Our GOal
free communication
We’re a collective of national, state, and local organizations fighting to connect families with incarcerated loved ones by making communication free.
The cost of phone calls is tearing families apart
With only 4 percent of the world’s population, the U.S. has more than 20 percent of the world’s incarcerated population. The 1.9 million people behind bars are also disproportionately Black and brown due to centuries of racist policies and policing.
For decades, families have struggled to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones due to the high cost of phone calls. In the end, many can’t afford to. And it is particularly isolating for the one in 28 children with a parent in prison or jail.
$16
MAX cost of a 15-minute call
Correctional telecom corporations, like Securus and ViaPath (formerly GTL), charge families as much as a dollar per minute to speak with incarcerated loved ones. But the average rate is now down 32% since 2018.
$1.4 Bn
annual revenue of the correctional telecom industry
Dominated by just a few corporations, the correctional telecom industry preys on families with incarcerated loved ones to enrich itself and correctional facilities they share their profits with.
1 in 3
families in debt due to the cost of calls and visits
Families dealing with incarceration will forgo other bills trying to stay in touch with their loved ones inside, and 87% of those carrying the financial burden are women, largely women of color.
The global health crisis just made it a lot worse
The global health crisis has forced us to social distance and reminded us of the importance of regular human connection. But while we flock to our phones and computers, many people cannot afford to.
Under normal circumstances, families with incarcerated loved ones are often cash strapped. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these families, like others, are now facing job loss, reduced pay, unplanned eldercare and childcare, and, in the worse cases, their own health concerns. So, while this is the moment that families need to be in touch the most, it is also infinitely harder for families with loved ones behind bars. And matters are getting worse as prisons and jails across the country suspend visits, infection spreads rapidly within prison walls, and people face real isolation.
As someone who has been on both ends of these calls, I know their importance. Hearing a familiar voice — a loving voice — when you’re at your lowest can change the trajectory of not just your day, but your life. Under no circumstance, should the cost of a call prevent families from supporting their loved ones inside when they need it most, and certainly not separate a parent from their child. I was lucky to make it past that moment in my life and to where I am today, everyone should be given that chance. I’m excited to join Worth Rises and the Connecting Families campaign in calling for free prison and jail communication nationwide. The time is now.
CARON BUTLER, NBA coach and former player
Corporations & Investors
Prison and jail telecom is a $1.4 billion industry dominated by just three corporations: Securus, GTL, and ICSolutions. All three corporations are owned by private equity firms that thrive off public pension investments. No one should be profiting off of the separation of families, and certainly not taxpayer dollars. Learn more
Our Stories
“With or without visits, the phone is a lifeline in prison. I have depended on prison calls my entire life, first as a child with my father behind bars and then as a parent behind bars myself. Yes, we are in the middle of a public health crisis, but families suffer crises everyday. The costs of calls should never separate families.”
MARTIN, New York
Join a Campaign
Families have been fighting for prison phone justice for decades. Fueled by recent wins, there are now more national and local campaigns across the country than ever before. There is something for everyone.
