Actions | Criminal Justice

Improve Prisoner Access to Phone Calls

To: The U.S. House

A bill allowing states to use cell-phone jamming technology, S.251, passed the U.S. Senate on Oct. 5 and will now be considered in the House. Another bill, S.1749, adds cell phones to the list of contraband in federal prisons. These bills address a legitimate problem, but they also miss an important opportunity.

Neither bill addresess the reason many prisoners use cell phones - to stay in touch with loved ones.

Forty-four states accept kickbacks from phone companies, which overcharge prisoners for phone calls. Prisoners in more than 10 states pay over $1 a minute for out-of-state calls. This must change.

Urge your representatives in the House to introduce amendments to S.251 and that would require states to reject phone company kickbacks and pass savings to prisoners if they want to use the jamming technology. This would address the safety issue while helping prisoners connect with their communities.

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Sign the Letter

An Amendment to HR560

Dear Representative,

I'm writing about HR560, the Safe Prisons Communications Act of 2009. I understand the need for jamming technology, but I believe the bill misses the reason many prisoners use illegal cell phones today. They use the phones to stay in touch with loved ones on the outside. More than 700,000 people are freed from prison each year in the United States, and we have a serious recidivism problem - two-third will be arrested within three years. One reason for this is that our prisons isolate people inside, rather than encouraging connections to the community and providing an education that will help released prisoners build new lives. The prohibitive cost of phone calls from prison is one barrier to positive relationships between prisoners and their communities. Forty-four states accept commissions from phone companies, which overcharge prisoners for phone calls. Prisoners in more than 10 states pay over $1 a minute for out-of-state calls. (The list of states and costs is here: http://www.etccampaign.com/rates.php) This must change. I'm writing to urge you to introduce an amendment to HR560 that requires any state seeking to use the jamming technology to reject any phone company commissions and pass savings on to prisoners. We must address recidivism in this country, and keeping prisoners connected to their loved ones is a effective method of assisting their reentry after release. Please take action on this important issue today.

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Allow my signature to be seen by other community members.

Susanne Tyler Kiel, Germany

Signed letter

about 2 hours ago
Nick Davis Toronto, NY

Signed letter

Nov 11
James Zitis Holiday, FL

Sent letter to Gus Bilirakis

Nov 08
John Cox Portland, OR

Sent letter to Earl Blumenauer

Nov 08
Erin Gillitzer La Crosse, WI

Sent letter to Ron Kind

Nov 05
Terri Guilford Bellflower, CA

Sent letter to Lucille Roybal-Allard and Linda Sanchez

Nov 05
Tina Pryor San Francisco, CA

Sent letter to Nancy Pelosi

Nov 03
tasha reed killeen, TX

Sent letter to John Carter

Nov 02
Deanna McGaughey Summers Louisville, KY

Sent letter to John Yarmuth

Nov 01
Eva Vega Orlando, FL

Sent letter to Corrine Brown and Alan Grayson

Nov 01