yet I'm still having to pay for it
01:55:54.530 --> 01:55:57.470
because I'm not
available to talk at the time.
01:55:57.470 --> 01:55:59.290
And then there's times
where I'm attempting
01:55:59.290 --> 01:56:00.680
to accept the call
01:56:00.680 --> 01:56:04.110
and it's saying that I
did not accept the call.
01:56:04.110 --> 01:56:06.660
Also, another thing that
Global Tel Link Network
01:56:06.660 --> 01:56:11.340
continues to do is if you don't
use the money for some time,
01:56:11.340 --> 01:56:13.550
numerous family members have reported
01:56:13.550 --> 01:56:17.040
to me that they just take
it and they just keep it.
01:56:17.040 --> 01:56:20.750
I have personally contacted
Global Tel Link Network
01:56:20.750 --> 01:56:23.130
and I have asked them to mail me,
01:56:23.130 --> 01:56:28.090
hard copy mail me, a printout
of absolutely all the activity
01:56:28.090 --> 01:56:30.190
like you would a phone bill, right?
01:56:30.190 --> 01:56:32.930
I have never to date received this.
01:56:32.930 --> 01:56:34.240
Another thing that happens
01:56:34.240 --> 01:56:36.660
is when at Dale Lacy Facility,
01:56:36.660 --> 01:56:39.000
with the seven one four area code,
01:56:39.000 --> 01:56:40.660
we're being charged 20 dollars
01:56:40.660 --> 01:56:43.540
as the county jails don't
have any caps at all.
01:56:43.540 --> 01:56:47.730
We're being charged 20
dollars to dial the same area code
01:56:47.730 --> 01:56:51.050
within that, which would
be free on your telephone.
01:56:51.050 --> 01:56:53.450
And another thing
Global Tel Link Network
01:56:53.450 --> 01:56:57.040
was involved in was a huge scandal
01:56:57.040 --> 01:57:02.040
in recording legal conversations
to people's attorneys
01:57:02.050 --> 01:57:04.170
and the Orange County
Sheriff's Department
01:57:04.170 --> 01:57:07.380
were handing them over to
the district attorney's office
01:57:07.380 --> 01:57:09.650
and this was all with the assistance
01:57:09.650 --> 01:57:13.220
of Global Tel Lik Network
and it is public knowledge
01:57:13.220 --> 01:57:16.080
and they continue to
just get away with it.
01:57:16.080 --> 01:57:18.240
So I would just like to
thank you for your time.
01:57:18.240 --> 01:57:20.807
I apologize for talking fast.
01:57:20.807 --> 01:57:23.240
we're rushed sometimes
01:57:23.240 --> 01:57:25.630
and I wanna always provide
the next family member
01:57:25.630 --> 01:57:27.823
to share about their experience as well.
01:57:27.823 --> 01:57:29.290
Thank you.
01:57:29.290 --> 01:57:31.470
Thank you
so much, Ms. Cannolis
01:57:31.470 --> 01:57:33.290
and I apologize for interrupting you
01:57:33.290 --> 01:57:37.260
but I have to say we really
got a lot from your comment
01:57:37.260 --> 01:57:38.360
after you resumed,
01:57:38.360 --> 01:57:41.910
it's really just some
very helpful comments,
01:57:41.910 --> 01:57:43.340
things we hadn't heard previously.
01:57:43.340 --> 01:57:45.814
So thank you for calling in,
01:57:45.814 --> 01:57:48.183
appreciate your taking
the time very much.
01:57:49.610 --> 01:57:50.553
Thank you.
01:57:52.355 --> 01:57:55.430
Operator,
go to the next caller
01:57:55.430 --> 01:57:57.160
and if there are folks on the line
01:57:57.160 --> 01:57:58.350
that would like to call in,
01:57:58.350 --> 01:58:01.880
please just go ahead and press star one
01:58:01.880 --> 01:58:03.360
if you'd like to make a comment
01:58:03.360 --> 01:58:06.813
and you haven't done so yet, operator.
01:58:08.944 --> 01:58:12.400
And our next
caller is Dennis Shippy,
01:58:12.400 --> 01:58:13.250
you may go ahead.
01:58:14.610 --> 01:58:16.047
Yes, my
name's Dennis Shippy
01:58:16.047 --> 01:58:18.710
and I'm calling actually from Ohio.
01:58:18.710 --> 01:58:22.960
We have a loved one who's
incarcerated at CALCRIM
01:58:22.960 --> 01:58:26.450
and we actually began communicating
01:58:26.450 --> 01:58:28.510
with him beginning last April.
01:58:28.510 --> 01:58:32.373
So we've been talking and
doing emails for the last year.
01:58:34.290 --> 01:58:38.140
Just for anyone who's
having a difficulty with GTL,
01:58:38.140 --> 01:58:42.573
I would say that they
are using MagicJack at all,
01:58:43.530 --> 01:58:46.370
they're gonna have a real difficult time
01:58:46.370 --> 01:58:47.440
getting phone calls.
01:58:47.440 --> 01:58:52.310
MagicJack works really
well for outgoing phone calls
01:58:52.310 --> 01:58:55.820
but incoming, prepaid phone calls,
01:58:55.820 --> 01:58:57.460
it doesn't work at all.
01:58:57.460 --> 01:59:00.890
And I was listening
to one of the callers
01:59:00.890 --> 01:59:02.570
just a few minutes ago, talking
01:59:02.570 --> 01:59:04.450
about the difficulties with GTL
01:59:04.450 --> 01:59:07.883
and one of ours with GTL
with our landline, MagicJack,
01:59:08.990 --> 01:59:10.730
it just would not work,
01:59:10.730 --> 01:59:13.800
it does work extremely
well with cell phones.
01:59:13.800 --> 01:59:18.800
That said, I would say that
the loved one that we know
01:59:19.260 --> 01:59:21.620
has no family members.
01:59:21.620 --> 01:59:24.400
He has a sister who
really doesn't communicate
01:59:24.400 --> 01:59:25.573
with him anymore.
01:59:25.573 --> 01:59:28.520
We were in contact with his aunt
01:59:28.520 --> 01:59:33.510
and she passed away
couple of springs ago
01:59:33.510 --> 01:59:37.220
and so we are basically
the only family he has.
01:59:37.220 --> 01:59:39.310
And we communicate through emails,
01:59:39.310 --> 01:59:41.960
we communicate through telephone calls
01:59:41.960 --> 01:59:46.190
and with GTL of course,
you prepay ahead of time.
01:59:46.190 --> 01:59:51.190
And what we've learned
living this far away,
01:59:52.521 --> 01:59:55.160
actually on the other
side of the country,
01:59:55.160 --> 01:59:58.083
is how important these phone calls are.
02:00:01.130 --> 02:00:03.110
Whether your inmates
calling family members
02:00:03.110 --> 02:00:05.310
from within California
02:00:05.310 --> 02:00:08.480
or calling outside to loved ones
02:00:08.480 --> 02:00:11.083
or family members outside of California,
02:00:11.940 --> 02:00:14.733
these phone calls are
so hugely important.
