Research has shown that contact between incarcerated individuals and their families has positive outcomes for all involved, including reduced recidivism rates. However, prison phone contracts are often based on a commission model, where the phone service provider pays commission to the contracting government agency, such as a state prison or county jail. These commissions inflate the cost of phone calls, to the detriment of incarcerated individuals and their families. In 2019, these commissions amounted to over $3.47 million being paid by families in Pennsylvania for communications with their incarcerated family member.
 
In order to relieve families of incarcerated individuals of this financial burden, I will be introducing legislation that would require state prisons and county jails to provide voice communication services free of charge to incarcerated individuals initiating or receiving communications. State prisons and county jails would be prohibited from reducing access to phone calls and other communication services than what was allowed by them on January 1, 2024.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this crucial legislation that would remove this financial barrier for families of incarcerated individuals, as well as improve rates of contact between these individuals and their families.