|
|
| Colorado Inmates May Hit The Phones |
| By Denver Post |
| Published: 01/03/2003 |
|
Colorado murderers, rapists and thieves soon may be calling people in other states to sell them magazine subscriptions. The Colorado Department of Corrections is negotiating a contract with an out-of-state marketing company to use 170 Sterling Correctional Facility prisoners to sell subscriptions around the country, department spokeswoman Alison Morgan said. Some members of the House Republican caucus said recently that it was a bad idea to have criminals calling people at home as part of the prison's program to teach inmates job skills. They tried unsuccessfully to get it pulled from the state's budget. But the majority of House Republicans opposed a bill that would have halted the proposal. The program could start as soon as this summer if it wins approval from the legislature. 'Prisons have to find something to occupy the prisoners that doesn't compete with private industry and that gives them a skill they can use,' said House Majority Leader Lola Spradley, R-Beulah. 'That is the balance (the Department of Corrections) is looking at.' Morgan said the convict-telemarketing program would have safeguards that other programs do not, including automatic dialing to make sure prisoners don't know where they are calling. Non-prisoners would complete transactions, such as taking credit-card information from subscribers. Colorado prisoners also would not call people in the state. But other states, including Montana and New Mexico, are using prisoners in a similar program who may be calling Colorado residents, Morgan said. Morgan said the Federal Communications Commission is deciding whether to ban prisoners from telemarketing jobs because of past abuses. FCC officials could not be reached for comment. Utah stopped a similar program in 2000 after a prisoner tried to contact teenage girls in other states. But the Department of Corrections is going forward with the program unless the FCC bans it because it believes there are adequate safeguards, Morgan said. Colorado's 2002-03 budget proposal estimates that the contract will bring in $561,000 in the fiscal year starting July 1. The program would require six full-time employees to monitor prisoners. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Do you know someone who has been arrested in Waco or McLennan County? It’s important to find a good Waco lawyer to represent you in the matter involving your own liberty. Look for the best Thomas West that you can find. Whether you have been accused rightly or wrongly, it’s important to know your legal rights that concern whether you go to jail.