By the Numbers
2.4 million
People Incarcerated in the U.S. A 500 % increase compared to 30 years ago. One in 28 American children had a parent behind bars in 2012.
21 cents
We successfully pushed the Federal Communications Commission to cap the rate of long distance (interstate) prison phone calls to 21 cents and 25 cents per minute for debit and collect calls. We also successfully pushed the FCC to eliminate and cap other predatory fees, including charges associated with the method of payment (by phone or website).
$17
However, the FCC does not regulate local prison phone calls, so currently it can cost $17 for a 15-minute phone call from a local jail. And companies have found ways to evade the FCC’s ruling on fees and will charge families who need a third party system to process their payment a standard fee of 6 dollars.