We at Free Press are devastated by the mass shootings in California, Ohio and Texas. We send our deepest condolences to impacted communities and loved ones, and remain more committed than ever to disrupting the role of technology in fomenting violence and hate.

Friend,

The latest episode of John Oliver's Last Week Tonight devoted a segment to a crucial under-the-radar issue: the ways in which prison-phone companies exploit incarcerated people and their loved ones. For decades these companies have charged exorbitant rates for phone calls — forcing some families to decide between putting food on the table and preserving ties with friends and relatives in prison. As John Oliver explained on his show, the average wage in prison is about 63 cents per hour — and in some states incarcerated people aren’t paid for their work at all. And yet they are forced to pay outrageous rates to make phone or video calls to their family members and lawyers.

Right now we have a great opportunity to pass a bill that would help make prison-phone calls across the country more affordable. Urge your senators to support the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act.

Thanks!

Lucia

Friend,

Did you watch Last Week Tonight with John Oliver this weekend?

The show was all about the ways that large corporations exploit incarcerated people and their families. John Oliver talked extensively about how prison-phone companies (like Securus) get away with charging up to $25 for a 15-minute phone call in some states.¹ This is a price that too many families simply can’t afford, and can mean choosing between making a vital connection with a loved one or putting food on the table.

The fight for prison #PhoneJustice is something we’ve been working on in coalition with media-justice and prison-rights organizations for years. And right now we have a great opportunity to pass a bill that would help make prison-phone calls across the country more affordable: The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act.

But we need your senators’ support to do this. Sign our petition and we’ll get it in front of your senators.

The bill is named in honor of Martha Wright-Reed, a champion in the fight for prison-phone justice. For more than 20 years, Mrs. Wright-Reed fought for affordable prison-phone rates. Phone calls were the only way she could stay in touch with the grandson she raised and loved: As a blind elderly woman, she could neither write letters nor travel long distances for in-person visits.²

For far too long, prison-phone companies have been allowed to take advantage of people who are incarcerated and their loved ones. As John Oliver explained on his show, the average wage in prison is about 63 cents per hour — and in some states incarcerated people aren’t paid for their work at all.³ And yet incarcerated people are forced to pay outrageous rates to make phone or video calls to their family members and lawyers. This practice of price-gouging must be stopped.

To carry on the legacy of Martha Wright-Reed, we're urging lawmakers to stand up for vulnerable communities and make prison-phone calls affordable for people trying to stay connected. Tell your senators to support the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2019.

Thanks for all that you do,

Lucia, Collette, Amy and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net

P.S. Prison-phone companies in some states charge $25 for a 15-minute phone call between people who are incarcerated and their loved ones. This is exploitation: Urge your senators to pass the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act to make these calls affordable.

1. “State of Phone Justice: Local Jails, State Prisons and Private Phone Providers,” Prison Policy Initiative, February 2019: https://act.freepress.net/go/31160?t=8&akid=13161%2E10296224%2E-vrrTq

2. "Prison Phone Justice Is a Gender Justice Issue: The Legacy of Mrs. Martha Wright-Reed," Media Justice, March 8, 2019: https://act.freepress.net/go/31632?t=10&akid=13161%2E10296224%2E-vrrTq

3. “Prison Labor,” Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Aug. 4, 2019: https://act.freepress.net/go/31633?t=12&akid=13161%2E10296224%2E-vrrTq