Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Families press Prince William County jail board over reduced out-of-cell time and poor phone reception
Summary
At a Prince William County jail board meeting, family members said a recent protocol change cut inmate out-of-cell time from about 15 hours to roughly five, raising concerns about recreation, phone access and mental health; the superintendent agreed to follow up directly with the families.
Family members of people held at the Prince William County adult detention center pressed the jail board on July 16 over a new protocol that they say sharply limits inmates' out-of-cell time and reduces access to phones and recreational resources.
"They're out only five hours a day. They're locked in, like, 19 hours a day," said Bill Kyker, a Fairfax resident and parent of a detainee, during the meeting's public-comment period. Kyker said the change compressed phone access, reduced book-cart availability and contributed to worsening anxiety among people in custody.
The family members asked whether the change is permanent and requested an explanation for why the facility shifted from what they described as roughly 15 hours…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
