The past year has been major for the Campaign for Prison Phone Justice and for families fighting to cap the high cost of prison phone calls (most recently, the Campaign even received an award for its work!). It's been a long journey to get us to this point, but the fight is far from over. Keep reading to find out how you can help win fair for rates for families once and for all.
A Quick Look Back:
In March of 2003, the Wright Petition was submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by Mrs. Martha Wright and other families of prisoners in an effort to set affordable rates for long distance phone calls from prison. It sat with the FCC for nearly a decade until this past year when the Campaign alongside other national organizations began pressuring the FCC to act on the Wright Petition before it’s ten year anniversary in March 2013.
In the span of eight months, the Campaign generated tens of thousands of letters and petition signatures, through several key actions, culminating in a national rally in front of the FCC building in Washington, DC this past November. While that fight was unfolding on the national level, local MAG-Net groups, partners, allies, and communities were fighting to cap the cost of local and long distance calls made in their state.
Finally, at the end of the year, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was adopted unanimously by the FCC on Christmas Eve and released on December 28, 2012.
Moving Forward- We Need Your Help:
The FCC is seeking comments from the public on important questions related to the cost of interstate, long distance prison telephone calls. Through this process we will be pushing the FCC to do the (W)right thing, and finally adopt rules that lead to fair phone rates.
The deadline to submit comments to the FCC is March 25th. Now is the time to make our voices heard. Here are three actions you can take:
1. Share Your Story – we have made it as easy as making a phone call
2. Submit A Comment to the FCC – it takes just a few clicks and sharing your experience
3. Send a Letter to the Editor – just plug in your zip-code and your on
After you have accomplished the above steps download our "Cap the Rates" guide to organizing action in your community.
Keep up with the work of the Campaign by checking out our website and sign up through our site for email updates.
