Can I use discount phone service at McCreary Camp?

At McCreary Satellite Camp in Pine Knot, KY, the discount phone service option is unfortunately not available. This is one of those rare locations where local number solutions cannot be set up due to how the phone lines are configured in that area.

Here is how the phone system works there:

All federal inmates use the Bureau of Prisons phone system, which is a closed system. Your loved one has to add your number to their approved calling list, and calls can only be made to numbers on that list.

Inmates are given a set number of minutes each month:

• 300 minutes per month
• 400 minutes in November and December

They can make calls between 6:00 AM and 9:30 PM, seven days a week, as long as they have minutes available and access to a phone.

The cost of calls is fixed:

• About 6 cents per minute for local calls
• About 21 cents per minute for long distance calls

There is no middle tier pricing. Because a local number cannot be established for that area, your loved one will likely be paying the higher long distance rate when calling you.

Inmates must have money in their account to make calls. In the federal system, this is handled through their trust account, and funds can be added from the outside using approved methods.

So in this case:

• There is no way to reduce the cost using a local number
• Your loved one pays for calls using their monthly minutes and available funds
• You do not need to pay for a separate phone service to receive the calls

If staying in touch frequently is important, you might consider balancing phone calls with letters or other communication options to help manage costs.