| Friend,
At a time when communication with loved ones is more urgent than ever, prisons, jails and detention centers have limited visits — or banned them altogether. This has made it harder for people behind bars to connect with their friends, family members and lawyers.
But even before the pandemic, it was difficult for people experiencing incarceration to connect with the outside world. Prison-phone rates are astronomical — a local 15-minute phone call can run as high as $25 in some facilities.1 Many families simply can’t afford these sky-high rates. For the 2.7-million children with an incarcerated parent, this can mean forgoing phone calls that could help them maintain healthy relationships.
Tell Congress to pass phone-justice legislation that would outlaw predatory prison-phone rates and help keep families connected.
Former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn spent her career at the agency fighting to stop prison-phone companies from exploiting incarcerated people and their families. During her time at the FCC, she helped implement a rule that would have capped the cost of prison-phone calls to and from jails, prisons and detention centers. But years later, Trump’s FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, refused to defend an important part of the rule in court — abandoning incarcerated people and their families to the greed of the prison-phone companies.2
Now there’s hope for change. The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act and the Martha Wright Prison Phone Justice Act would bring phone justice for millions of families. Tell Congress to support this legislation.
Take Action Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Bobby Rush, both Democratic lawmakers from Illinois, have each reintroduced legislation that would clarify that the FCC has the legal authority to stop the predatory behaviors of prison-phone corporations — opening the door for millions of families to connect.
The bills are both named in honor of Martha Wright-Reed, a champion in the fight for prison-phone justice. For more than 20 years, Mrs. Wright-Reed fought for affordable prison-phone rates as phone calls were the only way she could stay in touch with the grandson she raised and loved.3
Tell your lawmakers to support the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act in the Senate and the Martha Wright Prison Phone Justice Act in the House.
Your voice could help connect families who’ve been torn apart by predatory prison-phone companies.
Thanks for all you do,
Lucia and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net
1. “State of Phone Justice: Local Jails, State Prisons and Private Phone Providers,” Prison Policy Initiative, February 2019 2. “A Mega-Merger in the Prison-Phone Industry Is in the FCC’s Hands,” The Verge, Sept. 5, 2018 3. "Prison Phone Justice is a Gender Justice Issue: The Legacy of Mrs. Martha Wright-Reed," MediaJustice, March 8, 2019 |
