Relatives of citizens whose relatives and friends are serving sentences in prison are sometimes deprived of the necessary communication and communication with them. The same applies to the prisoners themselves, who, in fact, are cut off from the outside world, and communication with relatives is their only opportunity to contact the “outside world.”
The visits provided for by the Penitentiary Commission of the Russian Federation are limited to a few per year, and, in addition, many convicts are serving their sentences far from their homes and are deprived of the opportunity for necessary meetings.
However, technology does not stand still and every year it slowly penetrates into the institutions of the Russian penitentiary system. Thus, many prisoners in the Russian Federation already have access to video visits from the Federal Penitentiary Service with their relatives and friends. How to organize them, as well as the order in which they are carried out, will be discussed in the article below.
What does the service represent?
Convicts and their relatives can use this service. It is carried out through special video communication devices that are installed in colonies and pre-trial detention centers.
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Important! To date, the installation of special equipment in correctional institutions has not been completed in full. In this regard, not every colony or pre-trial detention center can use this service. According to the Federal Penitentiary Service, the installation of special equipment in all institutions under the jurisdiction of the service will be completed by 2022.
The service for providing calls to prisoners and their relatives is provided by KB Iskra LLC, with which the service has relevant agreements.
Video calls to convicts have become especially popular in 2022. This is due to the coronavirus epidemic, which has caused regular face-to-face visits with prisoners to become extremely limited due to the special sanitary and epidemiological regime introduced in institutions of the penitentiary system.
It is also useful to read: Calls and transfers for prisoners with the mobile operator Zonatelecom
What does a relative need to conduct a video meeting?
allows prisoners to communicate with loved ones via video communication. This service is very convenient; the convicted person can not only hear, but also see a person who is many kilometers away.
Conditions of this service : A video date is classified as a telephone conversation, so it cannot last more than 15 minutes. — The Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation allows any number of video dates. — This type of communication does not affect short-term and long-term dates. — The convicted person must obtain permission from the administration of the correctional institution. — This service costs 7 rubles per minute.
What does a relative need to conduct a video meeting? In order to benefit, a loved one of a convicted person must register on the site. And of course, it is impossible to make a call without a PC or laptop with a webcam and headset.
How does the “Video Date” go? — To use the service, you must register on the site. Registration must be completed before making a call. — Give permission to the browser to use the webcam and headset. — To carry out video conversations, you need to top up the account of the card that is in the possession of the convicted person. If a prisoner does not have a Zonatelecom card, it can be registered on the website. The card details should be given to the prisoner. — To use video conversations, the convicted person must be informed in advance about the opportunity to use this service. — When an incoming call arrives, a window with an “answer” button appears next to the caller’s name. After pressing the key, a connection occurs and the video date begins.
How can a prisoner use it? — The procedure for making a video call is the same as for a regular call. — Correctional institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation provide special video terminals through which prisoners can make video calls. — To pay for this service, the convicted person can use a single Zonatelecom card. — When a convicted person is invited to a video terminal, he needs to enter a password and the number of the called subscriber. — After the connection, the video image actually appears. Subscribers see images in real time.
What are the advantages of using this service? — A video visit makes it possible to see a loved one who is in a correctional facility. — This service saves time and money on travel to a correctional institution. — Video dates can be made an unlimited number of times.
To whom is it available?
can be used by all interested parties. First of all, this concerns prisoners. It does not matter whether the citizen is serving a sentence in a colony based on a court verdict or is being held in a pre-trial detention center during the investigation period.
Reference! Despite the fact that there are no restrictions on the use of the service as such, the actual possibility of using it depends on the availability and accessibility of special equipment in the place of deprivation of liberty, as well as the regime of detention of the convicted person.
With the help of “Video Date”, a prisoner can contact his relatives, friends and other persons, the list of which is not limited in principle. However, it should be taken into account that when you call, the content of the conversation becomes known to the FSIN employees. This also applies to private conversations, which must be taken into account when making a call.
How does a video call with prisoners work?
Thanks to this, it is now possible to conduct a real video meeting between the convicted person and his relatives or friends. That is, this is a unique opportunity to see each other, no matter what distance separates the two people. order such a service directly from home , paying and setting everything up remotely.
Prisoners should note the following information about video telephony:
- the administration of a pre-trial detention center or penal colony regards it as a regular telephone conversation, i.e. the maximum duration of one communication session is 15 minutes;
- the number of such communication sessions, accordingly, is not limited in any way;
- video communication with prisoners does not replace regular meetings, and therefore no restrictions are imposed on the number of short-term or long-term visits;
- a video call to a pre-trial detention center or penal colony requires permission from the administration, which it gives or does not give in response to the prisoner’s application.
How often can you make such calls?
From a legal point of view, video calls are equivalent to regular telephone conversations. Thus, the procedure for conducting a “Video Date” with a convicted person is regulated by Article 92 of the Penal Code of the Russian Federation. Thus, according to this norm, a convicted person can make calls at his own expense (or at the expense of relatives/friends) lasting no more than 15 minutes. It should be noted here that these telephone conversations are not equated by law to in-person meetings and do not in any way affect their overall frequency and duration.
The procedure for making telephone calls is regulated by the legal act of the Ministry of Justice. In this case, this is Order of the Ministry of Justice of Russia dated December 16, 2016 No. 295 “On approval of the internal regulations of correctional institutions.”
