# One phone call for an arrested person? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 1, 2001, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-phone-call-for-an-arrested-person/60341 "2001-04-01T05:23:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-phone-call-for-an-arrested-person/60341/1 "2001-04-01T05:23:13Z")
Is there any legal reasoning behind the one phone call an arrested person gets? Like is there a law that says you only get one call? Or is it just a police department procedure? Actually, to take this to an even more basic level, is this practice even a real thing? Or does it exist solely in movie reality? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-phone-call-for-an-arrested-person/60341/2 "2001-04-01T05:32:52Z")
I think there is a case law somewhere that says prisoners get at _least_ one phone call or something. (Presumably to call a lawyer or bondsman). However, all the booking areas and intake cells I have seen have phones in them for use by the inmates. They are not pay phones either. There are phone books there too so you can look up a bondsmen or call a friend to get you or whatever. There is no limit on how many times you can use it, or how many calls you can make. Long distance has to be collect though. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-phone-call-for-an-arrested-person/60341/3 "2001-04-01T06:58:26Z")
I would guess that it is founded on the guarantee of fair treatment under the law- if you cannot let someone know that you need representation, then you cannot be said to have had the right to defend yourself adequately. ---
**Author:** ![honkytonkwillie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@honkytonkwillie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/honkytonkwillie)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-phone-call-for-an-arrested-person/60341/4 "2001-04-01T07:21:27Z")
You get as many calls as you need, within reason. They have to let you contact an attorney if you request it, and in this jurisdiction, I believe they can’t prevent you from contacting your family (spouse, parent, and/or children) as well. And remember, when you’re in custody, the _first_ thing you should tell them is you want to speak with an attorney. And don’t say anything more until you do. ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-phone-call-for-an-arrested-person/60341/5 "2001-04-01T19:51:08Z")
Here’s my question: in something I watched once (I think it was a movie, though I don’t remember), they had a specific procedure for your “one phone call”. You figured out who you wanted to call, alerted whoever was in charge, the number was dialed, and then a metal “cover” was placed over the phone dialpad–ensuring that you couldn’t call anyone else. Is this just complete BS? I don’t understand why you would limit (within reason, of course) the number of calls somebody can make.