08 Page 1 of 4 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Effective Date: January 15, 2019 State of Tennessee Distribution: A Department of Correction Supersedes: 208.08 (2/1/16) PCN 18-5 (1/15/18) Approved by: Tony Parker
Subject: INMATE TELEPHONE DEBIT SYSTEM
I. AUTHORITY: TCA 4-3-604, TCA 40-24-107, TCA 40-28-201, TCA 41-6-106, TCA 41-21-216, and TCA 41-21-512.
II. PURPOSE: To establish standard procedures for the use of the Inmate Telephone Debit System.
III. APPLICATION: Wardens (excluding Hardeman County Correctional Facility, Trousdale Turner Correctional Center and Whiteville Correctional Facility), Superintendents, Institutional Trust Fund Custodians, Fiscal Directors, Director of Fiscal Services, Central Trust Fund Administration (CTFA), inmates, and South Central Correctional Center.
IV. DEFINITIONS:
A. Debit Call: A telephone call made by an inmate to an allowed telephone number, where the total cost of the call will be deducted from the inmate's debit account with the service provider.
B. Inmate Telephone System (ITS): A system that controls the use of telephones by the inmates at all departmental institutions.
C. Telephone Credits: Dollar purchases of credits to be used by an inmate to pay for a debit call. These credits can be purchased by the inmate or family and friends.
V. POLICY: All inmates at institutions utilizing the ITS for processing inmate telephone calls shall be allowed to establish and use the Inmate Telephone Debit System (ITDS) which will be totally managed and operated by the ITS service provider.
VI. PROCEDURES:
A. Inmate Purchase of Telephone Credits:
1. Inmates can request fund transfers from their institutional trust fund account for the purchase of telephone credits once each month.
2. Telephone credits can be purchased in "whole" dollar amounts only.
3. The minimum telephone credit purchase amount is $5.00.
4. The inmate shall purchase telephone credits utilizing the Department of Correction Trust Fund Account Personal Withdrawal Request form, CR-2727. (See Policy #208.01) Form CR-2727 must be signed by the inmate before funds can be transferred from their institutional trust fund account for the purchase of telephone credits or the request will not be processed. Effective Date: January 15, 2019 Index # 208.08 Page 2 of 4
Subject: INMATE TELEPHONE DEBIT SYSTEM
5. Upon receipt of all inmate withdrawals for the month, the institutional trust fund custodian shall process withdrawals in accordance with Policy #208.01 and deduct the specified amounts from each inmate's trust fund account.
6. By the 20th of each month, the amounts deducted from the inmate’s trust fund account shall be credited to an ITS organization account within the inmate trust fund. If the 20th of the month is on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the amounts must be credited to an ITS organization account within the inmate trust fund by the close of business on the next official work day. During the months of November and December, the due dates listed above may be moved back by two business days to accommodate the processing of Inmate Telephone withdrawals prior to the holidays. Such a change will be communicated in writing by the Central Trust Fund Administration.
7. If the amounts in Section VI.(A)(6) above are not credited to the ITS organization account within the inmate trust fund by the above stated date, the transactions will not be processed and the inmate(s) will have to wait until the next month to transfer the funds. Any exception to this must have the approval of the Director of Budget and Fiscal Services or designee.
8. The institutional trust fund custodian shall then prepare an Inmate Telephone System Log, CR-3569, completing the columns for Inmate Number, Inmate Name, and Amount.
9. The institution’s trust fund custodian shall fax or e-mail the data entry log to CTFA the next working day after the 20th of the month or the next working day after the date of crediting the ITS organization account within the inmate trust fund per Section VI.(A)(6) above.
10. On the 21st of the month or the next working day after the date of crediting the ITS organization account within the trust fund per Section VI.(A)(6) above, CTFA will print the offender management system (OMS) account balance report indicating the ITS organization account balances.
11. Upon receipt of the ITS data entry log, CTFA shall reconcile the amounts on the data entry log to the OMS account balance report. Any discrepancies noted shall be reconciled with the institution immediately.
12. After the reconciliation in Section VI.(A)(11) above is completed, CTFA will debit the ITS organization account for each institution and credit the Central Office ITS organization account.
13. Within two working days of reconciliation, a warrant will be issued from the Central Office ITS organization account and made payable to the service provider. CTFA will mail the check, along with the Inmate Telephone System data entry logs, by way of the service provider’s Federal Express account. CTFA will notify each institution's trust fund custodian of the trust fund check number and Federal Express tracking number. Effective Date: January 15, 2019 Index # 208.08 Page 3 of 4
Subject: INMATE TELEPHONE DEBIT SYSTEM
B. Family and friends may purchase telephone credits by sending their funds directly to the ITS service provider at the following address.
Global Tel*Link Corporation
Dept 1705 Denver, CO 80291-1705
C. An inmate shall not have funds deducted from the ITS trust fund and deposited into his/her institutional trust fund, except when he/she is transferred to an institution that does not utilize Global Tel*Link's inmate telephone system.
D. It will be the responsibility of the ITS service provider to refund any funds remaining in the ITS trust fund directly to the inmate upon his/her release from TDOC custody.
E. Any concerns with the system must be made in writing first to the ITS service provider. If the issue is not resolved by the service provider, the TDOC ITS coordinator may be contacted (in writing) with copies of all applicable documentation concerning the issue(s) attached.
VII. ACA STANDARDS: 4-4027, 4-4031, 4-4044, 4-4045, and 4-ACRS-4C-21.
VIII. EXPIRATION DATE: January 15, 2022.
Page 1 of 1 Date Sent: TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION INMATE TELEPHONE SYSTEM LOG INSTITUTION NAME:
No. of Funds Received INMATE NUMBER INMATE LAST, FIRST NAME AMOUNT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
