California prisoners will be able to make free phone calls to their family and loved ones from January 1, thanks to the Keep Families Connected Act being signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. It’s reported that an astounding $68.2 million is spent each year on phone calls to those who’ve been incarcerated, with those costs now being covered by the Depart of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
“[T]he simple cost of a call is never going to impair [incarcerated people’s] ability to tell their children they love them or help their partner problem-solve a parenting situation,” said Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises, a prison reform establishment, who played a tremendous role in getting the act signed. Furthermore, the law forbids agencies from receiving revenue for the provision of communication between an inmate and the caller.
“Prisoners in California have had a hard time staying in touch with their families because of the high price of prison phone calls, managed by a $1.4 billion-per-year nationwide industry. But the calls will become free in January under legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.” pic.twitter.com/sO2fg8yVDt
— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) October 12, 2022
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California has now become the second state in the country to allow prisoners to make free phone calls after Connecticut, which was the first to do so back in July. Kentucky and Massachusetts are also said to be pushing for the same legislation in the near future, with more states expected to follow suit.
As per the Prison Policy Initiative, it costs almost $6 for prisoners to speak to their loved ones, though prices can sometimes go as high as $24.82. Because of this, some families — particularly those who may not necessarily have the additional funds — are then forced to choose between keeping in contact with an incarcerated relative or paying for other things such as household bills.
This is a welcome change, and I hope it will help to reduce some of the challenges that prisoners and their families face while they are separated.
— Cordele Rocks (@CordeleRocks) December 27, 2022
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It goes without saying that allowing prisoners to talk on the phone free of charge would undoubtedly be a much more humane approach to those who may already be feeling helpless being locked behind bars. Recent studies are said to have shown that regular contact between incarcerated people and their family members reduces the chances of that person offending another crime.
On top of that, the act would also be improving public safety. New York City and San Francisco have taken similar steps to offer free phone calls to their prisoners, and people on social media think that every other state should do the same and cut the costs of calling prisoners who are locked up.