New Inmate/Resident Telephone/TABLET System

On October 17, 2016, activation of the new inmate phone system will begin in all Manitoba custodial facilities. The introduction of Tablets for the inmate population was rolled out June 2024. This new system includes the following features:

All inmates/residents will be assigned a PIN and are required to register on the system before making their first call. PIN sharing is not permitted.
Inmates/Residents are able to make calls between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. to cellular phones, land lines, or internet phones.
All calls to privileged and program related numbers are free/unlimited, including lawyers, Ombudsman, and various community support agencies (e.g. John Howard, Elizabeth Fry, Band offices, Child and Family Services, Employment Insurance etc).
Non-sentenced inmates and young persons in custody receive three free personal calls each day, up to 15 minutes each.
The receiver of a call is notified of the name and location of the caller and must actively accept the call before a connection is made.
Incoming calls are not permitted, but inmates/residents will be able to receive voicemail messages from family, friends, lawyers, etc. Voicemail messages can be up to three minutes in length.

For sentenced inmates, fees are applied for personal calls. Fees are also applied to non-sentenced inmates who make more than three free personal calls each day. The same fees will apply to local and long distance calls.

Inmates/Residents can make collect calls or use a prepaid phone account.
Inmates/Residents can transfer money from their trust account to their phone account by dialing 411#. Synergy Deposits
Kiosks will be installed near every custody facility for the public to deposit funds to an inmate/resident’s phone or trust accounts, province wide. Kiosks are also located at other custody locations across Canada. Please note that deposits are subject to a service fee.
Cash deposits to an inmate/resident’s trust or phone account can be made at any kiosk.
Credit card deposits to an inmate/resident’s phone account can be made online, by phone, or at a kiosk.
Deposits may be made using MoneyGram, available at any Canada Post location.

Please be advised that calls are subject to recording and monitoring, except privileged calls as defined in the Correctional Services Act.

CONTACTS

For the public – to access voicemail services or deposit funds, register online at www.gettingout.com, or call 1-866-713-4761. Persons accessing public services will need the inmate/resident’s PIN.

For inmates/residents – to transfer money to your phone account, dial 411#. For other concerns about the phone service, dial 211#.

Tablets – General Information

Tablets are automatically turned on at 7:00 am and turned off at 11:00 pm.
Living Units may have specific schedules of availability posted within the unit in accordance with daily routines, break schedules and programming specific to each unit.
Tablets sharing is strictly prohibited, breach of this rule could lead to Tablet use suspension.
First time use - inmate will sign into the Tablet in the presence of a unit Correctional Officer, not in the immediate vicinity of other inmates. Their telephone pin will be entered followed by a prompt to create a confidential PIN on the Tablet known only to the inmate. PIN theft and/or sharing may result in a progressive discipline charge.
Inmate Profile Photos are required for using the tablet and for family and friends to see during messaging. The profile photo is intended to be an appropriate image of an inmate subject to the following conditions;

one person in the photo
a photo that clearly identifies the inmate;
photo must be a frontal view of the inmate’s face and shoulders;
the inmate must be wearing a shirt;
approved head coverings for religious purposes may be worn provided faces are recognizable.

Inmates are able to add friends and family members to their account that they can communicate with via messaging, as well as receive photos.
Inmates initiate contact with friends and family by sending an email invitation through the contacts button on their account. The recipient will accept or decline the invitation and create an account through Synergy.

Friend and Family Gallery Photos

Photos on the tablet will not be printed.
Photos received from Family and Friends will not be added to the inmate tablet account if they contain any of the following:

⚠ gang signs/hand signals, pictures of gang drawings.
⚠ nudity or lewd behaviour.
⚠persons wearing only under clothing or swimsuit.
⚠ minors that are not fully clothed (including swimsuits.
⚠ sexual content or gestures.
⚠ printed signs or messages or photos with text added.
⚠ depiction or display of weapons, drug use or drug paraphernalia
⚠ violence or depiction of violence.
⚠ profile images cannot be of other objects (i.e., not of the person’s face).

Photos/Pictures that do not fit a category above, but are questionable in any way will be denied.

Tablets must be returned to and remain on the docking/charging station when not in use, including after operational hours.
Tablets may be used in unit common areas and during operational hours unless restricted otherwise (per schedule or by order of the Unit Manager).
Tablets are not permitted in Cells, unless authorized by the (Unit Manager)
Tablet use must be in compliance with all ordered conditions.
The Tablets have two types of services – “free services” or “pay for use services”.

Free Services - Free tablet content will include access to approved photos, facility forms, resource information, custody release planning resource document, cultural content, and facility inmate handbooks.
Pay for Use - Services include messaging (mail) and approved music and music videos, movies, and games.

Rates are established by Synergy:

Inmate Costs:
Inmates pay $.13 cents per minute for all time spent accessing pay for use services.
The deposit account for tablets is the same as the account for the telephone system.

Friends and Family Costs:
Friends and family pay 50 cents per message (up to 1500 characters) and 45 cents to upload a profile or gallery photo.
Family and Friends may make deposits, upload photos and access messaging features online at Synergy Canada Website

Restrictions:

The restriction of communications may be authorized by the Superintendent or designate who reasonably believes that the communication meets the conditions for monitoring.

Monitoring:

The Superintendent or designate may monitor, censor, or restrict inmate communication through tablets where there are reasonable grounds to believe the communication contains or may evidence that;

a criminal offence or plans to commit an offence.
an act that may jeopardize the safety of the centre.
attempts to harass or cause harm to another person.
a court order that restricts the communication.
another person who does not want to communicate with the inmate.
Tablet pin sharing or fraudulent communications.
the tablet is being misused or damaged by the inmate.
the restriction or prohibition is necessary to maintain the security of the Correctional Centre or the safety of inmates, staff members or the public.
the restriction or prohibition is necessary in the rehabilitation of the inmate.

Complaints or concerns regarding the tablet system should be raised through a Telmate request form found on the tablet, similar to logging a telephone system complaint by dialing 211#. Unresolved concerns may be raised with Unit staff or supervisor prior to submitting complaint to the Unit Manager. Inmates also have the right to request a review of a decision with the Facility Head / Superintendent (designate) and / or The Manitoba Ombudsman.

RATES

Telephone Fees

Description
Pre-paid local calls	per call	$3.00 (w/o tax) $3.36 (w/ tax)
Pre-paid long distance	per call	$3.00 (w/o tax) $3.36 (w/ tax)
Collect calls (local and long distance)	per call	$4.30 (w/o tax) $4.82 (w/ tax)
International long distance	per call	$7.50 (w/o tax) $8.40 (w/ tax)
Voicemail	per VM	$1.50 (w/o tax) $1.68 (w/ tax)

Tablet System Fees - Inmate User

Description
Messages Sent (Fees begin upon entering paid applications, which includes the Messaging application)	Per minute	$.13 Cost w/ Tax $.15
Messages Received (includes re-review of received messages)	Per minute	$.13 Cost w/ Tax $.15
Entertainment (Fees begin upon entering paid applications, and end when the inmate logs out.)	Per minute	$.13 Cost w/ Tax $.15

Tablet System Fee – Public User Fees

Description	Unit
Photo Upload	Per photo	$.45 Cost w/ Tax $.51
Messaging No cost for reading Messages	Per message sent	$.50 Cost w/ Tax $.56