In accordance with this document, calls are made on weekends and holidays at the request of a person held in a place of deprivation of liberty. To carry out telephone and video communications, a special room is organized in the MLS.
It should be noted here that the right to make a call can be granted to a prisoner during working hours, but the reason for making it must be valid, and permission to make it is given by the head of the correctional institution.
Prisoners who are kept in punishment cells on the territory of the colony cannot use telephone and video communication services.
Features of the service
You won’t be able to use the “thank you” service. First you need to purchase a payment card). Funds are deposited into it and debited from there before the call.
Cards are sold on the territory of the correctional institution, as well as at post offices or via the Internet (visit the section “Places of sale of payment cards”).
How much does a call cost and how long does it last? The cost of connection minutes is 10 rubles, the time for negotiations is 15 minutes. The procedure is monitored to prevent violations of the law.
The number of “dates” is not limited, but depends on the conditions of detention of the convicted person (check on the spot). The list of places where intercom equipment is installed is posted on the website “Videosvidanie-fsin.rf” in the section “Locations of installation of terminals”.
How does a video meeting with a convicted person go:
- Arrive at your destination with a map;
- Insert the card into the card reader;
- Pick up the phone;
- Dial the terminal number located in the correctional institution you are interested in;
- Wait for an answer, start a conversation.
How to make a call
To make a video call, the convicted person, his relative or friend must go to the website https://videosvidanie-fsin.rf. Then on the main page of the site you need to go to the “Leave a request for a video date” section.
The form that appears on the screen contains the following information:
- region where the terminal is located;
- correctional institution where the convicted person is serving his sentence;
- video terminal number (available in the drop-down list);
- squad number;
- the article under which the prisoner was convicted;
- Full name and year of birth of the prisoner;
- Name of relative;
- residential address;
- degree of relationship (for persons who are not relatives, “Familiar” should be indicated);
- method of notification about the time of the call;
- contact details of the person.
After this, you should expect a response from the system, which will indicate the time when communication with the prisoner is possible. The answer will come in the way that was chosen by the person himself to notify him.
In addition, it is necessary to purchase a payment card from OJSC CB Iskra in advance if the prisoner does not have one. You can buy it at post offices. Convicts purchase it on the territory of the MLS.
Attention! A video call can be made either at the initiative of the person in custody or his relative.
There are several options for conducting a video date. The first of them involves making a call to a collective terminal, located, as a rule, in the communications department. This can be done by a prisoner, a relative or an acquaintance.
However, the most convenient way to receive calls is through a computer . Using this service, the relative does not need to leave the apartment. To call a prisoner from a computer, you need to register on the website sip.cras.ru and receive a password and login. In addition, the necessary software required for negotiations is downloaded from the site. You can order a call by calling 8(800) 200-05-09.
To carry out a communication session, a personal computer must have access to the Internet, and a webcam and audio headset must be connected to it.
Video date: where to go and what to do?
How to order a video date with a colony?
The service is provided by the Federal Penitentiary Service. To use it, you need to go to the official website “Videosdatenie-fsin.rf”.
In the right column are the numbers you need to call and get advice, or leave a request. Just below is a form through which you can send a request online.
The procedure for generating a request is as follows:
- Go to the “Leave a request for a video date” section;
- Select your region of residence, correctional institution, video terminal number;
- Indicate the number of the detachment in which the relative is located;
- Indicate the article under which he was convicted;
- Provide your and your relative’s personal information – last name, first name, patronymic, year of birth, residential address;
- Select the method of notification about the opportunity to contact the convicted person;
- Provide contact information and indicate relationship.
Click “Next” and wait for a notification from the Federal Penitentiary Service . At the appointed time, appear at the place of request and have a video meeting with the convicted person.
How much does the service cost?
is not free. In accordance with the requirements of the law, payment for communication services is carried out at the expense of the prisoners themselves or their relatives.
So, in 2022, payment for the service will be charged per minute. One minute of communication costs 10 rubles. Considering that the duration of the communication session cannot exceed 15 minutes, interested parties must replenish the card balance in advance by any available method in the amount of at least 150 rubles so that the call is not interrupted at the most inopportune moment.
Meet with a convicted person without leaving home
There are 3 ways of communication between a person serving a sentence and one who is free.
The convicted person can make a video call independently (and also initiate the call) to a collective terminal, or a relative/acquaintance can do it from it. The third option is a home video date, which requires a minimum of effort.
Conditions:
- Working Internet;
- Headphones with microphone;
- Computer;
- Webcam;
- Program for video communication (downloaded from the official website).
To make a call, you need to get a login, password, code and card number. , register on the website sip.kras.ru. The data will be sent to the phone number you provide or email.
The next step is to apply for a call. This can be done by calling 8-800-200-05-09 or on the website in the “Home Video Date” section.
Download the software and installation instructions here. If you can't install the program, check the PC requirements.
How to call when you already have an approved application:
- Top up your personal account with a bank card or through electronic payment systems;
- Launch the program at the appointed time;
- Enter the data received after registering on the site (login, password);
- Wait for connection to the correctional facility;
- Talk to a relative.
Use as much as possible and as needed. Support your loved one, give him what he lacks in captivity.
Top up your card with an amount that will provide enough call time so that it doesn’t get interrupted at the most inopportune moment.
