Chicago Criminal attorney thinks receiving collect calls from the accused is a real hardship for their families

Wow!  This Chicago Criminal attorney understands the burdens in representing a client.  She also understands the sizeable burden placed on the families of those incarcerated, especially those that are awaiting trial, but unable to make bond—that’s right the accused, not the guilty, but the accused.

She recently spoke to a client who has been housed outside of Cook County; it’s cheaper that way for taxpayers.  When the call came through, she received a pre-recorded message indicating a call from a correctional facility was being made.  The message then went on to indicate that there would be a one-time charge that would appear for $9.95 for up to twenty minutes of phone time.  The message then indicated that just because twenty minutes was available it did not mean that I could talk for twenty minutes, as that was regulated by the Correctional facility, and the conversation could be for as short a period of time as five minutes. 

Additionally, the call is recorded.  Not that it should be a surprise, but at least they say it.  $9.95 for five minutes, most international calls have a far better rate.