§ 1-10 Telephone Calls.
RCNY § 1-10
(a)Policy. Prisoners are entitled to make periodic telephone calls. A sufficient number of telephones to meet the requirements of this section shall be installed in the housing areas of each facility.
(b)Initial telephone call. Upon admission to a facility, each detainee shall be permitted to make one completed local telephone call at Department expense. Requests to make additional telephone calls upon admission shall be decided by the facility. Long distance telephone calls shall be made collect, although arrangements may be made to permit the prisoner to bear the cost of such calls.
(c)Detainee telephone calls. Detainees shall be permitted to make a minimum of one telephone call each day. Three calls each week shall be provided to indigent detainees at Department expense if made within New York City. Long distance telephone calls shall be made collect or at the expense of the detainee.
(d)Sentenced prisoner telephone calls. Sentenced prisoners shall be permitted to make a minimum of two telephone calls each week. These calls shall be provided to indigent sentenced prisoners at Department expense if made within New York City. Long distance telephone calls shall be made collect or at the expense of the sentenced prisoner.
(e)Duration of telephone calls. The Department shall allow telephone calls of at least six minutes in duration.
(f)Scheduling of telephone calls. In meeting the requirements of subdivisions (c) and (d) of this section, telephone calls shall be permitted during all lock-out periods. Telephone calls of an emergency nature shall be made at any reasonable time.
(g)Incoming telephone calls.
(1)A prisoner shall be permitted to receive incoming telephone calls of an emergency nature, or a message shall be taken and the prisoner permitted to return the call as soon as possible.
(2)A prisoner shall be permitted to receive incoming telephone calls from his or her attorney of record in a pending civil or criminal proceeding, or a message shall be taken and the prisoner permitted to return the call as soon as possible. Such calls must pertain to the pending proceeding.
(h)Supervision of telephone calls. Upon implementation of appropriate procedures, prisoner telephone calls may be listened to or monitored only when legally sufficient notice has been given to the prisoners. Telephone calls to the Board of Correction, Inspector General and other monitoring bodies, as well as to treating physicians and clinicians, attorneys and clergy shall not be listened to or monitored.
(i)Limitation on telephone rights.
(ii)Any determination to limit a prisoner's telephone rights shall be made in writing and state specific facts and reasons underlying such determination. A copy of this determination, including the appeal procedure, shall be sent to the Board and to any person affected by the determination within 24 hours of the determination.
(j)Appeal. Any person affected by a determination made pursuant to this subdivision may appeal such determination to the Board.
(3)The Board or its designee shall issue a written decision upon the appeal within five business days after receiving notice of the requested review.
