Area sheriffs, leaders skeptical on free phone plan in jails

Chris Vetter, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·3 min read

Nov. 29—EAU CLAIRE — While La Crosse County is moving forward with a plan to make phone calls in the jail free to inmates, for the first 30 minutes each day, area leaders are skeptical of a similar plan here.

Dave Riewestahl, Eau Claire County jail administrator who will be sworn in as sheriff in January, said the county has an agreement in place where inmates pay 21 cents per minute to use the phone. That is the same rate inmates pay in La Crosse County.

"We have not gone down that route," Riewestahl said Monday of La Crosse County's plan. "We have not discussed that in our jail. It will be interesting to see how it goes for them."

While inmates pay to use phones, Riewestahl said they have other options to communicate with people outside the jail.

"We do free video presentations. THey can do three, free 20-minute videos a week," Riewestahl said. "Family and friends can come into the lobby. We have a kiosk on the wall, and they can pick up a phone."

The jail also has tablets for inmates to use.

The current jail population is 189 inmates. Riewestahl wasn't sure how the plan would impact jailers' work, in trying to make sure everyone got their phone time.

"Each housing area has at least one phone, some have two," Riewestahl said. "Phones are in high demand."

Chippewa County Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk, who is retiring in January, expressed concerns about the plan, noting that if the county made the calls free, the money that had been generated by those calls would have to come from taxpayers. Phone calls generate about $10,000 in revenue annually, which is used to pay for programming in the jail, Kowalczyk said.

"All of our phone calls by inmates are by cards," Kowalczyk said. "We wouldn't (make calls free) at this point, because budgets are so tight. We wouldn't entertain that at this time."

Travis Hakes, who will be sworn in as Kowalczyk's replacement, said he thinks the county would be better off spending money on programs to keep people out of jail.

"I want people to contact their loved ones, but I don't want it to be abused, either," Hakes said.

Hakes said he would have to talk to department heads, but was doubtful of pushing the idea if it cost the county money.

Chippewa County Administrator Randy Scholz expressed the same concerns about how it would impact the budget.

"It's never been brought up while I've been here," Scholz said. "It would have to be something you'd have to work into the budget process."

La Crosse County plan is first in the state

The La Crosse County plan will go into effect Jan. 1. The jail will be the first in the state to allow 30 free minutes of phone calls each day.

On Nov. 14, the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors passed two motions to make this a reality. The first motion was to eliminate county revenue from inmate phone calls, the second was to add $75,000 to the 2023 budget to foot the bill of phone calls for people who are incarcerated at the county jail. Both motions passed unanimously.

"This was righting the wrongs that have existed for a while, and I'm hoping that we can keep it this way permanently in La Crosse," said county board supervisor David Pierce. "What we're talking about here is removing barriers from people that need intervention for mental health and substance abuse issues. Charging them 21 cents a minute is just an increased barrier."

Individuals at La Crosse County Jail have to pay $0.21 per minute for phone calls, making the average 15-minute call about $3.15. Starting Jan. 1, 2023, calls will be completely free.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.