Are inmates able to make phone calls from prison?

NOTE: This is a personal blog, any views or opinions represented in this blog belong solely to the CIFFConsulting Team. “WE ARE NOT Psychologists or Therapy Professionals,” all data and information on these blogs is for informational purposes ONLY. In the comments section we are hoping that people can outline their experiences and foster communication that will assist others going through similar events.

The process to make a phone call.

Inmates in the Provincial and Federal prisons must go through an approval process to get the numbers they want to call on their “Inmate’s Call List.”

The Process.

The inmate telephone system (ITS) requires the inmate to use a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and a voice activation mechanism to identify themselves so they can call a numbers from their approved pin list. Before a calls can be placed, the number must be approved on the inmate’s pin list.
During the registration process at the prison/correctional facility the inmate will be asked if he/she wishes to provide a list of telephone numbers for his/her access list. He/she will have opportunity to identify up to forty (40) personal contacts including lawyers. Each application must be filled accurately and include first and last names, address, city, and relationship to the inmate.
The inmate should ensure that he/she clearly indicates numbers which belong to legal counsel, so that these numbers can be flagged to avoid monitoring and recording equipment.
~ Legal counsel(Lawyer’s) phone numbers is not included in the 40 numbers allowed and must be added to the inmates account.
~ Calls will not go through to any number that is not on the inmate’s pin list.
~ Toll-free number are not permitted for approval on anyone’s pin list, and is not allowed unless its on the common access list (government list of approved numbers).
Note:
The information outlined may not be exactly the same in all the facilities however the “Inmate’s Call list- applications is common across all institutions” There may be some variations based on the institution.