California Penal Code §851.5 establishes the right of an arrested person to make at least three free local telephone calls upon being booked: one call to an attorney, one to a bail bond agent, and one to a relative or other personal contact. In addition to any telephone access provided by the arresting agency, the intake holding areas of the jails are equipped with phones providing free local calls. Long distance calls may be made “collect.” Depending on the facility, additional free phones may be available during the booking process.

After completing the booking process, inmates remaining in custody will be assigned to a housing module, where telephones are available in common areas, or “dayrooms.” Under normal conditions, inmates have access to phones several hours each day. Telephones are not available during certain activities such as meals, medication distributions, temporary lockdowns, etc. In the evenings, telephones are generally available until night count is conducted, after which time the phones are unavailable for the rest of the night. Telephone access may also be restricted for disciplinary reasons against an individual inmate or an entire housing module.

Inmates cannot receive incoming phone calls or messages. In the event of an emergency, please contact the facility where the inmate is housed and ask to speak with a supervisor. He or she will determine if notification to the inmate is appropriate.

Inmate telephone service is provided through Public Communications Services, Inc. (PCS). To help the inmates stay connected with the outside world, PCS provides the following multiple calling options.

Collect Calls - Inmate places a collect call which is accepted and paid for by the receiving party (e.g. the friends and family) Note: Inmate cannot place Collect Calls to Cell Phones, Business Phones or numbers that are blocked from receiving collect calls.

Prepaid Calls - (Daily Dial)- Prepaid call accounts are set up by an end user (e.g. the inmate's family/friends.) to eliminate the problem of blocked collect calls. Inmates can place prepaid calls to cell phones, office phones, hospitals and other commercial phone numbers that normally do not accept collect calls. When an inmate calls the end user, the call charges are deducted from the called party's prepaid account.

To receive prepaid calls, Inmate Family/Friends and others can easily and quickly set up Prepaid Call Account by one of these methods

a) Calling PCS at 1-888-288-9879
b) E-mailing PCS at customerservice@pcsdailydial.com
c) Visiting PCS' Website at www.pcsdailydial.com for more information.

Debit Calls - Inmate prepays for debit phone time and places a call to their friends and family. Inmates can buy debit phone time through the Commissary in $10.00 and $20.00 increments. Debit calls can be placed to cell phones, business phones and international numbers.

Blocking / Unblocking Numbers: PCS' inmate telephone service allow you to block your number so that inmates at the San Diego County Sheriff's Detention Facilities cannot call your number. You may also unblock your phone number.

For other Customer Service Issues regarding Inmate Telephone Services, please contact PCS at 1(888) 288-9879.