Summary

 

Map : Jenna Cohen/PBS NewsHour Source: Prison Policy Initiative Created with Datawrapper Advocates argue incarcerated people in the U.S. are overcharged for basic phone calls. Families spend as much as $500 a month to keep in touch with loved ones behind bars. In January, a law came into effect giving the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to regulate the price of in-state prison phone calls across the country. But advocates say there are still higher prices for video calls, e-mail-like services, and other modes of communication. And a recent Prison Policy Initiative report warns prison telecom companies are evading regulations by making money off of those services. These high costs have a severe impact even beyond jail and prison. The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights says more than a third of families with incarcerated relatives go into debt over communication costs. Over the last two decades, political pressure from families and advocates has helped lower prices of prison and jail phone rates. While most advocates claim we’re headed in the right direction, they say there are still major gaps in reform. KEY TERMS

• Advocate (noun) — a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy


• Kickback (noun) — a payment made to someone who has facilitated a transaction, often used to suggest criminal transactions


• Fine (noun) — a sum of money charged as a punishment


• Telecommunications providers (noun) — businesses that provide services based in exchanging information and communication

KEY DISTINCTIONS : Jail vs. Prison (nouns) Jail is typically run by local authorities and for short-term sentences or awaiting trial. Prison is under state or federal jurisdiction and for long-term sentences of people convicted of a crime.

Five Facts

• What communication services are still being exploited by prison telecom companies?


• Where are the costs of e-message services 50 cents or lower?


• Which government agency has the authority to regulate in-state prison phone calls?


• Why do jail phone calls tend to be more expensive than ones in state prisons?


• How do communication costs affect families with incarcerated loved ones?

Focus Questions

Focus question: PBS Newshour’s Roby Chavez reports that Securus alone supplies nearly half of the prisons systems that offer e-massing, holding contracts in 22 states. He also reports that county jails, unlike state prisons, can’t negotiate down rates. What does it mean when the incarceration system relies on businesses to supply basic public goods? News analysis : Roby Chavez reports on Charles Amos, a formerly incarcerated individual who helps his friends in prison communicate with their relatives. “Helping his friends stay connected to their families has eaten into his savings. It’s money that Amos could use to pay for his upcoming wedding and his new life,” says Chavez, adding that last Christmas, “Amos couldn’t buy gifts and delayed buying a winter coat because he wanted to make sure his friends in prison had money to make calls.” Why do you think Chavez is focusing on Amos’ sacrifice? Some e-messaging options in prisons do not support non-English characters and don’t allow news stories to be shared. If you could interview business leaders and politicians who run the prison system, how would you challenge them on these facts?

For More

What can students do? Research, scrutinize and share the Prison Policy Initiative report, along with your notes from this activity. This story is part of NewsHour's " Searching for Justice " Series. Searching for Justice explores criminal justice reforms unfolding across the country, as the leaders from both sides of the political aisle attempt to end mass incarceration by rethinking laws that some say have become barriers to work, housing, and economic stability. Click here for more stories and the series and watch for more NewsHour Classroom lesson content based on Searching for Justice stories.

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Lesson by Cale Holmes, a journalist and educator, who focuses on the climate crisis, social justice and global issues. Holmes is a graduate of Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Columbia Journalism School. Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning.