FCC Prison Phone Policy:
Defending Rights of Incarcerated People

 We, the undersigned organizations, journalists, and advocates for human rights and media justice, write in strong support of FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez and her principled stand defending the right of incarcerated people and their families to affordable communication.

Commissioner Gomez’s dissent rightly exposes the danger of the FCC’s current course — delaying, diluting, and undermining the 2024 reforms mandated by the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act.

Those reforms were designed to

• Cap phone call rates to roughly $0.06 per minute for prisons and large jails
• Set limits for video-calling costs (typically $0.11–$0.25 per minute)
• End “site commission” kickbacks that reward jails and prisons for overcharging families
• Ban hidden fees and require that only legitimate service costs be passed to consumers

Families and advocates fought for years to stop the exploitation that comes from demanding exorbitant and extortionate sums and profiteering from contact between loved ones. Now, by delaying full implementation until April 2027, the FCC preserves a system that profits from isolation and despair.

Communication is not a privilege; it is a vital part of rehabilitation, family unity, and public safety. Every barrier to contact deepens the cycle of alienation, mental distress, and recidivism — outcomes that harm not only incarcerated individuals but entire communities.

We urge the FCC and all public officials to

1. Implement the 2024 rule in full and without further delay
2. Reject lobbying efforts to weaken or repeal these fair-rate protections
3. Reaffirm that access to communication is a human right, integral to justice and democracy

We also call on state correctional agencies and legislators to cooperate fully in implementing these rules, rather than obstructing or delaying them. Every day of postponement is another day that families suffer needlessly.

As media workers, advocates, and defenders of communication rights, we will continue to report, organize, and speak out until justice is served and every family can stay connected without exploitation.

The Ida B. Wells Media Defense Network

Sincerely,

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