The recent article “Prisoners are spending thousands of hours a month talking on the phone – for free” from the Plymouth Independent demonstrates a troubling bias in its coverage, favoring the perspectives of carceral officials while downplaying the broader benefits of the new legislation. Such framings only serve to uphold punitive structures rather than promote a more compassionate and transformative justice system.
Before the implementation of No Cost Calls in December 2023, the cost of making phone calls from prisons and jails was exorbitant, often up to 14 cents a minute. This financial burden fell on low-income communities who are disproportionately incarcerated, exacerbating the difficulties faced by families already struggling to maintain connections with incarcerated loved ones. The article mentions the high cost of these calls but fails to adequately address the exploitative nature of the previous system, which funneled money into corporate coffers and provided kickbacks to most sheriffs’ offices, inflating an already bloated carceral budget.
The arguments against No Cost Calls in this article deserve scrutiny. For example, the article describes the cost of free phone calls as enormous but fails to mention that the No Cost Calls legislation directs the sheriffs and Department of Correction to lower rates by soliciting a new competitive statewide contract. We should question why some carceral officials are focused on undermining this legislation, rather than making a good faith effort to successfully implement No Cost Calls.
Furthermore, the article portrays No Cost Calls as causing an increase in harassment and criminal enterprise. However, there is no data that supports this assertion, and logic that counters it. The vast majority of incarcerated people use telephone calls exactly as they are intended, to maintain vital connections, which we know helps to reduce recidivism. For the few who may use telephones to cause harm, it is illogical to use cost to deter such behavior. Carceral officials have long maintained surveillance of all telephone calls and have mechanisms to address abuses through disciplinary and criminal processes. We should not punish a whole population for the actions of a few.
By amplifying the concerns of sheriffs and downplaying the positive impacts of the legislation, the article supports the status quo of a punitive and extortive system. The shift to free calls redirects funds away from corporate profits and towards helping people who are incarcerated maintain familial bonds, which research consistently shows is crucial for successful reintegration into society. As we move forward, we must champion policies that support ending cycles of incarceration, rather than those that perpetuate punishment and profit.
– Aaron Steinberg
Steinberg is communications director for Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts.