Durbin, Klobuchar Hail BOP Making Inmate Calls Free During COVID-19

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, lauded the Federal Bureau of Prisons Wednesday for agreeing to make inmate phone calls and videoconferencing services free during the COVID-19 pandemic. BOP responded to a push by Klobuchar, Durbin and 10 other Democratic senators for a waiver of phone and video call fees due to the suspension of in-person visits during the epidemic. They cited language in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that allowed BOP to waive phone and video fees for inmates if the attorney general determines emergency conditions will materially affect the bureau’s functioning. Phone calls “were made free for the inmate population” effective April 9, BOP Director Michael Carvajal said in a letter to the senators. Video conferencing was made free the same day, though only for female inmates. “We increased each inmate’s monthly telephone time to 500 minutes per month to help compensate for the lack of visits," Carvajal said. BOP’s Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System added a feature to its instant messaging service that will allow prison staff to filter out inmates' messages to attorneys. Durbin tweeted he’s “glad to see” BOP has “taken our advice” to “make phone & video calls free for federal inmates.” Klobuchar noted her push.