It appears that Genesee county previously allowed one visit per week "in person" previously for free. (Most likely "in person" meant sitting on the other side of a glass partition using a phone). This system has been replaced with two free visits per week. Additional virtual visits are $10. Whether this system is preferable is a matter of perspective.

From a child's perspective, sitting at home in Grandmas lap privately "Skyping" with Mom or Dad is far less psychologically damaging than a long ride, to a place surrounded by razor wire, getting searched, then a long wait before being led down a hallway of glass with inmates on one side and their visitors on the other. There is yelling, crying, cursing even physical fights, and that's just on the visitors side of the glass. So you take a seat, and try to talk to Mom or dad on the other side of the window, shouting over the din of the surrounding noise.

No parent who isn't a POS would ever put their child through that if there was an alternative. Kids who grew up visiting their parent in prison will tell you it was traumatizing.

Case in point. The poster girl of this particular story is a Ms. Reekila According to the article above, she "allegedly retailiated violently against her son's father who she says was abusing her". The might be a bit more to that story, cause she is charged with "Assault with Intent to Commit Murder", with a bond originally set at $2,000,000. Judges don't issue 2M bonds on a "he said -she said".

So apparently is was Ms. Reekila who was trying to take her kids father away, not the police.

So you are making an allegation that the this kickback is going to the Sheriff personally, Link?

Income from vendor deals are like this are not "profit" to the mail. They supplement the facility budget, and are usually earmarked for a particular purpose, enhanced services or costs that would otherwise be funded by taxpayer dollars.

The money the jail is getting from the vendor won't even cover the cost of paying the officers who escort the inmates to the viewing area and supervise the extra virtual visits.

Yes, the vendor is making a profit. So is the vendor that makes the orange jumpsuits,and other goods and arrives inmates require. Do you expect companies that do business with the government to donate their services?