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July 9, 2026:
Join the Prison Policy Initiative, Latino Justice, and the MacArthur Justice Center for a powerful webinar focused on the parole board process and the case for the presumption of release. It will begin with a firsthand account from Frank Silva and his interview for freedom followed by Clinical Professor of Law Heidi Rummel and the legality of “presumption of release,” and how California’s framework has shifted the burden of proof.

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Briefings on phones

Wanda Bertram | July 18, 2024

FCC votes to slash prison and jail calling rates and ban corporate kickbacks

New rules, the result of the bipartisan passage of the Martha Wright-Reed Fair and Just Communications Act, are a massive victory in the decades-long fight for prison and jail communication justice.

Wanda Bertram | January 19, 2023

Since You Asked: What’s next for prison and jail phone justice now that the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act is law?

We explain what the new law accomplishes, how the FCC can — and should — enforce it, and why the fight for phone justice is not over.

Stephen Raher | September 7, 2022

A million here, a million there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money: Class-action settlement reveals Global Tel*Link’s addiction to seizing customer money

Evidence from court case shows why the FCC should act to stop abusive practices in the industry.

Leah Wang | August 11, 2022

Both sides of the bars: How mass incarceration punishes families

Government survey results illuminate the broader consequences of locking up people with children.

Leah Wang | December 21, 2021

Research roundup: The positive impacts of family contact for incarcerated people and their families

The research is clear: visitation, mail, phone, and other forms of contact between incarcerated people and their families have positive impacts for everyone — including better health, reduced recidivism, and improvement in school. Here’s a roundup of over 50 years of empirical study, and a reminder that prisons and jails often pay little more than lip service to the benefits of family contact.

Tiana Herring | November 18, 2021

For the poorest people in prison, it’s a struggle to access even basic necessities

Our survey of all 50 states and the BOP reveals that prisons make it hard for people to qualify as indigent—and even those who do qualify receive limited resources.

Tommaso Bardelli, Zach Gillespie and Thuy Linh Tu | October 27, 2021

Blood from a stone: How New York prisons force people to pay for their own incarceration

A study by members of the New York University Prison Education Program Research Collective gives important first-hand accounts of the damage done when prisons shift financial costs to incarcerated people.

Wanda Bertram | September 10, 2021

New data: Wisconsin jails and telecom giants profiting from high phone rates that keep families apart

Andrea Fenster | June 10, 2021

What families can expect to be charged under the new FCC rules

A new order from the Federal Communications Commission lowers existing caps on rates and fees in the prison and jail telephone industry.

Katie Rose Quandt and Andrea Fenster | March 23, 2021

It’s all about the incentives: Why a call home from a jail in New York State can cost 7 times more than the same call from the state’s prisons

Andrea Fenster | January 25, 2021

People in jails are using more phone minutes during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite decreased jail populations

Our study of 14 jails finds that there were 8% more overall minutes used during the pandemic, despite the fact that nationwide jail populations have fallen about 15%.

Wanda Bertram | September 2, 2020

Returning from prison and jail is hard during normal times — it’s even more difficult during COVID-19

We review the evidence and call for state and local governments to provide more support for success upon release from prison or jail.

Peter Wagner and Alexi Jones | September 11, 2019

The biggest priorities for prison and jail phone justice in 40 states

High prison rates, high jail rates, high first minute charges, and more

Peter Wagner and Alexi Jones | February 11, 2019

On kickbacks and commissions in the prison and jail phone market

Phone providers are so creative in their influence-peddling that the most viable reform strategies do not focus only on "commissions."

Wendy Sawyer | February 5, 2019

Why expensive phone calls can be life-altering for people in jail – and can derail the justice process

The cost of jail phone calls punishes people in the most desperate circumstances, most of whom have not been convicted of a crime.

Peter Wagner and Alexi Jones | December 17, 2018

Timeline: The 18-year battle for prison phone justice

The fight to make prison and jail phone calls affordable began in 2000. For those wondering "why is this taking so long?", here are the key dates.

Peter Wagner | July 19, 2018

New York City to make all calls from jail free

New York City becomes the first jurisdiction to make calls home from jails free. Who else is going to follow this smart step?

Aleks Kajstura | October 12, 2017

Jail phone companies flood money into sheriff races

New research shows jail phone companies contributing significant sums to Sheriff's campaigns, in one case funding a quarter of Sheriff's campaign spending.

