How the Martha Wright-Reed Act Moves Us Closer to Just and Reasonable Communications

For many incarcerated people in the United States, exorbitant phone rates and fees make it consistently difficult to keep in touch with loved ones, lawyers, and others outside of prison. The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022—signed by President Joe Biden on January 5, 2023—will ensure just and reasonable charges for telephone and advanced communications services in correctional and detention facilities across the country. The new law expands the Federal Communications Commission’s jurisdiction over different kinds of prison communications and the rates and fees associated with them. Here, we look at all that was done to make this law a reality and what it means for incarcerated people and their families.