Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to allow prison telecommunication companies to charge incarcerated people up to 83% more for phone calls.
No one should profit off the backs of incarcerated people, that's a form of slavery. "No slavery and involuntary servitude (shall exist in the United States) except as punishment for a crime, etc." is the basis of the Thirteenth Amendment and has oddly locked slavery into place i.e. prison but is it viable? Shouldn't phone calls, like paper and pens, be free? Isn't communication a basic and universal right? Prisoners have a few of those: food, shelter, health care, clothing and, it seems to me, the absolute right to communicate in person, by mail or by phone should be a basic human right. Whoever is making money off of this deserves a place in hell.
It's another glaring example of the rush for profits uber alles that has been unleashed under this maladministration. A place in hell? They're gonna need an entire stadium!
I mean, when people have to choose between phone calls and essentials, we've gone overboard. With rules like this, Brendan Carr is really distinguishing himself as FCC chair, but in a bad way.
Brendan Carr should be incarcerated until he recovers the huge chunks of his personality that were beaten out of him by those who raised him (verbally or physically). His damaged psyche makes him a danger to everyone in the nation and, in the end, to himself.
This is heartbreaking. Thank you for getting this out there.There is so much going on from this cruel and corrupt administration, I so appreciate your attention to this. When our son was in a Correctional Center during his addiction, those phone calls were essential for him and us. He needed to know we were there and we needed to hear his voice. He is doing well at this time and I know those phone calls mattered.
Yes, the phone calls matter, and evidence shows that the closer incarcerated individuals can stay to loved ones, the less likely they are to end up back in jail. These are people too, people who have made mistakes but can recover and lead productive lives! Jails even in my town of Southern CA treat inmates horribly, with some dying because of neglect and lack of care. We are becoming a horrible nation filled with cruelty and avarice! We definitely don't deserve to identify as having even a small amount of Christianity among those in charge, contrary to their loud claims!
Exactly correct, Nancy, on all points. Maintaining positive family & community connections is crucial — unless the objective is to increase incarceration for $$.
“The recidivism rate was a third lower for people who received frequent visits while in prison compared with those who received no visits. The more frequent the visits, the more recidivism rates dropped--from 62% for those who received no visits, to 42% for those who averaged more than four visits a month between 2012 and 2016.”
I should add free phone calls are allowed in some cities or states. The Metro jail in my area allows 2 free calls per day limited to 15 minutes. That began in late 2021. At the time - probably now too - GTL and Securus, dominated the market. I wonder what the connection is to this administration. Does Mr. $50k in a Bag have a stake in this?
A sizable portion of the public doesn’t know & doesn’t care that over 70% of the people held in jail have not been convicted. Or that phone contact is believed to improve mental health - although not as much as visits.
This guy spent was arrested September 21st; held on $2M bail. The trial date was pushed to December - then he was released the October 26th.
Capitalism at its WORST! This infuriates me. This MAGA regime just keeps unwinding anything good that's been done to help people and the health of our world. ARGH!
Capitalism at it's best still requires a victim at the bottom of the ladder. The crushing of those at the bottom creates the profits earmarked for those at the top.
My dad, who was a teenager during the Great Depression, always demanded that you never kick a man when he's down, in other words, in the world of the least, the last, the lost and the little ones, you are commanded by the gospel to not inflict further harm in cruel and unusual ways. And then to make money on the cruel and unusual punishment...these people know no shame.
So the FCC is just plain over ruling an act of congress? Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 was passed by the house and the Senate and signed by Pres Biden and the FCC just invalidated this? Is that what I just read?
Yes, they’ve changed the rules from when the law was enacted. This set of appointees has no respect for law. They know it takes time & $$ to sue. They have no problem doing as they please & may even get SCOTUS to bless the new rules.
— Congress Enacts Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 (updated with link to legislation)
"This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement"
There are advocacy groups that sue. I’m not certain DF wants to expand their focus right now. SCOTUS has given the administration pretty much the power to do whatever within agencies.
There is another option - free phone calls. If the Louisville Metro area can provide 2 free 15 minute calls per day other jails can. Some states have free calls too - CA, NY, Mass, MN, CT.
The proponents of the current maladministration ensconced in Whitey's House believe that fear is the purest of emotions and cruelty the best tool to use towards achieving that end for us.
Way to just knock down the people who are part of an inequitable system to begin with for the most part with even more that’s completely abysmal to help them and punish them.😩
Impoverishing the poor and powerless while enriching those who are already rich is the entire "conservative" and/or Republican operating style, these days. They can make up a hundred bogus excuses for whey what they're doing is necessary, but the reality is, in their black hearts, and evil, twisted psyches, the poor and powerless should always be punished for being in that position and the wealth the rich already possess proves they are worthy of receiving more.
No matter what they say, this is what they always do. If you expect anything else, you will always be disappointed and find yourself further impoverished at their hands (unless you're a billionaire).
Issues like this are how Republicans keep winning elections. They control the message better than Democrats and this will be framed as, "see they care more about prisoners than you".
While not fair, it probably isn't a hill to die on.
An answer to that strawman is “How do taxpayers feel about paying for higher recidivism rates because of bad policies?”
I’ve not seen a candidate win or lose on this issue because it is almost never mentioned once the policy is in place. It creates a safer environment inside the jails & prisons and the limited number of calls are monitored / recorded. IOW, are used as evidence by prosecutors when dodos don’t pay attention to the disclaimers.
No one should profit off the backs of incarcerated people, that's a form of slavery. "No slavery and involuntary servitude (shall exist in the United States) except as punishment for a crime, etc." is the basis of the Thirteenth Amendment and has oddly locked slavery into place i.e. prison but is it viable? Shouldn't phone calls, like paper and pens, be free? Isn't communication a basic and universal right? Prisoners have a few of those: food, shelter, health care, clothing and, it seems to me, the absolute right to communicate in person, by mail or by phone should be a basic human right. Whoever is making money off of this deserves a place in hell.
It's another glaring example of the rush for profits uber alles that has been unleashed under this maladministration. A place in hell? They're gonna need an entire stadium!
Ask your institutions about their investment screens. Do they screen out for-profit prisons? Some do, so it is absolutely possible.
I mean, when people have to choose between phone calls and essentials, we've gone overboard. With rules like this, Brendan Carr is really distinguishing himself as FCC chair, but in a bad way.
Brendan Carr should be incarcerated until he recovers the huge chunks of his personality that were beaten out of him by those who raised him (verbally or physically). His damaged psyche makes him a danger to everyone in the nation and, in the end, to himself.
This is heartbreaking. Thank you for getting this out there.There is so much going on from this cruel and corrupt administration, I so appreciate your attention to this. When our son was in a Correctional Center during his addiction, those phone calls were essential for him and us. He needed to know we were there and we needed to hear his voice. He is doing well at this time and I know those phone calls mattered.
The cruelty pleases them and they make their filthy lucre too!
Yes, the phone calls matter, and evidence shows that the closer incarcerated individuals can stay to loved ones, the less likely they are to end up back in jail. These are people too, people who have made mistakes but can recover and lead productive lives! Jails even in my town of Southern CA treat inmates horribly, with some dying because of neglect and lack of care. We are becoming a horrible nation filled with cruelty and avarice! We definitely don't deserve to identify as having even a small amount of Christianity among those in charge, contrary to their loud claims!
Exactly correct, Nancy, on all points. Maintaining positive family & community connections is crucial — unless the objective is to increase incarceration for $$.
“The recidivism rate was a third lower for people who received frequent visits while in prison compared with those who received no visits. The more frequent the visits, the more recidivism rates dropped--from 62% for those who received no visits, to 42% for those who averaged more than four visits a month between 2012 and 2016.”
https://www.prisonsociety.org/updates/state-policies-perpetuate-the-cycle-of-incarceration
So the only reason for not making the calls accessible is cruelty, or, as you suggest, greed! Greed and cruelty too often go together! Very sad!
I should add free phone calls are allowed in some cities or states. The Metro jail in my area allows 2 free calls per day limited to 15 minutes. That began in late 2021. At the time - probably now too - GTL and Securus, dominated the market. I wonder what the connection is to this administration. Does Mr. $50k in a Bag have a stake in this?
https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2025-08-25.raskin-jayapal-crockett-to-homan-dhs-re-geo-group_0.pdf
A sizable portion of the public doesn’t know & doesn’t care that over 70% of the people held in jail have not been convicted. Or that phone contact is believed to improve mental health - although not as much as visits.
This guy spent was arrested September 21st; held on $2M bail. The trial date was pushed to December - then he was released the October 26th.
https://reason.com/2025/10/30/prosecutors-drop-charges-against-tennessee-man-over-facebook-meme/
BOY HOWDY PRIVATIZATION IS WORKING OUT SO WELL FOR US
Capitalism at its WORST! This infuriates me. This MAGA regime just keeps unwinding anything good that's been done to help people and the health of our world. ARGH!
Capitalism at it's best still requires a victim at the bottom of the ladder. The crushing of those at the bottom creates the profits earmarked for those at the top.
Incarceration is ridiculously profitable. We need massive prison reform.
My dad, who was a teenager during the Great Depression, always demanded that you never kick a man when he's down, in other words, in the world of the least, the last, the lost and the little ones, you are commanded by the gospel to not inflict further harm in cruel and unusual ways. And then to make money on the cruel and unusual punishment...these people know no shame.
So the FCC is just plain over ruling an act of congress? Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 was passed by the house and the Senate and signed by Pres Biden and the FCC just invalidated this? Is that what I just read?
If that is the case, then we need an organization to bring a lawsuit.
Yes, they’ve changed the rules from when the law was enacted. This set of appointees has no respect for law. They know it takes time & $$ to sue. They have no problem doing as they please & may even get SCOTUS to bless the new rules.
— Congress Enacts Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 (updated with link to legislation)
"This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement"
https://www.fcc.gov/congress-enacts-martha-wright-reed-just-and-reasonable-communications-act-2022-updated-link
Perhaps Democracy Forward could bring a class action lawsuit?
There are advocacy groups that sue. I’m not certain DF wants to expand their focus right now. SCOTUS has given the administration pretty much the power to do whatever within agencies.
There is another option - free phone calls. If the Louisville Metro area can provide 2 free 15 minute calls per day other jails can. Some states have free calls too - CA, NY, Mass, MN, CT.
Robber barrons robbing.
Unchecked cruelty... always follow the money going into the "stain's" pocket in his regime...
The proponents of the current maladministration ensconced in Whitey's House believe that fear is the purest of emotions and cruelty the best tool to use towards achieving that end for us.
Prison reform including phone call costs, is only the tip of the iceberg that requires regime change.
Way to just knock down the people who are part of an inequitable system to begin with for the most part with even more that’s completely abysmal to help them and punish them.😩
Absolutely unforgivable! Thank you for calling it out!
Impoverishing the poor and powerless while enriching those who are already rich is the entire "conservative" and/or Republican operating style, these days. They can make up a hundred bogus excuses for whey what they're doing is necessary, but the reality is, in their black hearts, and evil, twisted psyches, the poor and powerless should always be punished for being in that position and the wealth the rich already possess proves they are worthy of receiving more.
No matter what they say, this is what they always do. If you expect anything else, you will always be disappointed and find yourself further impoverished at their hands (unless you're a billionaire).
Issues like this are how Republicans keep winning elections. They control the message better than Democrats and this will be framed as, "see they care more about prisoners than you".
While not fair, it probably isn't a hill to die on.
What about the relatives who want to stay in touch with those who are imprisoned? People like Martha Wright Reed. We should care about them.
I think we should stop being afraid of what the GOP will / might say and learn to control our messages to support our ideas.
An answer to that strawman is “How do taxpayers feel about paying for higher recidivism rates because of bad policies?”
I’ve not seen a candidate win or lose on this issue because it is almost never mentioned once the policy is in place. It creates a safer environment inside the jails & prisons and the limited number of calls are monitored / recorded. IOW, are used as evidence by prosecutors when dodos don’t pay attention to the disclaimers.