NATIONWIDE — Today, criminal justice advocates including Worth Rises, Color Of Change, MediaJustice, FreePress, and United Church of Christ held a virtual press conference and delivered 79,413 petition signatures for prison phone justice, calling on Congress to include the Martha Wright Reed Prison Phone Justice Act in the next relief bill. This crucial legislation, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in May, would bring relief for millions of families with incarcerated loved ones struggling with the exorbitant costs of phone calls during this pandemic. More than 79,413 supporters have signed online petitions in favor of the legislation.
“Now more than ever, families with incarcerated loved ones are desperate for relief as they struggle to juggle the costs of keeping in touch with the new, pressing economic realities of COVID-19,” said Bianca Tylek, Executive Director of Worth Rises. “In recent weeks, even the conservative-led FCC has joined families and advocates in emphasizing the urgency of affordable prison phone calls during this moment of crisis. There is no time to waste. We are all looking to Congress to hear the people and heed the people by including prison phone justice in the next pandemic relief bill.”
For years, prison telecommunications firms have exploited incarcerated individuals and their families, charging excessive fees for phone calls. Now, with visits suspended in most jails and prisons in the wake of COVID-19, these sky-high rates threaten to price-gouge families out of their only remaining option to stay in touch.
Scott Roberts, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Campaigns at Color Of Change, said: “For many families with incarcerated loved ones, exorbitant fees for phone calls to and from prisons force them to decide between estrangement or economic instability. Now, as the COVID-19 pandemic puts even more financial stress on families and makes prison visitation all but impossible, the firms who operate these calls are threatening to price-gouge these families — who are overwhelmingly Black and low-income — out of their only option to keep in touch. Congress must rein in the prison telecommunications industry and pass the Martha Wright Prison Phone Justice Act to keep families together in this time of crisis.”
“The prison phone industry has a long history of preying on and exploiting incarcerated people and their families. For more than a decade, families have been calling for relief from the high price of staying connected to their loved ones behind bars. The demands to keep families connected haven’t stopped,” said Myaisha Hayes, Campaign Director at MediaJustice. “Now, 75,000 people have signed our petitions urging Congress to act. Given the economic hardship that so many families are facing in light of this pandemic, now would be the time to truly stand up for families who need to confirm the health and safety of their incarcerated loved ones.”
“Incarcerated people and their families are forced to pay astronomical rates to stay connected: In some states, a 15-minute local prison phone call costs up to $25. The pandemic has made the situation that much worse: The virus is spreading rapidly within prisons, jails and detention centers, and phone calls are the only way for families to connect,” said Lucia Martínez of Free Press Action. “The high cost of prison phone calls is a cruel and unnecessary barrier that prevents incarcerated people from accessing legal services and connecting with their loved ones. Right now, Congress can provide immediate relief by passing a pandemic stimulus bill that would cap and help lower the cost of prison phone rates. Over 75,000 people and counting have signed petitions in support of this effort — and today, Free Press Action joins our allies in a digital delivery of these petitions to the Senate.”
“In a time when our country is focused on the importance of affordable communication during a pandemic, the value of Black Lives, and the systemic flaws in our criminal justice system, it just makes sense for Congress to ensure that no one can be charged predatory rates to talk to their loved ones in prison, jail or detention,” said Cheryl A. Leanza, policy advisor at United Church of Christ’s media justice ministry, OC Inc. “The Christian tradition teaches us that incarcerated people are worthy of dignity and respect in every way — whether it is the right to fair treatment inside, support reintegrating into society, or the ability to speak to a child without sacrificing economic security. The time for Congress to act is now.”
The Martha Wright Reed Prison Phone Justice Act would grant the FCC the regulatory authority over all prisons and jail phone calls to stop the predatory behaviors of prison phone operators. If passed, it would immediately reduce rates to 4-to-5 cents per minute — down from up to $1.67 per minute — in the interim.
Today, criminal justice advocates from Worth Rises, Color Of Change, MediaJustice, Free Press, and United Church of Christ delivered 79,413 petition signatures for prison phone justice and called on Congress to enact this critical piece of legislation immediately. Speakers gave an overview of the proposed legislation, discussed their demands for Congress, and elevated the stories of those impacted by the steep costs of prison phone calls.
More information on this campaign to write phone justice for incarcerated individuals into federal law is available here.