02:00:15.650 --> 02:00:19.120
We've communicated
with not only this inmate
02:00:19.120 --> 02:00:22.550
but friends of the inmate
who are also incarcerated,
02:00:22.550 --> 02:00:25.170
we communicate with them through emails
02:00:25.170 --> 02:00:28.200
and I can't tell you how
often they will just write
02:00:28.200 --> 02:00:30.530
and say, could you please communicate,
02:00:30.530 --> 02:00:31.830
we haven't heard from you.
02:00:33.840 --> 02:00:36.240
We're having difficulties (bell ringing)
02:00:36.240 --> 02:00:38.510
to share things with you
02:00:38.510 --> 02:00:43.510
and all of these means of communication
02:00:43.670 --> 02:00:46.030
are so hugely important
02:00:46.030 --> 02:00:48.450
and mean a great deal
both to family members
02:00:48.450 --> 02:00:50.170
and to the inmates.
02:00:50.170 --> 02:00:55.170
And to make the costs for phone calls
02:00:55.550 --> 02:00:58.270
less costly for family members,
02:00:58.270 --> 02:01:01.040
those living in either within California
02:01:01.040 --> 02:01:04.423
or outside, it makes it so much easier.
02:01:05.610 --> 02:01:08.810
This inmate we know has
had surgeries this past year,
02:01:08.810 --> 02:01:11.260
he was in isolation because going
02:01:11.260 --> 02:01:13.200
out to a hospital and then returning
02:01:13.200 --> 02:01:18.200
he had to be in isolation
due to the COVID restrictions
02:01:18.330 --> 02:01:23.330
and due to all the, at least,
two least two surgeries,
02:01:24.340 --> 02:01:27.930
he's had over the last year,
I think it's three, actually,
02:01:27.930 --> 02:01:30.060
two dealing with his heart
02:01:30.060 --> 02:01:32.083
and one with gallbladder,
02:01:33.331 --> 02:01:37.530
I can't tell you how
important it is to keep in touch
02:01:37.530 --> 02:01:41.830
and whether it's emails,
which we do prepaid stamps
02:01:43.330 --> 02:01:46.410
and sometimes we do
stamps for other inmates
02:01:46.410 --> 02:01:49.436
as well when they're
communicating with us
02:01:49.436 --> 02:01:51.640
but communication (bell ringing)
02:01:51.640 --> 02:01:54.740
and keeping up the morale of inmates,
02:01:54.740 --> 02:01:56.560
regardless of what they're in prison
02:01:56.560 --> 02:02:00.480
for is hugely, hugely important.
02:02:00.480 --> 02:02:02.920
I can't tell you how moved we are
02:02:04.160 --> 02:02:06.510
hearing from our loved one.
02:02:06.510 --> 02:02:09.107
Thank you,
thank you Mr. Shippy
02:02:09.107 --> 02:02:11.110
Writing and that.
02:02:11.110 --> 02:02:16.110
So any means possible
make it less costly, I should say.
02:02:21.740 --> 02:02:24.037
Thank you, thank
you so much, Mr. Shippy
02:02:24.037 --> 02:02:27.090
for calling in, appreciate it,
02:02:27.090 --> 02:02:30.300
all the way from Ohio, so
thank you for taking the time,
02:02:30.300 --> 02:02:31.943
must be quite late there.
02:02:34.560 --> 02:02:38.390
And I think we have a
few more callers remaining
02:02:38.390 --> 02:02:39.913
to make some comments.
02:02:40.910 --> 02:02:43.250
We'll go ahead and
move to the next caller
02:02:43.250 --> 02:02:44.393
if we could, operator.
02:02:47.493 --> 02:02:50.450
And our next
caller is Alexandra Gacaya,
02:02:51.480 --> 02:02:52.330
you may go ahead.
02:02:54.100 --> 02:02:56.150
Hi, my name
is Alexandra Gacaya,
02:02:56.150 --> 02:02:59.220
and I am just a concerned
citizen from the inland empire
02:02:59.220 --> 02:03:00.950
and I'm also a medical student
02:03:00.950 --> 02:03:03.797
talking on behalf of the COVID-19 relief
02:03:03.797 --> 02:03:05.180
and action committee.
02:03:05.180 --> 02:03:08.830
And I just want to reinforce
will all the incarcerated folks
02:03:08.830 --> 02:03:13.590
and people who are related
to those incarcerated people
02:03:13.590 --> 02:03:14.660
just reiterating what they say,
02:03:14.660 --> 02:03:16.700
that calling family
should be a human right.
02:03:16.700 --> 02:03:18.060
There's literally no harm
02:03:18.060 --> 02:03:21.660
in having these people
call people that they love.
02:03:21.660 --> 02:03:25.270
There should be no one
profiting off of incarceration,
02:03:25.270 --> 02:03:26.450
mass incarceration
02:03:26.450 --> 02:03:29.680
and this is the most inhumane
way we could be doing this.
02:03:29.680 --> 02:03:31.910
It's literally, again,
just a phone call,
02:03:31.910 --> 02:03:33.800
it has no harm at all.
02:03:33.800 --> 02:03:37.120
It is a small human right that
everyone deserves to have.
02:03:37.120 --> 02:03:39.833
It's crazy to even be considering that.
02:03:41.300 --> 02:03:44.430
And it's just crazy that we're
having this topic of debate,
02:03:44.430 --> 02:03:46.860
can these people call their loved ones?
02:03:46.860 --> 02:03:48.200
That's just ridiculous.
02:03:48.200 --> 02:03:51.630
Can you imagine if you're in that place
02:03:51.630 --> 02:03:54.900
where people were
taking over your barriers
02:03:54.900 --> 02:03:57.360
and being able to call your family
02:03:57.360 --> 02:04:00.140
and moreover we want
these incarcerated folks
02:04:00.140 --> 02:04:02.850
to be able to have a
community connection,
02:04:02.850 --> 02:04:04.900
we want them to be able to rehabilitate
02:04:06.466 --> 02:04:08.620
to and prepare them to
go back to the community
02:04:08.620 --> 02:04:10.390
and by further isolating them
02:04:10.390 --> 02:04:12.410
and adding these barriers to them
02:04:12.410 --> 02:04:16.810
or having human connections
with people out of prison,
02:04:16.810 --> 02:04:18.080
that's just ridiculous
02:04:18.080 --> 02:04:20.560
and it's only gonna
make their time harder
02:04:20.560 --> 02:04:24.050
when they get out of
prison, if they ever get out.
02:04:24.050 --> 02:04:27.110
So again, I am fighting, I am advocating
02:04:27.110 --> 02:04:29.440
for free phone calls, a lower rate,
02:04:29.440 --> 02:04:33.050
just no barriers to
having these phone calls.
