26 Civil and Human Rights Groups Urge FCC to Cap Predatory Prison Phone Rates and Fees

WASHINGTON – In advance of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Thursday vote on a proposal to cap exorbitant prison calling rates and fees for in-state calls, 26 organizations sent a letter to FCC Chairman Wheeler urging him to ensure reasonable inmate calling rates. In 2013, the FCC capped rates for long-distance calls, but did not address in-state call rates, which comprise 85 percent of total calls.  

Current rates for inmate calling services vastly exceed those paid by non-incarcerated people, with rates as high as $1 a minute. These exorbitant costs place an unfair financial burden not only on prisoners, but also on the friends and family members who typically pay these egregious rates to stay connected with their loved ones.

In its letter, the broad coalition of civil and human rights groups wrote that the high cost of prison phone rates also increases recidivism. “Maintaining the bonds of a family and support network is an effective way to reduce recidivism among incarcerated people, which in turn reduces the cost of the criminal justice system,” they wrote. “Sound public policy dictates that we should not disincentivize the very behavior that will help us keep families together and, in turn, reduce future crime.”

“Excessively high phone rates strain the relationships that are essential to ensuring successful rehabilitation,” said Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “The proposed rate and fee caps will bring huge financial relief for the families of inmates who often have to choose between communicating with a loved one, and paying for necessities like food, rent, and health care. This is a decision that no family member should ever have to make, and we urge all members of the FCC to vote to in favor of the proposed rate and fee caps. This proposal will effectively address the egregious commissions paid by prison phone companies to correctional institutions.”

Click here to read the letter and the entire list of signers.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.