The 23-hour lockdown is real and it does happen, though it is not universal across every unit. Certain housing situations, whether due to classification, population management, or facility conditions, result in inmates spending the vast majority of the day confined to their cell with only one hour out. It is one of the harder realities of detention center life, particularly in a county facility where overcrowding and staffing shortages are common.
On calls, it depends on the specific setup of the cell or unit. Some cells at Baltimore County have a payphone directly inside them. When that is the case, there is no hard limit on the number of calls an inmate can make. The only real constraint is how much money is on their account. When the funds run out, the calls stop.
In units where the phone is in a common area rather than the cell, access is limited to that one hour out, which makes every minute of phone time more precious. Inmates in that situation have to prioritize who they call and keep conversations efficient.
If your person is there and communication is limited, keeping money on their account is the most direct way to help. InmateAid's discount phone service can significantly reduce the per-minute cost of those calls, which stretches whatever is on their books a lot further.