No one should profit off of prisoners trying to stay in touch with their families

The Federal Bureau of Prisons made phone calls and some video visits free for inmates in early April, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced a suspension of visits. The change was overdue, and Congress should make the policy permanent. Yet the federal government operates only one relatively small piece of the nation’s jail and prison system. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, which tracks jail and prison phone call systems, not many cities, counties or states have followed the federal lead. That means thousands of prisoners and their families will be hard hit simply for staying in touch. Calling from a state prison can be shockingly expensive, and from a local jail even more so. Now that covid-19 has eliminated in-person visitation in many places, jails and prisons should end extreme pricing. And those that have announced temporary policies easing or, ideally, eliminating costs should make them permanent.