02:04:33.050 --> 02:04:36.460
Because if you look
at it, these barriers
02:04:37.480 --> 02:04:40.340
or having people be able
02:04:40.340 --> 02:04:43.520
or having barriers for
prisoners to call people
02:04:43.520 --> 02:04:47.240
having these high rates,
it does not benefit anyone
02:04:47.240 --> 02:04:49.420
except the money hungry companies
02:04:49.420 --> 02:04:51.070
and these are the people who are already
02:04:51.070 --> 02:04:53.790
at insurmountable privilege
02:04:53.790 --> 02:04:56.140
and that is all I would
like to say, thank you.
02:04:57.400 --> 02:04:59.187
Thank you, Alexandra,
02:04:59.187 --> 02:05:00.900
I appreciate your taking the time
02:05:00.900 --> 02:05:02.350
and if you are still on the line,
02:05:02.350 --> 02:05:03.970
if you wouldn't mind stating
02:05:03.970 --> 02:05:06.180
and spelling your
last name again for us,
02:05:06.180 --> 02:05:07.230
we'd appreciate that.
02:05:08.410 --> 02:05:13.410
My name is Alexandra,
A L E X A N D R A
02:05:17.740 --> 02:05:22.740
and my last name is
Gacaya, G A C as in cat
02:05:23.800 --> 02:05:27.823
A Y, as in yacht
and A as in apple.
02:05:29.250 --> 02:05:31.570
All right, thank
you so much, Ms. Gacaya,
02:05:31.570 --> 02:05:32.513
for calling in.
02:05:35.173 --> 02:05:38.333
Operator, could you announce
our next caller please?
02:05:41.580 --> 02:05:43.310
Yes and before
we go to the next caller
02:05:43.310 --> 02:05:46.470
again, if anyone would like
to make a public comment,
02:05:46.470 --> 02:05:50.860
please press star one at
this time to join the queue.
02:05:50.860 --> 02:05:53.083
Our next caller is Madeline Reyes,
02:05:53.980 --> 02:05:54.830
you may go ahead.
02:05:56.020 --> 02:05:58.160
Hi, this is Madeline.
02:05:58.160 --> 02:06:03.160
I'm just calling, so I have a
partner that's incarcerated
02:06:03.410 --> 02:06:07.070
and the expenses are really something
02:06:07.070 --> 02:06:10.440
that is taking a toll on me.
02:06:10.440 --> 02:06:12.008
I'm a college student
02:06:12.008 --> 02:06:16.747
and already having a
partner that is incarcerated,
02:06:19.590 --> 02:06:22.300
it really weighs me down as it is
02:06:22.300 --> 02:06:27.300
and I spent 21 cents a
minute to speak to him
02:06:30.700 --> 02:06:34.699
and if you talk 20
minutes a day for a month,
02:06:34.699 --> 02:06:38.710
that adds up to 121 dollars.
02:06:39.600 --> 02:06:43.730
I need to speak to him
more than that a lot of times
02:06:43.730 --> 02:06:48.350
so the cost just adds on
and adds on and adds on.
02:06:48.350 --> 02:06:53.350
I should be putting this
money towards my school
02:06:53.420 --> 02:06:55.183
and my living expenses.
02:06:56.370 --> 02:06:58.700
So I really wanna say that I appreciate
02:06:58.700 --> 02:07:02.100
what Alexandra just said now.
02:07:02.100 --> 02:07:03.420
It should be a human right,
02:07:03.420 --> 02:07:05.403
especially considering knowing that,
02:07:07.126 --> 02:07:11.440
knowing that he's not getting
the psychological care health,
02:07:11.440 --> 02:07:14.264
mental health services
that he needs in prison.
02:07:14.264 --> 02:07:17.600
A lot of inmates rely on their
02:07:18.550 --> 02:07:20.830
familial friends' support
02:07:20.830 --> 02:07:23.570
and you know, at this point
he's not able to communicate
02:07:23.570 --> 02:07:24.550
with any of his friends
02:07:24.550 --> 02:07:27.850
'cause a lot of his friends
can't even afford to call in
02:07:27.850 --> 02:07:29.630
and check up on him,
02:07:29.630 --> 02:07:32.420
so they usually come to
me for that, which is sad.
02:07:32.420 --> 02:07:33.880
I think that he should have access
02:07:33.880 --> 02:07:37.263
to being able to speak
to people in his circle.
02:07:39.600 --> 02:07:41.250
But I really wanna emphasize
02:07:41.250 --> 02:07:44.230
that I do think that
calling should be free.
02:07:44.230 --> 02:07:45.820
My dad was also incarcerated
02:07:45.820 --> 02:07:47.760
so back then we had to pay
02:07:47.760 --> 02:07:49.940
to be able to talk to him as well.
02:07:49.940 --> 02:07:51.620
And I know that this is an issue
02:07:51.620 --> 02:07:53.020
that a lot of people are facing
02:07:53.020 --> 02:07:55.480
considering how many
people are incarcerated
02:07:55.480 --> 02:08:00.480
and how many people eventually
have to stop communicating
02:08:01.260 --> 02:08:02.093
with their loved ones
02:08:02.093 --> 02:08:03.983
because of the debt that they go into.
02:08:06.750 --> 02:08:09.363
I just wanted to give my
piece on that, thank you.
02:08:10.430 --> 02:08:13.250
Thank you so
much, Ms. Reyes for calling
02:08:13.250 --> 02:08:14.720
and sharing with us
02:08:14.720 --> 02:08:17.973
and I'm very sorry to
hear about your situation.
02:08:19.724 --> 02:08:21.663
It's a lot of money
for college students.
02:08:24.940 --> 02:08:25.773
Thank you.
02:08:29.360 --> 02:08:32.330
If there are any more callers, operator,
02:08:32.330 --> 02:08:34.330
if you could go ahead and announce them.
02:08:35.830 --> 02:08:38.670
Our next
caller is Deidra,
02:08:38.670 --> 02:08:39.570
your line is open.
02:08:41.390 --> 02:08:44.340
Hi, I spoke
earlier this evening.
02:08:44.340 --> 02:08:48.440
My name is D E I D R
A, Deidra, for the record.
02:08:48.440 --> 02:08:50.960
I just wanted to add that yes,
02:08:50.960 --> 02:08:55.500
to piggyback on the
previous caller a few calls ago,
02:08:55.500 --> 02:08:58.453
GTL does get over with the rates.
02:08:59.659 --> 02:09:03.360
I have contracted my
incarcerated loved one
02:09:03.360 --> 02:09:07.483
and haven't been refunded
for several video visits,
02:09:08.950 --> 02:09:12.290
being that I don't wanna
cause any problems
02:09:12.290 --> 02:09:14.743
or be problematic, I've
just said, you know what?
02:09:14.743 --> 02:09:19.940
It's okay, whatever but
in reality, it's not okay.
02:09:19.940 --> 02:09:21.470
I'm a single parent of twins
02:09:21.470 --> 02:09:23.410
and that's my hard earned money
02:09:23.410 --> 02:09:28.410
and if I'm unable to clearly
see him in a video visit
02:09:29.280 --> 02:09:31.650
and the cost being cut short
02:09:31.650 --> 02:09:35.770
because of them not having
good phone connection,
02:09:35.770 --> 02:09:36.830
I should be refunded
02:09:38.048 --> 02:09:42.130
and it's a customer service issues
02:09:42.130 --> 02:09:44.360
when those calls aren't refunded
02:09:44.360 --> 02:09:47.413
and it's something that
needs to be investigated.
