“It’s been really hard to not not able to see him,” Powell said.
JPAY VIDEO VISITS FREE
With the free call, Powell had hoped to show her son the family dogs and around their home.įDC’s current visitation suspension expires Sunday, but officials would not say Thursday if they’ve decided whether to extend it, noting they are working in “consultation with public health experts.” She and her son, who is serving a 20-year sentence for convictions of fleeing an officer and driving on a suspended or revoked license, had tried to use the video calling feature to see each other before, with little luck. Phyllis Powell (right), with her son Steven Powell and her granddaughter.Īfter two months without visits - the longest Phyllis Powell said she’s gone without seeing her son since he was first arrested in 2010 - the distance is wearing on her and her family. Glady and Trombetta, with FDC and JPay, noted that video disruptions are not necessarily on the prison-side of the call. Studies have shown visits from loved ones improve people’s success upon release from prison, and Rock said for that reason - as well as for the comfort of a familiar face during these unprecedented times - it’s important the video options work. “And now seeing what they get, it’s like, ‘Oh, goodness gracious.'" “Since there’s no go-around in this part right here, I would want the best video visit possible," Rock said. The coronavirus pandemic, however, has robbed families of alternatives and put a spotlight on the prison system’s technology issues. Rock said she hears “constantly” about issues with the JPay video visits, and tries to reach out on families’ behalf to fix problems like broken audio or dead tablets, but getting to all of them is impossible.īefore coronavirus, Rock said the video issues were not one of her top priorities. A video call typically costs $2.95 for 15 minutes. Soon after, along with JPay, it provided each inmate credits for the free 15-minute video call along with some other free or reduced pricing promotions.
In early April, FDC extended the hours of video visitation to help people stay in touch. Advertisement FDC: JPay ‘working on a resolution’
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