Families are struggling to connect with their incarcerated loved ones. Demand Congress lower the rate of jail and prison calls.
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!
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 calls1 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.
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. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/255764?t=8&akid=44138%2E4731121%2EIoTnpa
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