Aleks Kajstura | January 19, 2017

Evading regulation, some in-state phone calls from jails cost over $1.50 a minute

The first ever national survey of in-state jail phone rates finds some jails charge more than $1.50 a minute.

Alison Walsh | March 23, 2016

Despite court stay, Mississippi sets new phone rates in accordance with FCC order

Mississippi just slashed its phone rates beyond what was required. What does that say to the states challenging the FCC's original order?

Peter Wagner | September 29, 2015

What would prison telephone justice look like?

What would effective state executive or legislative action for prison and jail telephone justice look like?

Sarah Hertel-Fernandez | August 12, 2014

How the prison phone industry incentivizes bad policy

Verizon says no; but the industry and sheriffs say yes to ripping off poor families and endangering public safety.

Stay Informed

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Creator-in-Residence

Stay Informed

Work with us

Support us

Meet us

Briefings on phones

FCC votes to slash prison and jail calling rates and ban corporate kickbacks

New rules, the result of the bipartisan passage of the Martha Wright-Reed Fair and Just Communications Act, are a massive victory in the decades-long fight for prison and jail communication justice.

Since You Asked: What’s next for prison and jail phone justice now that the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act is law?

We explain what the new law accomplishes, how the FCC can — and should — enforce it, and why the fight for phone justice is not over.

A million here, a million there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money: Class-action settlement reveals Global Tel*Link’s addiction to seizing customer money

Evidence from court case shows why the FCC should act to stop abusive practices in the industry.

Both sides of the bars: How mass incarceration punishes families

Government survey results illuminate the broader consequences of locking up people with children.

Research roundup: The positive impacts of family contact for incarcerated people and their families

For the poorest people in prison, it’s a struggle to access even basic necessities

Our survey of all 50 states and the BOP reveals that prisons make it hard for people to qualify as indigent—and even those who do qualify receive limited resources.

Blood from a stone: How New York prisons force people to pay for their own incarceration

A study by members of the New York University Prison Education Program Research Collective gives important first-hand accounts of the damage done when prisons shift financial costs to incarcerated people.

New data: Wisconsin jails and telecom giants profiting from high phone rates that keep families apart

What families can expect to be charged under the new FCC rules

A new order from the Federal Communications Commission lowers existing caps on rates and fees in the prison and jail telephone industry.

It’s all about the incentives: Why a call home from a jail in New York State can cost 7 times more than the same call from the state’s prisons

People in jails are using more phone minutes during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite decreased jail populations

Our study of 14 jails finds that there were 8% more overall minutes used during the pandemic, despite the fact that nationwide jail populations have fallen about 15%.

Returning from prison and jail is hard during normal times — it’s even more difficult during COVID-19

We review the evidence and call for state and local governments to provide more support for success upon release from prison or jail.

The biggest priorities for prison and jail phone justice in 40 states

High prison rates, high jail rates, high first minute charges, and more

On kickbacks and commissions in the prison and jail phone market

Phone providers are so creative in their influence-peddling that the most viable reform strategies do not focus only on "commissions."

Why expensive phone calls can be life-altering for people in jail – and can derail the justice process

The cost of jail phone calls punishes people in the most desperate circumstances, most of whom have not been convicted of a crime.

Timeline: The 18-year battle for prison phone justice

The fight to make prison and jail phone calls affordable began in 2000. For those wondering "why is this taking so long?", here are the key dates.

New York City to make all calls from jail free

New York City becomes the first jurisdiction to make calls home from jails free. Who else is going to follow this smart step?

Jail phone companies flood money into sheriff races

New research shows jail phone companies contributing significant sums to Sheriff's campaigns, in one case funding a quarter of Sheriff's campaign spending.

Evading regulation, some in-state phone calls from jails cost over $1.50 a minute

The first ever national survey of in-state jail phone rates finds some jails charge more than $1.50 a minute.

Despite court stay, Mississippi sets new phone rates in accordance with FCC order

Mississippi just slashed its phone rates beyond what was required. What does that say to the states challenging the FCC's original order?

What would prison telephone justice look like?

What would effective state executive or legislative action for prison and jail telephone justice look like?

How the prison phone industry incentivizes bad policy

Verizon says no; but the industry and sheriffs say yes to ripping off poor families and endangering public safety.

Stay Informed

Recommended Reading:

The unmet health needs of people in prison

All profit, no risk

Compare your state's use of the prison to the world at large

Prison Gerrymandering Project

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