Inmate phone calls provide useful funds

The Gwinnett Board of Commissioners earlier this month renewed a provision to provide coinless inmate phone equipment at the Gwinnett County Correctional Complex. The annual contract with Global Tel Link Inc. comes with an estimated net revenue of $96,000 during fiscal year 2016.

The coinless phone equipment allows eligible offenders to make telephone calls to people outside the facility. Family and friends deposit funds in an inmate’s phone account in order for the inmate to make calls. Each inmate has an approved phone list and is restricted to call only those friends and family members. Commission is paid on the gross revenue charged for calls from all coinless phones within the facility.