Prison Phone Calls Hustle-Priority Alert

One of the results of Donald Trump becoming the President is he either doesn't care or favors (whatever the reasons are) phone companies jacking rates and policies back up on prison phone calls

During Obama's Presidency, the FCC made phone companies price down rates on prison phone calls. Naturally, phone companies squealed, hating it because the prison phone call business is an extremely lucrative hustle, squeezing every last hard earned penny from families and friends of prisoners.

So phone companies appealed the Obama FCC rule and in early June 2017, the United States Appeal Court for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the FCC exceeded its authority by regulating intrastate prison phone call rates. To which the Donald Trump FCC will let stand and not appeal. So prison phone call rates can or will be jacked back up to those outrageous rates pre-Obama.

As it applies to Virginia we need to know this: Virginia has a Special Law, Va-Code 53.1-1.1

• Telephone systems within Correctional facilities the Department of Corrections shall offer debit or prepaid telephone systems, in addition to any existing collect calling system, which allows telephone calls to be placed to the telephone number or numbers on an approved call list. Such telephone systems may be established with the lowest available rates.

The law quoted above requires the Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] provide prisoners with the cheapest call rates available.

During the Obama FCC prison phone call rate decrease. The average rate of intrastate (within) state calls in Virginia averaged $1.10 for 20-minute call  This is very important. Because it reveals it was a low rate phone companies would provide prison phone calls and still make a profit. Which was a dramatic decrease from the pre-Obama ruling of approximately $5 for a 20-minute phone call?

So if phone companies providing prison calls within Virginia want to return to their $5 rates, VADOC will have to square it and explain why it isn't in violation of VA. Code 53.1-1.1.

So, people, we must be vigilant and use every means at our disposal to ensure that phone rates for prison calls are not slyly increased by phone companies with a wink and nod from VADOC.

LET US HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

In Strength,
By vapac

Psychological Warfare Against Virginia Prisoners By Michael Hunter Warehoused At Greensville Correctional Center

vapac

Solitary Confinement At Red Onion State Prison: They Want To Silence You, While Warehousing You

On 5/1/17; @ 10:37 a.m. Red Onion State Prison [ROSP] Counselor J.M. Gibson violated Virginia Department of Corrections [VADOC] Operating Procedure 830.1 "provisions governing Solitary Confinement Release Review and a prisoners right to speak at a hearing."

I have been in Solitary Confinement, continuously since August 9, 1996, and every 90 days VADOC procedure requires a formal Solitary Confinement review for either continuation or release from the detention. The Prisoner is to make a statement during the hearing.

During the 5/1/17; Solitary Confinement release hearing at ROSP, Counselor J.M. Gibson REFUSED to take a statement and he quipped "I asked for a statement, not a book." Here in its entirety is the "Book" Gibson didn't want.

"I want a security level decrease and transfer. The 1/11/16 ICA [institutional classification authority]  that changed the security level to 6 used erroneous and contrived grounds in violation of O.P. 830.2 and it was deliberate. My continued detention in Administrative Segregation or Solitary Confinement since 1996 is being done in violation of O. P. 863.3 specifically @ IX (A) ALL OF IT. This ongoing continued Solitary Confinement makes a mockery at least and at worst, the pronouncements of VADOC AND ROSP on reform and practice of Solitary Confinement a lie.

My 5/1/17; experience is just another example of prison officials at ROSP violating VADOC policies while using it, misusing it, when it suits their idealistic intent of warehousing Prisoners in Solitary Conefinement. In essence, they want to silence you while they warehouse you.

The public is blatantly manipulated by VADOC strategically placed propaganda in the media, touting Solitary Confinement Reform at ROSP.  But the reality is , the practice of Solitary Confinement at ROSP IS MAXIMUM.

By William Thorpe

(William Thorpe is detained at ROSP, Solitary Confinement)

The PREA Directive Antinomy

By Definition~The PREA Directive: Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) "Ends the abuse - Protecting LGBTI Prisoners From Sexual Assault.

PARADOX

*Note The Response*
"I Can't Read Your Handwriting"
But should have read
"I Don't Have A Clue"

By vapac

At Red Onion State Prison, Solitary Confinement Reform Is Reduced To Platitudes, Murals and Sloganeering

A dated memo 6/6/2016 to Red Onion State Prison
Note the written comment: The problem with this memo is, it relates to the Solitary Confinement of Segregation building, where prisoners are held and warehoused for decades. There isn't any HEALING ENVIRONMENT. It's only abuse, mistreatment, and violence against prisoners. Murals & slogans on walls will not impact any of that. What will is an investigation by an NON-VADOC source. Solitary Confinement reform is a must but it needs a unified voice against it. By the way? It is now 2017 and they have yet to put up mural/slogan!