02:09:48.690 --> 02:09:53.690
I also wanna say too, that
it places a financial burden
02:09:54.120 --> 02:09:57.540
on myself being that
again, I'm a single parent
02:09:57.540 --> 02:10:01.870
and it's not just me, I'm
speaking for everyone
02:10:01.870 --> 02:10:04.780
who have these issues.
02:10:04.780 --> 02:10:06.860
Incarcerated individuals do not,
02:10:06.860 --> 02:10:08.890
are not aware of these hearings,
02:10:08.890 --> 02:10:10.310
I wasn't aware of this hearing
02:10:10.310 --> 02:10:12.400
until I joined the Facebook group
02:10:12.400 --> 02:10:14.720
and so that's how I was informed.
02:10:14.720 --> 02:10:17.600
Had I not looked on the group,
I wouldn't have been informed
02:10:17.600 --> 02:10:19.930
and that needs to be made available
02:10:19.930 --> 02:10:22.170
to the public so we can have a say.
02:10:22.170 --> 02:10:26.420
And I'm pretty sure that a
lot of people in the public,
02:10:26.420 --> 02:10:29.880
more people in the public
would be on this conference call
02:10:29.880 --> 02:10:32.660
had they been aware
of this hearing today.
02:10:32.660 --> 02:10:34.500
So I wanna wrap up
02:10:34.500 --> 02:10:37.710
because I know other
callers are wanting to speak
02:10:37.710 --> 02:10:39.123
and thank you for your time.
02:10:40.810 --> 02:10:42.180
Thank you Deidra,
02:10:42.180 --> 02:10:43.753
appreciate your calling in.
02:10:43.753 --> 02:10:47.760
Just about the video
visit you mentioned,
02:10:47.760 --> 02:10:50.410
you mentioned the
phone, the company GTO,
02:10:50.410 --> 02:10:54.673
was there a particular facility
you could mention for us?
02:10:55.750 --> 02:10:56.583
Yes, your honor,
02:10:56.583 --> 02:11:00.860
it's Santa Rita, like the
lady that spoke before.
02:11:00.860 --> 02:11:02.840
Okay, all right.
02:11:02.840 --> 02:11:04.023
Thank you very much.
02:11:05.210 --> 02:11:06.130
Thank you
02:11:08.630 --> 02:11:11.013
Operator, are
there any more callers?
02:11:12.550 --> 02:11:14.160
They show no
more callers at this time
02:11:14.160 --> 02:11:16.721
but again if you would like
to make a public comment
02:11:16.721 --> 02:11:20.083
please press star one
and unmute your phone.
02:11:22.670 --> 02:11:25.140
And we'll go
ahead and wait a minute
02:11:25.140 --> 02:11:28.750
or two and see if other callers call in
02:11:28.750 --> 02:11:32.510
and if not, well, we'll move
to close the proceeding,
02:11:32.510 --> 02:11:33.510
the hearing, shortly
02:11:36.650 --> 02:11:38.320
And we
have our next caller
02:11:38.320 --> 02:11:41.040
is caller number one, again,
02:11:41.040 --> 02:11:42.900
sir, you line is open.
02:11:42.900 --> 02:11:43.733
Really quickly,
02:11:43.733 --> 02:11:46.540
I just wanted to encourage
the family members
02:11:46.540 --> 02:11:47.670
and loved ones of inmates.
02:11:47.670 --> 02:11:50.440
If you did have someone
that was trying to join this call,
02:11:50.440 --> 02:11:52.640
I do think the
Commission did a great job
02:11:52.640 --> 02:11:55.010
at trying to raise
awareness inside of jails.
02:11:55.010 --> 02:11:57.130
There was some notices
posted in different places
02:11:57.130 --> 02:11:59.160
and we heard it on the recording.
02:11:59.160 --> 02:12:02.270
The challenge is it's up
to the individual deputy
02:12:02.270 --> 02:12:03.370
to go to the facility
02:12:03.370 --> 02:12:06.010
and unrestrict the number
for the conference call
02:12:06.010 --> 02:12:08.240
and I had to talk to three sergeants,
02:12:08.240 --> 02:12:10.750
all of them told me
incorrect, wrong information
02:12:10.750 --> 02:12:12.900
and then finally I got
ahold of the lieutenant
02:12:12.900 --> 02:12:15.790
who actually was able to
go to someone in the admin
02:12:15.790 --> 02:12:17.290
and unrestrict the phone number
02:12:17.290 --> 02:12:18.930
and then I am paying for this call
02:12:18.930 --> 02:12:20.783
but the number was blocked.
02:12:21.730 --> 02:12:24.000
I hope the Commission understands
02:12:24.000 --> 02:12:25.490
it's not just a matter
02:12:25.490 --> 02:12:28.070
of raising awareness
for people incarcerated,
02:12:28.070 --> 02:12:29.710
there's some very real hurdles
02:12:29.710 --> 02:12:31.880
and every time you talk to a sergeant
02:12:31.880 --> 02:12:33.750
or you talk to a
lieutenant about anything
02:12:33.750 --> 02:12:35.350
you're kind of putting
your head above the water
02:12:35.350 --> 02:12:37.640
and that's one of the things
when you're incarcerated
02:12:37.640 --> 02:12:39.060
you don't wanna do
02:12:39.060 --> 02:12:43.386
so it is a very risky thing
to try and raise issues
02:12:43.386 --> 02:12:45.330
but I really appreciate the Commission,
02:12:45.330 --> 02:12:47.250
I really appreciate all the
support from everybody
02:12:47.250 --> 02:12:50.050
on the call and just to make
sure that everyone knows
02:12:50.050 --> 02:12:51.950
their loved ones probably
did want to be on the call,
02:12:51.950 --> 02:12:53.860
it's just that it's not as
simple as people think it is
02:12:53.860 --> 02:12:57.880
to be able to participate, thanks.
02:12:57.880 --> 02:12:59.360
Thank you, caller
02:12:59.360 --> 02:13:04.350
and yes, we did learn
that as we went along here
02:13:04.350 --> 02:13:09.350
that it wasn't as particularly
easy for prisoners,
02:13:09.800 --> 02:13:12.480
for incarcerated persons to call in.
02:13:12.480 --> 02:13:15.150
So I'm glad you were able to
02:13:15.150 --> 02:13:16.973
and appreciate your calling in.
02:13:18.100 --> 02:13:20.660
Operator, if you could
announce the next caller,
02:13:20.660 --> 02:13:22.423
I understand there's a couple more.
02:13:23.820 --> 02:13:27.110
Yes, our next
caller is Diana Cruz,
02:13:27.110 --> 02:13:27.960
you may go ahead.
02:13:29.200 --> 02:13:34.200
Hi, my name is Diana
Cruz, spelling is D I A N A,
02:13:35.150 --> 02:13:39.810
last name Cruz, C R U Z.
