Krishna district jail inmates can make outgoing calls: AP police

With the commencement of 'outgoing call' phone call facility to inmates of jails in Krishna district, the prison reforms in Andhra Pradesh has been launched in a pilot effort by the AP Police.

However, no incoming calls and no differentiation can take place between the convicts, under trials. From Monday, the telephone facility will be provided to the inmates of Machilipatnam Special Sub jail and sub jail of Nuzvid to interact with their family members/ lawyer twice in a week.

A special telephone booth is being set up inside these jails by the prison authorities where coin-box telephone device will be arranged. Machilipatnam Special Sub jail officials say that with a call data of each individual maintained, an under trial prisoner can contact family members, friends and lawyers to discuss bail matters.

The AP Prisons authorities selected only two jails in the Krishna District given the number of inmates at these jails to provide the ‘out going call’ facility. The maximum duration allotted for an inmate is ten minutes at a stretch. While the inmates will be depositing the cash to spend it on an outgoing call facility, the convicts or under trials have to ensure not to engage in illegal or offensive discussions.

With no incoming call facility on the phones, discussions are not allowed over prison administration matters and censored matters. The telephone facility already succeeded in central prisons – Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry and other prisons; the facility is to allow the inmates to spend time with their family.