Families are struggling to connect with their incarcerated loved ones.  

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Demand Congress lower the rate of jail and prison calls.

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John,

The coronavirus pandemic has revealed just how fragile and inequitable our
systems are, from our healthcare system to the economy, and even our sworn
elected leaders. Now more than ever, people are recognizing the critical
need for strong communities and staying in touch with their loved ones.

But unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to even pick up the phone
to call or text to check-in on their parents or grandparents during this
trying time. And for incarcerated people, the barriers to remaining
connected are even worse. Every prison and jail has suspended in-person
visits, and are forcing families to pay exorbitant rates for phone and
video calls to ensure their incarcerated loved ones are safe.

Prison telecom corporations charge families as much as $25 for a 15-minute
phone call. That’s out of reach for many families under normal
circumstances, but nearly impossible during today’s pandemic, especially
for Black families who’ve been particularly hit hard. Black people are
disproportionately affected by the mass layoffs and because of systemic
health inequities, are at a higher risk of contracting and dying from the
virus. Our communities should not have the added stress of trying to make
ends meet to afford to connect with a loved one behind bars. 

Passed by the House of Representatives, the Senate is now considering a
provision that would set interim rate caps at 4 and 5 cents per minute,
bar government agencies from profiting off phone calls, and restore the
Federal Communications Commission’s authority to regulate all prison and
jail calls. Families need to remain connected and this bill would help get
us there, but we need to push Congress to act now!

[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition calling on the Senate to pass The Martha Wright Reed
Bill to lower the rate of jail and prison phone calls.

The $1.2 billion prison telecom industry exploits vulnerable populations
who are simply trying to connect with their loved ones. At a time when
families need it the most, corporations like Securus, have done little if
anything to keep families connected. And our elected leaders are failing
to step in. In some jails and prisons, they don't even have access to a
phone to make a call. And though federally incarcerated people received
free phone calls^1 for the duration of the pandemic, this is far from
enough for the millions of other incarcerated people at local and state
facilities.

COVID-19 is deadly and is changing by the minute and for incarcerated
people, many who are immuno-compromised and high risk, a missed call can
mean that they’ll never speak to their loved ones again.

[ [link removed] ]We need your help to demand that our elected officials lower the rate
of jail and prison calls, now and forever.

Families and children of incarcerated people have taken to social media
over the past few days to demand access to free prison and jail
communication. And the public response has been overwhelmingly positive.
We need to keep up the pressure on our elected leaders to guarantee our
incarcerated loved ones remain connected.

Your action today can stop the cruel separation of families and instead
connect them. Everyone deserves to know their loved ones are safe.

Until justice is real,

Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Erika, Malachi, Leonard, Marybeth, Madison, Ernie,
McKayla and the rest of the Color Of Change team 

References:

1. "Federal prisons make inmate calling, video visits free during
pandemic."
Politico. [ [link removed] ][link removed]


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