02:13:39.810 --> 02:13:41.720
I'm an executive board member
02:13:41.720 --> 02:13:43.450
with Pride In Truth Organization
02:13:43.450 --> 02:13:46.850
and I'm also a system
impacted family member.
02:13:46.850 --> 02:13:50.220
First of all, thank you very
much for holding this hearing.
02:13:50.220 --> 02:13:52.570
I just wanted to say if families
02:13:52.570 --> 02:13:54.560
we're not only dealing
with the stressors
02:13:54.560 --> 02:13:56.260
of having a loved one incarcerated,
02:13:56.260 --> 02:13:57.969
which is the main thing
02:13:57.969 --> 02:14:01.850
but thinking about having one income
02:14:01.850 --> 02:14:05.300
we have to literally count
our pennies to even go visit.
02:14:05.300 --> 02:14:09.860
Each visit alone is like three
to 500 dollars a weekend.
02:14:09.860 --> 02:14:13.870
So now on top of that trying
to even talk to our loved ones
02:14:13.870 --> 02:14:16.200
on these really expensive phone calls
02:14:16.200 --> 02:14:18.730
and plus visits, phone calls, they all,
02:14:18.730 --> 02:14:22.029
like everybody says,
links to a rehabilitation.
02:14:22.029 --> 02:14:25.170
We shouldn't have to be forced
02:14:25.170 --> 02:14:27.350
to choose whether, okay should I visit
02:14:27.350 --> 02:14:29.056
or should I get a call?
02:14:29.056 --> 02:14:32.370
These prisons are very,
very far away from us
02:14:32.370 --> 02:14:35.760
so renting a car, going to a hotel,
02:14:35.760 --> 02:14:37.420
all that, everything adds up
02:14:38.367 --> 02:14:42.780
and so one less financial
burden would be absolutely great.
02:14:42.780 --> 02:14:45.583
I remember one time I had two jobs,
02:14:45.583 --> 02:14:48.383
I was very financially burdened.
02:14:48.383 --> 02:14:50.370
My loved one called me,
02:14:50.370 --> 02:14:52.540
it was a 15 minute
phone call from prison
02:14:52.540 --> 02:14:54.790
but yet it ended at five minutes
02:14:54.790 --> 02:14:56.300
because I didn't have enough funds
02:14:56.300 --> 02:15:00.630
to even be able to talk
to him for 15 minutes.
02:15:00.630 --> 02:15:04.420
So, free phone calls would
have been great at that time.
02:15:04.420 --> 02:15:07.770
I also used to work in
jails, in Orange County
02:15:07.770 --> 02:15:11.170
and I used to see so many
individuals incarcerated
02:15:11.170 --> 02:15:13.410
that weren't able to
call their loved ones
02:15:13.410 --> 02:15:18.400
because their family members
weren't financially stable
02:15:18.400 --> 02:15:20.020
to receive those phone calls.
02:15:20.020 --> 02:15:21.810
So I can see it both ways.
02:15:21.810 --> 02:15:24.410
And like a lot of families were saying
02:15:24.410 --> 02:15:25.940
the stresses of COVID.
02:15:25.940 --> 02:15:29.630
I mean, our loved ones
were literally locked down
02:15:30.627 --> 02:15:32.373
and one day were able to come out,
02:15:33.840 --> 02:15:35.690
some of them weren't
even able to call us,
02:15:35.690 --> 02:15:37.210
some of them were stressing out,
02:15:37.210 --> 02:15:39.010
like I don't have money on my phone
02:15:39.010 --> 02:15:42.370
but yet I don't even know
if my loved one is sick,
02:15:42.370 --> 02:15:45.363
is in the hospital is
dying, all those stressors.
02:15:48.220 --> 02:15:51.220
Just finalizing it, we as families,
02:15:51.220 --> 02:15:54.350
we are our incarcerated
loved ones rehabilitation
02:15:54.350 --> 02:15:57.410
and we really would like for you guys
02:15:57.410 --> 02:15:59.700
to assist us in breaking the barriers
02:15:59.700 --> 02:16:02.130
that attempt to keep them away from us
02:16:02.130 --> 02:16:07.030
because (bell ringing) they need us,
02:16:07.030 --> 02:16:10.880
they need us to continue to be better.
02:16:10.880 --> 02:16:14.910
I also had a father
incarcerated when I was younger
02:16:14.910 --> 02:16:18.010
and I don't even
remember receiving one call
02:16:18.010 --> 02:16:21.330
and I think they was because
we were literally dirt poor
02:16:21.330 --> 02:16:24.150
and so that's probably
why he wouldn't call.
02:16:24.150 --> 02:16:26.970
But even sometimes with my husband
02:16:26.970 --> 02:16:30.210
right now I would love to
do three-way phone calls
02:16:30.210 --> 02:16:31.750
but we can't,
02:16:31.750 --> 02:16:34.617
I would love to help individuals
do three-way phone calls
02:16:34.617 --> 02:16:36.680
because I am financially stable now
02:16:36.680 --> 02:16:40.400
but we can't because it'll
be like an extra digit violation
02:16:40.400 --> 02:16:42.370
and your phone call will end.
02:16:42.370 --> 02:16:44.730
But anyways, thank you
so very much for holding
02:16:44.730 --> 02:16:46.773
this hearing and hearing us out.
02:16:47.950 --> 02:16:49.670
Free phone calls would be amazing
02:16:49.670 --> 02:16:51.920
and it would bring
more families together.
02:16:51.920 --> 02:16:52.923
Thank you so much.
02:16:54.370 --> 02:16:56.210
Thank you, Cruz,
02:16:56.210 --> 02:16:58.360
appreciate your
taking the time to call in.
02:16:59.780 --> 02:17:00.780
Thank you.
02:17:02.235 --> 02:17:05.000
Operator, if could call
02:17:05.000 --> 02:17:06.863
the next speaker, please.
02:17:09.721 --> 02:17:12.180
And our next
caller is Cheryl Lawton
02:17:12.180 --> 02:17:13.720
you may go ahead.
02:17:13.720 --> 02:17:14.850
Hello Commissioner.
02:17:14.850 --> 02:17:16.910
Thank you for the opportunity to add
02:17:16.910 --> 02:17:20.393
to the discussion this evening.
02:17:20.393 --> 02:17:23.180
I have a loved one in San Quentin.
02:17:23.180 --> 02:17:26.000
I do reside in North Carolina currently
02:17:27.740 --> 02:17:31.150
and have been in
contact during February,
02:17:31.150 --> 02:17:35.980
during the time that the
calls that I would place
02:17:37.330 --> 02:17:40.820
on the GTL network
would run over four dollars,
02:17:40.820 --> 02:17:43.550
four and a half dollars
per 15 minute call.
02:17:43.550 --> 02:17:47.910
I was encouraged in I think
it was early March when,
02:17:47.910 --> 02:17:50.810
the rates went down currently,
02:17:50.810 --> 02:17:53.490
they are less than 50 cents,
02:17:53.490 --> 02:17:56.490
about 45 cents per 15 minute call.
