USE OF TELEPHONES BY INMATES (AR 205.03)
A. The Director, or appropriate Deputy Director or Warden or person acting in his/her absence, may limit or suspend inmate calling operations for the protection of the public, or the safety, security, and good order of a facility, staff, or inmates.

B. Abusing telephone equipment is prohibited. Committing violations of law or the conspiracy to commit violations of law in association with the use of the ICS shall be considered a violation of this policy. Disciplinary sanctions may be imposed for violations of telephone regulations. Telephone privileges may be restricted by a Disciplinary Committee/Disposition Treatment Team for violations of Code of Offenses or NDCS policies.

C. Inmates are prohibited from making telephone calls to NDCS staff, Board of Parole members or staff, other inmates, contract personnel, or volunteers. Staff, contract personnel, and volunteers are prohibited from accepting telephone calls from inmates. Only telephone calls to NDCS staff in conjunction with community release check-in procedures are permitted. No telephone communication is allowed between volunteers and inmates at NDCS facilities. (The only exceptions are the Community Corrections Center – Omaha and Community Corrections Center - Lincoln, only if necessary. Approval is granted on a case-by-case basis by the Warden.)

D. No pager numbers, 411, 600, 700, 800, 900 or 911 numbers are allowed to be added to the allowed number list. Inmates are permitted to call approved cellular telephone numbers.

E. Inmate-to-inmate calls are prohibited.

INMATE CALLING SYSTEM PROCEDURES
A. To participate in the Inmate Calling System (ICS), an inmate must complete a Standard ICS Registration Form (Attachment B) for social calls and/or an ICS Special Registration Form (Attachment C) for confidential calls.

1. Each inmate may submit up to 30 telephone numbers representing social, and attorney/client calls. Telephone numbers entered into a particular inmate’s account are strictly limited to the exclusive use by that inmate. Inmates are prohibited from submitting telephone numbers for use by another inmate.

a. A telephone number submitted for social calling purposes may be entered on multiple inmate accounts only where a verified immediate family relationship exists and on just one other non-family member inmate account as a friend. No telephone number used for social calling purposes may be entered on more than one inmate account when the relationships are friends only. The inmate will be notified in writing when entry of a telephone number on his/her ICS Registration Form is denied.

b. Inmates who have not registered with the ICS must do so in order to be assigned a PIN and input the desired number. Inmates are required to sign the ICS Special Registration form in order to use the ICS to call attorneys.

c. Inmates are not required to submit a registration form to make calls to the Office of Public Counsel/Ombudsman. Speed-dial 01# is provided to allow an inmate to call the Ombudsman free of charge. Calls to the Ombudsman have the same duration limits and confidential status as attorney/client calls.

2. Attorney telephone numbers will be clearly identified on the ICS Special Registration form. Unit staff will verify attorney telephone numbers prior to submitting the ICS Special Registration form to the CSA.

3. Designated unit staff will review and sign the original registration form prior to forwarding it to the CSA.

4. Completed registration forms must contain the called party’s first and last name, physical address where they reside, or in the case of Special Registration Form, the physical address of the business. All information shall be accurate and is subject to verification prior to or after entry into the ICS database. Submission of false information may result in disciplinary action and/or restriction of telephone privileges.

5. Newly committed inmates/safe keepers may submit two phone sheets within the first 90 days of arrival at the DEC/NCCW/NCYF. Changes (additions/deletions) to an inmate’s social call list shall be submitted using the Standard ICS Registration Form. Changes are allowed for social calls once every 90 days, except for emergencies as defined by this policy. This 90 day time period is computed as 90 days from the date the inmate signed the most recent ICS Registration Form. Additions, deletions and changes related to calls to attorneys may be made at any time by submitting a special registration form and shall be entered and confirmation returned to the inmate within 48 hours of the time a staff member receives a written request.

6. For verified emergency cases; during normal business hours, an attorney phone number can be added to an inmate’s approved calling list, most often the same business day by submitting an ICS Special Registration form to staff.

7. The Warden or designee may authorize emergency changes to the social call list on a case-by-case basis. Extraordinary circumstances may include verified family emergencies or the change in a family member’s telephone number.

8. Call list information will be programmed into the ICS database within 3 business days upon receipt by the CSA. Delays to this time frame may be ordered by the Warden or designee upon just cause. The CSA will make two copies of the original ICS Registration Form. The original ICS Registration Form will be sent by the CSA to the facility records manager for storage in the inmate’s institutional file. One copy will be retained by the CSA and one copy will be returned to the inmate with his/her assigned PIN. Changes made for attorneys shall be made within 48 hours of the receipt of a properly completed ICS Special Registration form by NDCS staff. Staff members will send an email to the Central System Administrator with the ICS Special Registration form attached. Between the hours of 5:00 PM Friday to 8:00 AM Monday and on State-recognized holidays, facility staff will conduct data entry related to the submission of the ICS Special Registration form.

B. The CSA will generate each inmate’s confidential four-digit Personal Identification Number. Inmates are not permitted to use or possess another inmate’s PIN or use another inmate’s ICS account for any reason. An inmate is not permitted to divulge to another inmate his/her assigned PIN or call list information. PIN changes may be made on a case-by-case basis upon approval by the Warden or designee after review of the circumstances requiring the change.

C. Inmates are not permitted to use the telephone to conduct business enterprise or to make purchases of any kind. Inmates may use the ICS to communicate with their employers or with prospective employers in association with work release participation or other release preparation.

D. All inmate telephone calls placed through the ICS may be processed as collect, debit, or prepay. Calls placed over the institution telephone system shall be reimbursed to the state by the inmate at the state contract rate. An indigent status inmate may be permitted emergency calls when collect calls will not be accepted, provided the inmate signs an institutional check authorizing reimbursement to the state once sufficient funds are available on his/her trust account. Each month an indigent inmate will be given a choice of five stamps or $2.50 debit calling time; however the total accumulation on the ICS will not be allowed to exceed $10. The inmate must identify his/her choice at the time that the indigent request is made. Inmates are not permitted to make third-party billing or credit card calls. Indigent status inmates will be allowed to use select telephones at community corrections facilities.

More details, Nebraska INMATE TELEPHONE REGULATIONS