Criminal Justice
Second death this week reported at Louisville jail
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A jail spokesperson said they are still gathering information about the deaths.
Business
Louisville wants free phone calls for incarcerated people
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Louisville is looking for a new vendor to provide phone and video call services from the city jail. Unlike its previous contract with Securus Technologies, the city wants the new vendor to make calls free for incarcerated people and their loved ones.
People making calls from the Louisville jail currently pay Securus, a private company based in Texas. The company then passes a portion of that revenue on to Metro Government in commissions. But a request for proposals issued this week says the city will not only forgo commissions but will start paying for phone calls directly.
Records obtained by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting show Securus collected $1.6 million from the Louisville jail and paid nearly $945,000 in commissions last year.
Related story — Phone Calls Still Won’t Be Free When Louisville Jail Gives Up Profit. “It’s so important for families to be able to have contact with their loved ones who are inside the Louisville Department of Corrections, and it’s a really great step forward that it can be free,” said Judi Jennings, who provides art supplies to children visiting family members at the jail as part of the Louisville Family Justice Advocates.
Business
Calls from Kentucky prisons become cheaper for some, more expensive for others under new rate cap
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The Federal Communications Commission capped rates on phone calls from prisons at .14 cents a minute in rules that became final in September.
Top Story
Longtime Metro jail union leader has history of misconduct allegations
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Current and former jail staff testified that Tracy Dotson has benefited from a culture of enforced loyalty and a contract which makes it difficult for jail management to hold bad actors accountable.
Criminal Justice
At Shelby County Jail, Quarantine Means Missing Your Own Court Hearings
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The Shelby County Detention Center isn’t offering remote hearings, leaving people with COVID without the chance to post bail or participate in their case.
COVID-19 Deaths, Infection Rates in Ky. Prisons Among Nation’s Worst
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More than 10,000 people are currently held in Kentucky prisons, and nearly 8,000 have gotten the coronavirus since the pandemic began.
Ky. Unemployment Office Is Waiving Overpayment Debts, But It’s Invite-Only
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The state has approved about a third of debt waiver requests — and most people can’t even apply.
Phone Calls Still Won’t Be Free When Louisville Jail Gives Up Profit
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The jail’s contract with Securus Technologies will have to be renegotiated to lower costs for incarcerated people’s loved ones.
Criminal Justice
Kentucky Jails Made $9.6 Million Off Jail Communication In FY2020
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His survey found “verbal” contracts, expired contracts or contracts signed without a formal bid process. The terms often included “technology grants” that were left open to interpretation, a one-time “signing bonus,” lines of credit for capital improvements and other incentive payments.
Criminal Justice
The Pandemic Isolated Incarcerated People. Kentucky And Securus Cashed In
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The Department of Corrections made at least $3.2 million last year off incarcerated people’s phone calls.
Hi, I’m Jasmine Demers, a reporter for KyCIR covering issues related to youth and social services. I’m also a corps member with Report For America, a national program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.