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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 out of cell previously. They also reported repeated dropped calls and poor tablet reception that make paid communications unreliable.
Superintendent West reviewed operations and staffing during his report and said staff would contact the family to explain the new procedures. "Superintendent, will you get their number and give them a call and explain the new procedure and why you are doing that?" Chair Chris Webb asked, and Webb added he would provide his office number if the family remained unsatisfied.
The superintendent did not provide a detailed operational justification in the public comment exchange, but later in his report he discussed staff redeployments, lower staffing levels in some programs and an ongoing hiring effort intended to raise staffing to support more programs, including work release. During a question later in the meeting, the superintendent said the work-release program was temporarily closed because staff were redeployed to support recruitment and HR work while vacancies are filled.
Why it matters: prolonged confinement and reduced opportunities for exercise, communication and reading are central concerns for families and medical staff because of their impact on mental health and post-release reintegration.
What the board will do next: Chair Webb said staff would collect the commenter's contact information and that the superintendent would call to explain the change. Webb also said the board would review the statistics and consider scheduling the subject for fuller discussion at the next meeting if necessary.
Details from the meeting: Kyker and other family members described staggered out-of-cell times that make access to phones and the book cart more competitive; they also told the board that tablet reception inside cells is poor, producing dropped calls and extra expense for families. Superintendent West said agency staff will follow up with the family and that staffing improvements are underway that could affect program availability and schedules.
The meeting closed without a formal vote on any change to inmate schedules; the board directed staff to follow up with the family and to prepare any statistics or proposals for future consideration.
