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SoCal counties face lawsuit over excessive phone rates in jail systems
A bank of public phones outside Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail.
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Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
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A class action lawsuit filed Thursday challenges the rates that inmates in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside county jails are charged for telephone calls.
The lawsuit was filed primarily on behalf of the family members of people in custody, attorney Ron Kaye told KPCC. The charges are excessive, Kaye said, and fall most heavily on women and people of color often on fixed income. He argued the rates violate both California and federal law.
In L.A. County, billing rates are $1.25 for domestic calls for the first minute and 15 cents for each additional minute, according to a document provided by Kaye. Phone rates vary by county.
Kaye said that there is no reasonable relationship between what callers are charged and the costs of maintaining the phone system. "It's pure profit," he said, adding that he believes county jails are taking advantage of families who wish to stay connected to their loved ones in jail.
"Family connection is critical," he said. "There's only one way to do it ... it's just unconscionable."
This is not the first time a lawsuit has been filed against jail telephone systems, but Kaye said no one has seemed to be focusing on filing against the counties for the systems they oversee.
The lawsuit asks for a reduction in the charges and for compensation to those who've paid the rates in past years.
Los Angeles County inmate telephone rates
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