Incarcerated people are forced to use Securus Communications because of its dominance in the industry. Calls are overpriced: A 15-minute phone call can cost up to $8.25. The company also profits from offering tablets with multimedia far above market rates.
Multiple services went down twice in one week at the end of May 2024, leaving millions of incarcerated people unable to communicate and their families unable to send funds. Not only must they depend on this service for contact, but they’re also paying to be exploited by a service that fails them.
The passage of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act gave the FCC the authority to regulate rates for in-state calls from correctional facilities. This led to more problems for Securus and their debts which is now facing bankruptcy.
Prison telecommunication services don’t have to continue sucking money out of our communities. Their troubles have also been aided by activists fighting for years to push back against this form of corporate profiteering.
The impending downfall of Securus represents a victory for people fighting against the prison telecom industry. We must speak out against any injustice, as our collective voices are powerful enough to create change on this level and beyond.