02:17:56.490 --> 02:17:58.130
So that was encouraging.
02:17:58.130 --> 02:18:02.140
But it also like to add to
the earlier caller's comments
02:18:02.140 --> 02:18:05.240
about excessive
interruptions during the call,
02:18:05.240 --> 02:18:08.450
repeating over and over
that this call is being recorded.
02:18:08.450 --> 02:18:09.690
I think that's excessive,
02:18:09.690 --> 02:18:11.880
it does cut into the communication time
02:18:12.960 --> 02:18:16.200
and that's an overreach, I believe.
02:18:16.200 --> 02:18:18.430
I am currently a law student
02:18:18.430 --> 02:18:19.730
interested in criminal law,
02:18:19.730 --> 02:18:22.420
so I do have an interest in the welfare
02:18:22.420 --> 02:18:24.810
of incarcerated individuals
02:18:24.810 --> 02:18:28.870
and many points that
the prior callers raised
02:18:28.870 --> 02:18:31.523
are very salient to the situation.
02:18:33.170 --> 02:18:37.510
Changing gears briefly, I
do want to say that I heard
02:18:37.510 --> 02:18:40.010
from my loved one today
was able to get through,
02:18:40.010 --> 02:18:42.010
he was able to get
through to me on a call
02:18:42.010 --> 02:18:45.240
and he did tell me that his celly,
02:18:45.240 --> 02:18:50.240
who also has a friend
who is on the GTL network
02:18:50.250 --> 02:18:52.280
prepaid calling situation,
02:18:52.280 --> 02:18:54.810
that she was not
informed of the hearings,
02:18:54.810 --> 02:18:55.950
which I found quite odd
02:18:55.950 --> 02:18:59.020
because in order to sign
up for the network service,
02:18:59.020 --> 02:19:01.060
I believe you have to
provide your email address
02:19:01.060 --> 02:19:04.230
and I did receive my notification
about a week or so ago
02:19:04.230 --> 02:19:07.470
regarding this hearing
and availability to participate
02:19:07.470 --> 02:19:10.610
but clearly there are
others that also do have
02:19:10.610 --> 02:19:12.330
email addresses, et cetera
02:19:12.330 --> 02:19:14.490
and are not receiving the notification.
02:19:14.490 --> 02:19:17.407
So that's basically what I
would like to add this evening
02:19:17.407 --> 02:19:20.470
and I hope that this
information has been helpful.
02:19:20.470 --> 02:19:21.970
Thank you for the opportunity.
02:19:23.230 --> 02:19:25.060
Thank you so much caller
02:19:25.060 --> 02:19:26.520
and I did miss your name,
02:19:26.520 --> 02:19:28.485
if you would care to provide your name,
02:19:28.485 --> 02:19:30.280
it would be great, if you could state it
02:19:30.280 --> 02:19:31.970
and then spell it for us.
02:19:31.970 --> 02:19:34.440
Certainly,
Cheryl, C H E R Y L,
02:19:34.440 --> 02:19:38.570
last name Lawton, L A W T O N.
02:19:38.570 --> 02:19:42.010
Great, thank you,
Mrs. Lawton, appreciate it
02:19:42.010 --> 02:19:45.763
and yes, appreciate the information.
02:19:47.370 --> 02:19:49.583
Operator, are there any more callers?
02:19:51.698 --> 02:19:53.860
And I have no
additional callers at this time
02:19:53.860 --> 02:19:56.170
but again if you would like
to make a public comment
02:19:56.170 --> 02:19:59.313
please press star one
and unmute your phone.
02:20:01.880 --> 02:20:04.410
And we'll just
go ahead and wait a minute
02:20:04.410 --> 02:20:08.313
or two and see if we
get any more callers.
02:20:19.674 --> 02:20:24.091
And please
stand by for our next caller.
02:20:28.200 --> 02:20:31.333
Our next caller is Pricia,
you may go ahead.
02:20:32.940 --> 02:20:34.500
My name is Pricia Nguyen,
02:20:34.500 --> 02:20:39.500
P R I C I A, N G U Y E N
02:20:40.120 --> 02:20:42.437
and I'm a concerned resident
of the state of California.
02:20:42.437 --> 02:20:44.450
And I'm also a medical student
02:20:44.450 --> 02:20:48.210
and member of the COVID-19
relief release action committee
02:20:48.210 --> 02:20:50.270
in the inland empire.
02:20:50.270 --> 02:20:53.100
I feel that there should be
no barriers to communication
02:20:53.100 --> 02:20:54.430
between loved ones,
02:20:54.430 --> 02:20:56.770
that it is a human rights
that we have the privilege
02:20:56.770 --> 02:20:58.440
of exercising every day
02:20:58.440 --> 02:21:00.370
but incarcerated folks don't.
02:21:00.370 --> 02:21:03.330
The fact that prices are
controlled by private companies
02:21:03.330 --> 02:21:05.930
is evidence enough that
this is simple expectation
02:21:05.930 --> 02:21:07.200
and racism.
02:21:07.200 --> 02:21:09.840
People of color are
disproportionately represented
02:21:09.840 --> 02:21:13.210
in prisons and correctional
facilities and their families
02:21:13.210 --> 02:21:15.710
and loved ones are already
struggling on the outside
02:21:15.710 --> 02:21:20.530
and to further burden
them with this financial cost
02:21:20.530 --> 02:21:22.480
of just simply calling their loved ones
02:21:22.480 --> 02:21:25.240
is simply ridiculous.
02:21:25.240 --> 02:21:27.410
Our committee feels that capping charges
02:21:27.410 --> 02:21:30.750
and fees for prison phone
calls is the bare minimum
02:21:30.750 --> 02:21:33.260
that can be done to
alleviate this cruel harm
02:21:33.260 --> 02:21:35.970
that can pandemic to incarcerated folks.
02:21:35.970 --> 02:21:37.860
Access to reliable, affordable
02:21:37.860 --> 02:21:41.120
and communication
with their family is critical
02:21:41.120 --> 02:21:43.793
for both their mental,
and physical health.
02:21:45.360 --> 02:21:47.540
Moreover, the burden
of not having access
02:21:47.540 --> 02:21:48.373
to telecommunications
02:21:48.373 --> 02:21:52.190
or in the pandemic has
damaging impacts on public health.
02:21:52.190 --> 02:21:54.350
The incarcerated population was hit hard
02:21:54.350 --> 02:21:56.290
by COVID early in the pandemic
02:21:56.290 --> 02:21:57.610
when the disease spread
02:21:57.610 --> 02:22:00.630
throughout the California
detention facilities.
02:22:00.630 --> 02:22:03.340
Additionally, is the
racial ethnic populations
02:22:04.710 --> 02:22:07.310
who have suffered and
died the most under pandemic
02:22:07.310 --> 02:22:10.800
also have disproportionately
high rates of incarceration.
02:22:10.800 --> 02:22:14.050
We want to reiterate as many
others have also expressed
02:22:14.050 --> 02:22:18.000
that this exorbitant cost of
prison phone calls is racism.
02:22:18.000 --> 02:22:19.980
When so many people
even outside of prison
02:22:19.980 --> 02:22:22.670
have been traumatized by
the limited communication
02:22:22.670 --> 02:22:25.340
between loved ones
imposed by lock downs,
02:22:25.340 --> 02:22:27.570
the injustice and
cruelty of the high cost
02:22:27.570 --> 02:22:31.380
of prison phone calls
is further multiplied.
02:22:31.380 --> 02:22:34.150
As many others have shared
a phone calls are crucial
02:22:34.150 --> 02:22:35.930
in providing support for family members
02:22:35.930 --> 02:22:36.980
dealing with illness.
02:22:37.868 --> 02:22:40.740
Excuse me, Pricia,
02:22:40.740 --> 02:22:42.215
sorry to interrupt
02:22:42.215 --> 02:22:45.320
and let's go off the
record just for a minute.
02:22:45.320 --> 02:22:46.501
Sorry to interrupt, Pricia,
02:22:46.501 --> 02:22:49.510
we really want to hear the remainder
02:22:49.510 --> 02:22:50.610
of what you have to say.
02:22:50.610 --> 02:22:53.180
If you wouldn't mind
slowing down a little bit,
02:22:53.180 --> 02:22:54.533
that would help us greatly.
02:22:55.667 --> 02:22:57.743
And we're we're back on the record.
02:22:58.760 --> 02:23:01.770
Okay, denying that
lifeline during pandemic
02:23:01.770 --> 02:23:04.050
will have far reaching consequences,
02:23:04.050 --> 02:23:06.910
especially in a pandemic
where concern, anxiety
02:23:06.910 --> 02:23:09.160
and misinformation about the virus
02:23:09.160 --> 02:23:10.800
and vaccines abound.
02:23:10.800 --> 02:23:14.410
Reliable access to communication
with individuals, families
02:23:14.410 --> 02:23:16.370
and their doctors is critical
02:23:16.370 --> 02:23:18.880
in combating vaccine hesitancy.
02:23:18.880 --> 02:23:21.430
We are aware that
vaccination is being carried out
02:23:21.430 --> 02:23:25.160
in California prisons and
incarcerated individuals
02:23:25.160 --> 02:23:27.980
sharing their experiences
with the vaccine
02:23:27.980 --> 02:23:30.390
with family members can help California
02:23:30.390 --> 02:23:32.670
as a whole to reach herd immunity.
02:23:32.670 --> 02:23:34.480
The pandemic has made information
02:23:34.480 --> 02:23:37.050
and communication a critical resource.
02:23:37.050 --> 02:23:40.380
To (bell rings) burden
that resources cruel
02:23:40.380 --> 02:23:41.333
and traumatic.
02:23:44.930 --> 02:23:46.919
Thank
you, thank you, Pricia,
02:23:46.919 --> 02:23:50.010
appreciate your calling in
02:23:50.010 --> 02:23:54.853
and we'll take note of your comments.
02:23:58.420 --> 02:24:00.270
Operator, are there any more callers?
02:24:03.570 --> 02:24:04.740
And I have
no additional callers
02:24:04.740 --> 02:24:05.680
in the queue at this time
02:24:05.680 --> 02:24:07.790
but again, if you would
like to make a comment
02:24:07.790 --> 02:24:10.823
please press star one
and unmute your phone.
02:24:15.480 --> 02:24:17.790
And we'll
just wait a minute or two
02:24:17.790 --> 02:24:20.733
and see if we get any more callers.
02:24:45.610 --> 02:24:48.360
Okay, hearing none, let's go ahead
02:24:48.360 --> 02:24:51.020
and close the call in line
02:24:51.020 --> 02:24:55.720
and we'll wrap up the
hearing in just a minute
02:24:55.720 --> 02:24:59.178
and before we do that, I'd like to offer
02:24:59.178 --> 02:25:02.923
any of the Commissioners the
chance to make some remarks.
02:25:03.840 --> 02:25:07.250
Commissioner, whichever
of you would like to start
02:25:07.250 --> 02:25:08.433
to please go ahead.
02:25:10.610 --> 02:25:11.580
I'll go ahead.
02:25:11.580 --> 02:25:13.023
Thank you Judge Vogel.
02:25:14.097 --> 02:25:17.921
I just wanna reiterate
the deep appreciation
02:25:17.921 --> 02:25:22.920
that we have for everyone
taking the time today,
02:25:22.920 --> 02:25:25.690
particularly for the folks
that are incarcerated
02:25:25.690 --> 02:25:30.293
and giving their more precious
time, more expensive time.
02:25:31.230 --> 02:25:34.720
And there was so much
gain from today's comments
02:25:35.554 --> 02:25:38.950
and so much to really
adjust our thinking
02:25:38.950 --> 02:25:43.033
on how best to structure
what we have proposed.
02:25:44.030 --> 02:25:45.550
So thank you very much.
02:25:45.550 --> 02:25:50.550
And I just wanna acknowledge
the tremendous burden
02:25:50.960 --> 02:25:53.300
that many of you have overcome
02:25:53.300 --> 02:25:55.480
and know that we are listening
02:25:55.480 --> 02:26:00.480
and want to try to structure
this as well as we can.
02:26:01.690 --> 02:26:02.523
Thank you.
02:26:05.100 --> 02:26:07.156
Thank you Commissioner.
02:26:07.156 --> 02:26:10.103
Commissioner Sharona, would
you like to make some remarks?
02:26:11.647 --> 02:26:14.563
Yes, thank you,
thank you Judge Vogel.
02:26:15.780 --> 02:26:18.857
Thank you to everyone who's called in,
02:26:18.857 --> 02:26:22.053
the family members,
incarcerated persons,
02:26:23.030 --> 02:26:26.110
the activists,
02:26:26.110 --> 02:26:30.310
the individuals who wanted to make sure
02:26:30.310 --> 02:26:33.593
that we heard them and understood.
02:26:34.920 --> 02:26:39.640
I was very appreciative of
02:26:41.351 --> 02:26:46.293
that the the hardship
02:26:46.293 --> 02:26:51.293
of navigating, being able to
stay connected to a loved one
02:26:55.110 --> 02:26:59.580
and if you have the added hardship of
02:27:00.890 --> 02:27:05.603
being low wage, one income,
02:27:08.900 --> 02:27:10.750
maybe even earning no income,
02:27:10.750 --> 02:27:16.470
how do you stay
connected and navigate fees
02:27:18.514 --> 02:27:21.790
and silly dollars and cents per call
02:27:22.760 --> 02:27:25.213
and all the while,
02:27:28.410 --> 02:27:30.660
that connection is so important.
