Some prison inmates rely on letters or visits from family and friends to keep in touch with the outside world. But for countless others, the only viable way to communicate with loved ones is through phone calls. These calls are often timed, recorded and prohibitively expensive. As a result, phone bills may run up to hundreds of dollars a month--a financial burden that many inmates and families can ill afford.
Because prisons receive commissions from their contracts with phone companies, they tend to choose the service providers that offer them the best kickbacks, not the ones that offer the best and most affordable services to inmates. The providers, meanwhile, try to make up the cost of these kickbacks by charging higher fees. The result is a system that profits from the vulnerability of those behind bars.
Noting that phone rates should be "just, reasonable and fair for all Americans," the Federal Communications Commission has capped rates on prison phone calls between states. But after a federal appeals court ruled that the FCC did not have the authority to regulate intrastate calls, calls within states have become even more costly--and the situation could soon get worse.
In May, Securus Technologies, one of the two largest prison phone companies, announced that it would be acquiring Inmate Calling Solutions, one of its last remaining competitors.
Beyond the concerns related to the merger, civil society groups have argued that Securus does not meet the "character qualifications" required to hold an FCC license. The FCC previously found that Securus had provided false and misleading information to the commission in an attempt to expedite a review.
The FCC is currently reviewing the deal to assess its implications for market competition and the "public interest." Given the behavior of prison phone companies and Securus' own track record, it should thoroughly investigate these questions and delay a decision on the merger until they are answered.
Editorial on 07/21/2018