Just a minor Arghhhhh!!!!!

klmno

Active Member
I came home from work about 1/2 hour ago to find a VM from the phone co that handles calls from the Department of Juvenile Justice facilities. It was a generic message saying to call this 800 # about changes in billing. So after holding for 10 mins to actually speak to a person, it was 3:40 and she tells me they will no longer bill to my phone co and I need to set up a separate acct. Fine- this is the way it was when difficult child was incarcerated the first time and I don't know why they ever changed it. Anyway here's the 'araghhh' part- they can't set up the acct until they get a phone bill from me faxed to them to prove this is my phone number and address. But if my bill doesn't list my phone number, I can handwrite it on there. (So what exactly does that prove?) Anyway, THEN 3 to 5 business days after they receive the fax, I can call to set up acct. When does this change go into effect? Within 48 hours. And acct office closes at 4:00 today.

So, they let people know on a Friday afternoon that within 48 hours, you can't get calls from your kid until after going thru a week long process of setting up another acct? Is there any reason you couldn't give parents more notice then that? They have no control of it.

Do you have any idea how sick and tired I am of hearing people in Department of Juvenile Justice, PO/CSU, and those connected to them- reentry lady, etc- tell me THEY have no control of this koi??

Last the Department of Juvenile Justice facility took photos of kids with families at visitation. I missed that visitation. Why? No one notified me- they said they had an automatic dial set up to notify parents ahead of time. I didn't get any message at all about it. This will be difficult child's 3rd year in a row incarcerated at Christmas. I haven't gotten a photo of him since he was 13yo, over 3 1/2 years. I called to see if/when they were going to take photos this year. The person answering phone rushed to connect me to difficult child's behavior counselor instead of just answering questions. Beh couns doesn't take call, I leave VM, no response. Two days later I call again, she answers, says she doesn't know, she'll check with super and call me back that afternoon, she doesn't call back- that was 2 days ago. I call and leave another message today- no call back. No gifts, no special visitation, nothing allowed except possible a flippin photo for 3 years and they can't even tell a parent?

As I told PO, super, etc in that meeting last mo, I never wanted to be a parent who covered her kid's rear if he did something wrong and I never understood why parents would do that....but I have reached a point where I do understand it and will never pass judgement against them again. That was based on PO jerking me around but all this stuff adds up and gets to a person after so many years of dealing with it.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Sounds to me like the state made some changes and neglected to tell anyone about them. We've had this happen a few times. It's horribly frustrating for ALL concerned.

In the meantime... Let difficult child know you're on it...
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
In the meantime... Let difficult child know you're on it...
That's probably the biggest thing... he knows the koi that goes on in the system so that part won't be a surprise... but if he knows "up front" about a particular issue, its a tad easier to deal with than stumbing onto it...

<ugh>
 

klmno

Active Member
I was editing adding more. LOL!

Anyway, that's the thing- there is NO way to let difficult child know anything if he can't call. A letter takes 2 business days to get to him and Sats don't count. They don't get mail on Sat and mail never leaves this area on Sat, it just gets picked up.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Send it anyway. He knows how long mail takes... but it will get there before everything else gets sorted out, and he will know that you're doing what you can.
 

klmno

Active Member
I don't know exactly when they are cutting this off where he just calls thru their co, collect. She just said within 48 hours. He called last night so he might not call tonight. I kind of expected him to wait until Sat or Sun evening to call again, but now it probably won't go thru. I'm scheduled to be out of town Mon thru Fri next week so I'll have to go to office or something this weekend to fax this to the co, even though they won't be able to even start processing it until Mon. He'll figure it out as I'm sure other boys will have similar problems getting thru and then when they do, their parents will tell them so word will get around. I'm just sick and tired of it being where we can't even plan to have a phone conversation anymore without jumping thru hoops. The conversation last night was pretty intense and we need to talk some more. It's annoying enough to have to listen to their taped message before you can start talking, then you get a recording getting a 60 sec cut-off warning, then another at 10 secs, then he has to call back, if allowed to get another 10 mins like that.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
(((((hugs)))))

They seem to do all they can to make life as difficult and expensive as possible for the incarcerated person and their family. Of course no one takes responsibility because then they might be expected to do something in a reasonable way. I am so very sorry.
 

klmno

Active Member
difficult child just called and I explained so I feel a little better. But I'm still wayyyyy over all this Department of Juvenile Justice/juvie/po koi. Yeah, I know, difficult child got us into it- still, they could be considerate to parents instead of treating them like unimportant doormats.

DJ- if you come back to this thread- I told difficult child what you said about 'your guys' taking difficult child out when he turns 21 if he makes it until then without getting into legal trouble again, and that no one would be telling me what happened but that I didn't think I'd want to know.....that got quite a giggle out of him!
 

buddy

New Member
so sorry, you know, I hear what you are saying about now wishing you hadn't called. You did what you needed to at the time. But your insight can help those of us who might have people telling us it is a good idea for a difficult child. I am sure it IS for many. But I think Q would probably be killed in Department of Juvenile Justice, he just doesn't have the social skills to survive. What you describe is a horror. I am so sorry this just drags on and on. I had no idea about the pictures. Another heartbreak. I wish so much that I could take you out for a huge distraction somewhere....
So grateful you got to let him know what is going on with the phone so he wont be worried or confused.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Hugs, klmno. I remember driving an hour plus to pick up difficult child#1 when he was fourteen. He had to wear an ankle braclet and at that time (unbeknowst to me, of course) the parent had to make arrangements with the monitoring company before release. I had looked forward to that day and it turned into a PIA.
Some parents didn't have the bucks to set up the arrangement until their next payday. It took six hours of nonesense before we got to drive out the gate. IF they had given advance instructions or warnings it wouldn't have been a problem. Ugh! DDD
 

cubsgirl

Well-Known Member
I'll double the ARGH factor for you. Sometimes it seems the facility is GFGish itself. I'm glad that difficult child was able to call you so he wasn't left hanging and wondering why. I hope you can get it straightened out and get the account fixed (I did laugh a little about the go-ahead and handwrite your phone number on the bill if it doesn't show - you might as well fax them a piece of blank paper with your phone number written on it).
 

klmno

Active Member
Don't you know I'd just paid my bill last week and had thrown away the staement afterwards. So I had to go into an office, which I was fortunate to find one open today, get them to run another one then go to a copy store to fax it in. Murphy's Law seems to be running my life lately. LOL!
 
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