Prison phone companies are profiting from a pandemic, here's how the FCC can help

As jails and prisons suspend in-person visits, most incarcerated people and their families are paying outrageously high costs to simply stay connected. The Federal Bureau of Prisons just made voice and video visitation free in its 122 prisons, and while noteworthy, this isn’t enough to ensure that the majority of families can remain in touch at such a crucial time. The majority of the incarcerated population, upwards of 1.7 million people, are in state prisons and local jails, where they will probably face excessive fees to call home. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needs to push prison phone companies to lower their rates so every family can maintain a connection during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

[Mignon Clyburn is a former FCC Commissioner and current Board Chair of Full Color Future. She is also a Board Member for the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.]