Campaign for Prison Phone Justice and a broad range of voices across the political spectrum submitted comments to the FCC in support of prison phone rate reductions.
Today, the Federal Communications Commission will close the window for public comment on the “Wright Petition,” which seeks to cap the steep rates telecommunications companies charge for interstate calls made from prison.
During the comment period, hundreds of prisoners answered the call from the Campaign for Prison Phone Justice to share their “prison phone” stories. The carefully inked, handwritten letters submitted to the regulatory commission asked for relief from exorbitant phone rates for them and their families, and revealed the steep tax these costly charges impose on their most important relationships, including those with their children. There are an estimated 2.7 million children in the United States with a parent in prison.
Comments from prisoners lead the chorus of more than 40,000 comments already submitted in support of phone rate reduction. An additional 35,000 comments will be submitted today by a diverse range of voices across the political spectrum via multiple petitions. Progressive and racial justice voices are represented by CREDO Mobile and Color of Change, conservative voices are represented by the Justice Fellowship, and people with disabilities are represented by Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf. Women’s interest groups are represented by the National Organization for Women, the civil rights community is represented by the Prison Phone Rates Collaborative, and families of prisoners are represented by the Campaign for Prison Phone Justice in partnership with diverse criminal justice, human rights and media groups.