Overview

Ontario’s correctional services recognizes that communication between inmates, family members and members of the community is important for an inmate’s:

  • rehabilitation
  • successful reintegration into society

Inmates can maintain contact with others by phone. We have policies for inmate telephone use to ensure the safety of inmates and the community.

Inmate telephones and calls

Inmates can make local, long distance or international calls and may call any person under any one of the following conditions, including:

  • individuals with a landline or cellular phone
  • individuals who are capable of being billed for collect calls and willing to accept the charges
  • if the call does not violate a court order, constitute an offence under federal or provincial statute or jeopardize the safety of any person or the security of the institution

Emergency

In the event of an emergency, such as a serious family illness, injury or death, the superintendent or designate may allow the inmate to use the telephone. The institution will pay for the call.

In cases where a collect call is not an emergency but cannot be made, the inmate can submit a written request and the superintendent may authorize the call. The superintendent may require the inmate to have enough money to pay for the call.

Monitoring or recording calls

Telephone calls between inmates and members of the community are not monitored or recorded.

Law enforcement personnel may monitor or record specific calls if they have an authorized warrant.

Access to telephones

Telephone access times may vary from institution to institution.

In general, inmates may access the telephone system five hours a day, with additional access in case of an emergency. There is a 20-minute limit on all calls made on a pay phone. After that time, the call automatically ends.

All inmate telephones are shut off between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. seven days a week. Correctional services may authorize extensions to calling hours.

While inmate telephones are under the general supervision and control of the correctional staff, equal access to inmate telephones rests with the inmate population in each living unit.

Inmates without access to inmate telephones

Where inmates do not have direct access to telephones, correctional services will ensure that:

  • inmates can still make telephone calls
  • incoming messages are delivered to inmates

Staff supervised calls

In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent or delegate may allow an inmate to take a supervised personal telephone call, for example from the office of the sergeant, social worker or chaplain.

Text telephone for the deaf and hard of hearing

Currently, the inmate telephone system does not accommodate the use of a Teletypewriter TTY. Until this capability exists, inmates who need a TTY will be given reasonable, supervised access to an institutional office telephone that works with TTY.

If an inmate is hearing-impaired, the institution will make all efforts to accommodate the inmate with necessary equipment or supports. Where use of this equipment is not possible, consideration must be given to transferring the inmate to an institution where this capability exists.

Such determinations are based on the special needs of the inmate and the individual circumstances of the case. For example, the need for frequent contact with legal counsel or community supports.

Abusing telephone privileges

The superintendent will restrict an inmate’s telephone privileges if an inmate call either:

  • violates a legal sanction
  • jeopardizes the safety of any person or the security of the institution

Inmates that abuse telephone privileges may be placed on misconduct or, if appropriate, reported to the police.

Request to make a call

If an inmate has lost the privilege to make telephone calls, they must submit a request form to make a telephone call. The form must contain:

  • the name and telephone number of the individual to be called
  • most likely time that the individual can be contacted
  • the reason for the call
  • details of the message

The institution will act upon all reasonable requests, particularly when the calls are of a compassionate or urgent nature, and are made to:

  • members of the immediate family
  • an inmate’s lawyer or licensed paralegal
  • office of the Ombudsman
  • chaplains or leaders of recognized faith groups

The institution will make repeated attempts to contact the above designated parties.

The individual staff person making the call on the inmate’s behalf will indicate on the request form the time and results of any and all attempts to deliver the message. The form is returned to the inmate within 24 hours for signature.

Long distance calls will normally be made collect.

Call blocking

Correctional services uses call blocking protocols to prevent inmates from using the telephone while incarcerated to contact victims, witnesses or other concerned citizens.

An institution may prevent an inmate from communicating with a specific person by telephone if the superintendent or designate believes that it could jeopardize:

  • the security of the institution
  • the safety of any person

An institution may prevent an inmate from communicating with a specific person by telephone if that person submits a request to the superintendent or designated employee that they do not want to receive any telephone communication from the inmate. If this person is a minor, the parent or guardian can make the request.

If you want to have calls blocked from an institution’s telephones, please contact the Victim Support Line (VSL) at 1-888-579-2888.

Call blocks remain in effect until

  • the complainant requests that it be lifted
  • a court order expires in cases where the call block was ordered by the court
  • the superintendent or designate determines there is no longer a security concern

Call transfers and three-way calls

Correction services uses a three-way call blocking feature to support public safety and institutional security. This means that the phone calls offenders make normally:

  • cannot connect to a third line (three-way calling)
  • cannot be made to a phone number that requires the call to be transferred to another phone line, such as when a receptionist forwards an incoming call to a phone extension

We may exempt verified telephone numbers from the three-way call detect and blocking feature. We provide this exemption to facilitate the transfer of offender calls from a receptionist or automated telephone attendant system to the intended call recipient.

It is the individual’s responsibility to:

  • request to have their telephone number(s) included on a Common Access List or Call Blocked List
  • advise of any changes to their telephone numbers

The ministry may also allow for call transfers by legal counsel offices when receiving offender calls.