In recent years, that fund grew to a balance of more than $32 million as revenues — both from phone calls and inmate commissary purchases — outpaced expenditures. Under the new contract arrangement, up to $12.9 million per year will come out of that fund to pay for phone calls. “It’s official.”Earlier this year, Mendoza-Morales told The Times how his mother used to “sell stuff in alleys” to help pay for phone calls and food from the commissary. In April, lawyers targeted the high price of phone calls and commissary items in jails across the state and sued several counties — including Los Angeles. A 15-minute call in Los Angeles will cost the county between and 42 and 63 cents.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 24, 2023 12:27 UTC