Jail Call Transcriber
by the Rollins and Chan Law Firm, Washington, DC
Jail Call Transcriber is free software for defense lawyers who need to work through recorded jail calls quickly. Drop the raw call files into the window, press Start, and get a clean, timestamped transcript of every call, plus a master Call Index that summarizes the batch. Built for defense practice, provided at no charge.
Your client’s calls never leave your computer. Once the speech model has been downloaded the first time, everything runs offline. Audio and transcripts stay on your machine, which is how it should be for privileged material.
What it does
- Handles the raw discovery files. Works with recordings from GTL/ViaPath, Securus, ICSolutions, Pay Tel, and other jail phone systems, including GTL’s G.729 format. No conversion software needed. Encrypted recordings that only play in a vendor’s proprietary player must be produced in a standard format first.
- Drop files or folders. Drag individual recordings or an entire discovery folder onto the window. A queue table shows every call with live status: Queued, Working, Done, Failed.
- Identifies both speakers. Stereo recordings, which is the normal jail case with one party per channel, come out as a labeled dialogue with editable speaker names, so you can put your client’s name on their channel.
- Name the inmate on each call. Tag one call or fifty at once with the inmate’s name. The name appears in the transcript header, in the Call Index, and as the label on that party’s side of the conversation, so a folder holding calls from several different people comes out correctly attributed.
- Call Overview on every transcript. Estimated call date and time parsed from the file name, any phone number in the file name, duration, talk time per speaker, line and word counts, frequent terms in the conversation, and the opening line, so you can triage a stack of calls in minutes.
- Master Call Index. A single index file summarizes the whole batch and links to each transcript, so you can scan fifty calls at a glance.
- Resume support. Already-transcribed calls are skipped if you run it again on the same folder.
Download
No installation required. Download, double-click, and it runs. Windows 10 or 11 only for now; Mac users, email me if there is interest.
A note on the Windows warning
The first time you open the program, Windows may show a blue screen that says “Windows protected your PC” and lists the publisher as unknown. This is normal and expected. Windows shows that message for any program that has not been signed with a paid publisher certificate, which includes most free software written by small firms and solo developers. It is not a warning that anything is wrong with the file.
To open the program: click More info, then click Run anyway. You only have to do this once. Windows remembers the file after that.
Getting started
- Open the program and drop your call recordings or a folder of calls onto the window. You can also use the Add Files or Add Folder buttons. Turn on Include Subfolders when you point it at a discovery folder with nested directories.
- Select the calls belonging to one person and click Set Inmate Name to tag them. Repeat for each person in the batch.
- Pick an accuracy level. Standard is the recommended balance of speed and accuracy. Maximum is slower but more accurate for calls with poor audio.
- Press Start Transcription. Each transcript is written to a Transcripts folder next to the recording, or to a folder you choose. The batch ends with a “_Call_Index.txt” summarizing every call.
First run
The first transcription downloads the speech recognition model, which requires an internet connection once. After that, everything runs on your computer with no data sent anywhere.
System requirements and disclaimer
Windows 10 or 11. No installation required. The software is provided free of charge, as-is and without warranty; nothing about it is legal advice, and using it does not create an attorney-client relationship with the Rollins and Chan Law Firm.
Transcripts are generated by automated speech recognition and should be verified against the recording before quoting in any filing or examination.
Questions and suggestions from fellow attorneys are welcome: Mark Rollins, mark@rollinsandchan.com or 202-455-5610.