02:27:30.660 --> 02:27:33.230
Now, look, I wanna share that
02:27:35.030 --> 02:27:36.140
I am also
02:27:37.770 --> 02:27:42.030
someone who had a
family member incarcerated
02:27:42.030 --> 02:27:43.280
many years ago
02:27:44.910 --> 02:27:45.743
and
02:27:48.820 --> 02:27:54.270
I look back and on
the one hand I feel
02:27:54.270 --> 02:27:58.093
if I knew then what I know now,
02:28:01.240 --> 02:28:02.073
I was different,
02:28:03.610 --> 02:28:07.953
my own behavior would be
in terms of my communication
02:28:07.953 --> 02:28:09.430
with my family member,
02:28:09.430 --> 02:28:13.023
we corresponded,
we didn't talk by phone.
02:28:16.780 --> 02:28:20.970
What I appreciate with
that family member is
02:28:27.146 --> 02:28:28.646
what do you need most from me?
02:28:29.930 --> 02:28:33.210
And it was to listen
02:28:34.701 --> 02:28:35.618
and to hear
02:28:38.677 --> 02:28:40.713
and I haven't forgotten that.
02:28:48.443 --> 02:28:50.023
I recall,
02:28:54.440 --> 02:28:55.840
the feeling never goes away.
02:28:57.390 --> 02:28:58.223
I recall
02:28:59.130 --> 02:29:01.393
how overwhelmed I felt,
02:29:02.720 --> 02:29:05.170
how overwhelmed did
my family member feel?
02:29:05.170 --> 02:29:08.721
But I know how I felt and
I'm a person with means,
02:29:08.721 --> 02:29:10.863
so I can only imagine the hardship
02:29:12.480 --> 02:29:15.170
on families
02:29:16.680 --> 02:29:19.320
that have the added burden
02:29:19.320 --> 02:29:22.960
of not having the needs, financial needs
02:29:22.960 --> 02:29:26.430
and again, just navigating
sheer bureaucracy,
02:29:26.430 --> 02:29:27.810
it's mind boggling.
02:29:27.810 --> 02:29:29.660
So I wanna thank everyone
02:29:29.660 --> 02:29:32.490
and I look forward to working with
02:29:33.640 --> 02:29:37.650
our Commissioner on this
proceeding with Judge Vogel
02:29:39.344 --> 02:29:42.947
and see what we can do.
02:29:44.310 --> 02:29:46.003
Thank you, judge, back to you.
02:29:48.150 --> 02:29:49.850
Thank you so
much, Commissioner.
02:29:50.770 --> 02:29:53.240
Commissioner Houck, I imagine
02:29:53.240 --> 02:29:54.890
you'd like to make some comments.
02:29:55.800 --> 02:29:57.370
Thank you, judge Vogel.
02:29:57.370 --> 02:30:00.250
I just really wanna
sincerely thank everybody
02:30:00.250 --> 02:30:03.590
that commented this evening
for sharing their stories,
02:30:03.590 --> 02:30:07.520
their circumstances and what
they're dealing with regarding
02:30:10.570 --> 02:30:11.900
being able to communicate
02:30:11.900 --> 02:30:13.570
or not being able to communicate
02:30:13.570 --> 02:30:16.570
with their loved ones
that are incarcerated
02:30:16.570 --> 02:30:20.860
and I wanna reassure
you that we are listening
02:30:20.860 --> 02:30:25.408
and thanks Commissioner Gusmanaservice
02:30:25.408 --> 02:30:29.350
and Judge Vogel for their leadership
02:30:29.350 --> 02:30:31.520
on this really important proceeding.
02:30:32.870 --> 02:30:35.270
Again, thank you and
I know it's getting late,
02:30:35.270 --> 02:30:37.550
so I'll just leave it at
that for this evening.
02:30:37.550 --> 02:30:38.433
So thank you.
02:30:40.250 --> 02:30:42.370
Thank you so much, Commissioner
02:30:42.370 --> 02:30:46.774
and again, echoing the remarks
from all of the Commissioners
02:30:46.774 --> 02:30:51.050
on how valuable it's been for us to hear
02:30:51.050 --> 02:30:52.600
from everyone who called in today.
02:30:52.600 --> 02:30:56.810
We really appreciate you
taking the time to call in.
02:30:56.810 --> 02:31:00.670
We've definitely learned some things
02:31:00.670 --> 02:31:02.540
that we were not aware of earlier.
02:31:02.540 --> 02:31:06.750
So we will be reviewing those points
02:31:06.750 --> 02:31:08.102
and reviewing the transcript
02:31:08.102 --> 02:31:11.240
to look at those points as we go forward
02:31:11.240 --> 02:31:14.833
so thank you so much
for taking that time.
02:31:16.080 --> 02:31:18.070
As I mentioned earlier,
the current schedule
02:31:18.070 --> 02:31:21.460
for this rulemaking does
have the Commission issuing
02:31:21.460 --> 02:31:25.480
and considering and voting
on a proposed decision
02:31:25.480 --> 02:31:28.010
on this matter in the summer
02:31:28.980 --> 02:31:32.373
and just another comment that,
02:31:33.920 --> 02:31:37.510
if you did not call
in or if you did call in
02:31:37.510 --> 02:31:39.210
and you have something
you'd like to add,
02:31:39.210 --> 02:31:43.480
you can also submit
written comments at any time
02:31:43.480 --> 02:31:44.750
throughout the rest of the year,
02:31:44.750 --> 02:31:47.740
there is no deadline,
there's no May first deadline.
02:31:47.740 --> 02:31:49.210
You can submit written comments
02:31:49.210 --> 02:31:51.990
on the docket card for this proceeding,
02:31:51.990 --> 02:31:56.990
which can be reached at
cpc.ca.gov/R2010002Comments
02:32:04.103 --> 02:32:08.186
and you can also mail us
by regular mail comments
02:32:10.010 --> 02:32:11.543
at any time this year.
02:32:12.630 --> 02:32:17.250
You can go to the CPCs
website to find our mailing address.
02:32:17.250 --> 02:32:19.510
And those comments are most helpful
02:32:19.510 --> 02:32:21.400
to come in in the next couple of months,
02:32:21.400 --> 02:32:25.980
as I said, we intend to
issue an interim decision
02:32:25.980 --> 02:32:28.740
on this in summer but you can comment
02:32:28.740 --> 02:32:30.823
and write anytime this year to us.
02:32:32.630 --> 02:32:36.490
And finally, just if
you have anything else
02:32:36.490 --> 02:32:38.210
you'd like to add, just one more time,
02:32:38.210 --> 02:32:40.300
the Commission's public advisor's office
02:32:40.300 --> 02:32:45.300
is public.advisor@cpc.ca.gov.
02:32:45.670 --> 02:32:48.390
And thank you so much
to the Commissioners
02:32:48.390 --> 02:32:50.420
also for joining all of you.
02:32:50.420 --> 02:32:55.420
We appreciate the particular
Commissioner Houck
02:32:56.710 --> 02:32:59.230
who hasn't been as
involved in this case so far
02:32:59.230 --> 02:33:01.113
to have taken the time.
02:33:02.020 --> 02:33:07.020
So with that the hearing is adjourned.
02:33:07.230 --> 02:33:08.243
Thank you so much.