Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to lower rates and fees for incarcerated communications services in federal jails and prisons! This is a huge victory for communications justice and the culmination of years of our leadership and organizing with other nonprofits to advance true prison phone justice.
Read our full press release below:
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Contact:
Michael Murray
415-969-6792
mmurray@spitfirestrategies.com
WASHINGTON (July 18, 2024) — Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to lower rates and fees for incarcerated communications services in federal jails and prisons. This vote is the FCC’s first step in implementing the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, which was signed into law by President Biden early last year.
For decades, telecom companies have exploited incarcerated people and their families, forcing them to pay extreme costs – as much as a dollar per minute – to maintain connections with their loved ones. The Martha Wright-Reed Act authorizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate prices and fees for any telecommunications used by incarcerated people to communicate with those outside, including even local calls.
Several civil rights and advocacy groups are reacting to the news:
Former FCC Acting Chairwoman of the FCC and member of the Board of Directors of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Mignon Clyburn commended today’s action, saying that “Today marks a major milestone on the long road to right a market dysfunction that has wronged incarcerated persons and their loved ones for decades. I have nothing but praise for Chairwoman Rosenworcel and her fellow Commissioners who moved this item forward, and the hard-working FCC staff for crafting forceful rules that are faithful to the goals of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act.”
“Today, we cross a major milestone in the decades-long quest to prevent gauging of families when they pay to communicate with their incarcerated loved ones. With the Federal Communications Commission vote today, prices are dropping between 8 and 14 cents per minute from existing voice calling caps, and video communication will benefit from rate protections for the first time. Lower cost communication means more memories and tighter bonds, it means more opportunities to say ‘I love you’ and ‘I miss you’ at the moment they can make a huge difference in a child’s life. It brings people together instead of breaking them apart under the weight of impossible financial burdens,” said Cheryl A. Leanza, policy advisor to the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry and coordinator of the coalition supporting phone justice. “The journey to this day has been decades in the making, from Mrs. Martha Wright-Reed, who was willing to per her name on lawsuit more than 20 years ago, to bi-partisan champions in Congress, hard-working agency leaders and staff, fellow advocates, and most important: the countless family members and incarcerated people who took the time to tell their stories, write postcards, contact their legislators or attend a Federal Communications Commission listening session. It all really does make a difference.”
“Today, 18 months from the passage of the Marta Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022, the Federal Communications Commission took action to end predatory prison phone rates. After a decade of advocacy, incarcerated individuals and their loved ones will be able to communicate with each other without the barrier of burdensome fees. The absence of these predatory rates is life-changing, potentially lowering rates of depression, isolation, and loneliness incarcerated individuals experience while in prison and helping them succeed when reentering their communities,” said Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi, vice president of the Center for Civil Rights and Technology at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
“It’s exciting to see that the Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to enact the Martha Wright-Reed legislation to lower the cost of prison phone calls,” said Brandon Tucker, Senior Policy Director at Color Of Change. “This is a major step in prison justice. Phone call costs have been predatory and it has never made sense for families of incarcerated people to pay high amounts of money to stay in contact with their loved ones. The system was rooted in corporate greed and not rehabilitation. It is unacceptable that families have gone into debt accepting phone calls from jails and prison. Thank you to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners for rectifying this misstep in our judicial system.”
“Incarcerated people and their loved ones have paid an unconscionably high price for the greed of the companies who provide telecom services to prisons, jails and detention centers. Thankfully, that’s about to change,” said Heather Franklin, internet campaign director at Free Press. “The ability for incarcerated people to maintain regular communication with loved ones, legal counsel and clergy is a human-rights issue. Incarcerated people should be able to connect and communicate without being subject to extortionate rates. We’re grateful for the work of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the other commissioners, agency staff, and decades of work by advocates across the country who’ve made today’s strides possible.”
“The FCC’s action today will help to ensure that families no longer have to pay inflated, predatory rates to speak to their incarcerated loved ones,” said Ariel Nelson, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, who leads its Criminal Justice Debt & Reintegration Project. “We are grateful the Commission has also put a stop to two enduring areas of consumer abuse–outrageous fees and site commissions–bringing meaningful financial relief and connection to families across the country.”
“With today’s order, the FCC affirmed what our movement has been saying for decades: The families of incarcerated people should not be shouldering the costs of their loved ones’ incarceration,” said Peter Wagner, Executive Director of the Prison Policy Initiative. “Capping the costs of all phone and video calls, as the FCC has done, will bring relief to millions of families, and other provisions in its order will prevent the exploitation of consumers through fees and deceptive pricing. We are glad to see the FCC take these steps toward true consumer protection for incarcerated people.”
“For years, incarcerated people unable to afford exorbitant call rates have been denied the ability to easily communicate with their loved ones, their communities, and even their attorneys. These excessive communications costs hurt incarcerated people as well as their families and communities. By requiring just and reasonable rates, the FCC is working to keep families together and to ease the return to society of incarcerated people. We commend Chairwoman Rosenworcel for her leadership in keeping incarcerated people connected and applaud the FCC for requiring reasonable rates for these vital communications,” said Al Kramer, senior fellow at Public Knowledge.
“For far too long, families around the country have struggled to afford to stay connected to their incarcerated loved ones. Too many have gone into debt just to keep in touch or been cut off entirely. Relief is finally on the horizon for the vast majority,” said Bianca Tylek, Executive Director of Worth Rises. “We’re thrilled that the FCC has agreed that incarcerated people and their families should not be responsible for paying for their own invasive surveillance. We extend enormous gratitude to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners for recognizing the toll that predatory communication costs take on incarcerated people, their families, loved ones, and communities. It’s impossible to calculate the magnitude of impact this will have on millions of families.
“We applaud the leadership of Chairwoman Rosenworcel and the Federal Communications Commission for taking this important and monumental action. The FCC’s order serves as a transformative win for incarcerated peoples and their loved ones who for far too long have had to grapple with outrageous rates,” said Rebekah P. Goodheart, Jenner & Block LLP, pro bono counsel to the Wright Petitioners. “Thanks to the tireless advocacy of various groups and civil rights organizations, much-needed relief will be provided.”
“It’s exciting to see that the Federal Communications Commission is taking steps to enact the Martha Wright-Reed legislation to lower the cost of prison phone calls,” says Brandon Tucker, Senior Policy Director at Color Of Change “This is a major step in prison justice. Phone call costs have been predatory and it has never made sense for families of incarcerated people to pay high amounts of money to stay in contact with their loved ones. The system was rooted in corporate greed and not rehabilitation. It is unacceptable that families have gone into debt accepting phone calls from jails and prison. Thank you to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners for rectifying this misstep in our judicial system.”
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We are grateful for Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s action on this issue and are ready to continue the fight for prison phone justice in court if necessary. Learn more about UCC Media Justice’s work toward open and affordable communications here.