FCC votes to stop prisons from charging $14 a minute for phone calls

[Phokus]

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/fcc-votes-to-cap-egregious-prison-phone-charges

Unsurprisingly, the GOP members on the committee voted AGAINST the measure. Profiteering in the prison industry is ludicrous.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Seems like that $14/Minute quote is rare and cherry picking the data in an effort to deceive and fool people.

The new FCC rules cap the cost of prison phone calls at 11 cents a minute for debit or prepaid calls in state and federal prisons, and reduce the cost of most inmate calls from $2.96 to $1.65 for a 15-minute in-state call, and from $3.15 to $1.65 for a 15-minute long distance call.

In all honesty though, I really don't give a shit. Considering how much people will need to work with lawyers, talk/coordinate with family, etc... when dealing with legal issues, I think all of them should be entitled to at least one FREE 15 minute call daily. Call me crazy though...

 

[dank69]

Seems like that $14/Minute quote is rare and cherry picking the data in an effort to deceive and fool people.



In all honesty though, I really don't give a shit. Considering how much people will need to work with lawyers, talk/coordinate with family, etc... when dealing with legal issues, I think all of them should be entitled to at least one FREE 15 minute call daily. Call me crazy though...

If you can't do the time, don't be black or smoke the devil weed.

 

[nakedfrog]

When my ex called me from county, IIRC it was like a $5 "connection fee" and then $3-4 per minute.

 

[EOM]

Seems like that $14/Minute quote is rare and cherry picking the data in an effort to deceive and fool people.



In all honesty though, I really don't give a shit. Considering how much people will need to work with gang bosses, talk/coordinate with their dealers, etc... when dealing with legal issues, I think all of them should be entitled to at least one FREE 15 minute call daily. Call me crazy though...

Fixed for you! A lot of the cartels are run from prisons... who don't worry about money. Expensive calls only really hurt the little guy.

 

[Sonikku]

Moral of the story: Don't be poor.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Fixed for you! A lot of the cartels are run from prisons... who don't worry about money. Expensive calls only really hurt the little guy.

You sure about that?

Personally I feel that when you're in jail you are stripped of your rights. Hence, all calls would be recorded and have possible live listening. But I don't know if they actually do that currently, or what....

Either way, I still think I would support a free call... Prison's weren't made to be for-profit for phone companies.

 

[CountZero]

You sure about that?

Personally I feel that when you're in jail you are stripped of your rights. Hence, all calls would be recorded and have possible live listening. But I don't know if they actually do that currently, or what....

Either way, I still think I would support a free call... Prison's weren't made to be for-profit for phone companies.

As we literally have for-profit prisons these days I think it is fair to say that some prisons are made to generate income part of that is probably exclusive contracts with phone companies.

IMO we shouldn't even have for-profit prisons period. The phone call issue is just one of many problems. Prison calls should charge the average rate a private individual would pay which is free for local and these days probably pretty close to free for US long distance. A time limit (per day, week, month whatever) also makes sense.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Moral of the story: Don't be poor.

the unfortunate truth.

why aren't prison calls free? it's the same type of silly logic that tries to charge you for a public defender, and it only serves to ensure that those in poverty stay in poverty.

 

[Roflmouth]

Aw, are the prisoners having a hard time in prison? Excuse me, I'll be crying in the corner.

 

[who?]

You sure about that?

Personally I feel that when you're in jail you are stripped of your rights. Hence, all calls would be recorded and have possible live listening. But I don't know if they actually do that currently, or what....

Either way, I still think I would support a free call... Prison's weren't made to be for-profit for phone companies.

Yes all calls are monitored and all mail is examined for coded messages and drugs soaked into the paper.

 

[trenchfoot]

As we literally have for-profit prisons these days I think it is fair to say that some prisons are made to generate income part of that is probably exclusive contracts with phone companies.

IMO we shouldn't even have for-profit prisons period. The phone call issue is just one of many problems. Prison calls should charge the average rate a private individual would pay which is free for local and these days probably pretty close to free for US long distance. A time limit (per day, week, month whatever) also makes sense.

In support of the bolded part of your post, here's my joke for today:

"By all means, let the free market take good care of itself and the free market will then take good care of its customers."

 

[Victorian Gray]

In support of the bolded part of your post, here's my joke for today:

"By all means, let the free market take good care of itself and the free market will then take good care of its customers."

"Kids for cash"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_for_cash_scandal

 

[DCal430]

As we literally have for-profit prisons these days I think it is fair to say that some prisons are made to generate income part of that is probably exclusive contracts with phone companies.

IMO we shouldn't even have for-profit prisons period. The phone call issue is just one of many problems. Prison calls should charge the average rate a private individual would pay which is free for local and these days probably pretty close to free for US long distance. A time limit (per day, week, month whatever) also makes sense.

While I strongly oppose for profit prisons, you do realize they make a very small percentage of the overall prisons. Most states don't even have for profit prisons, and those that do usually have a very limited number of them.

And lets not think government run prisons are much better than for profit, the largest being California prison system has remained in federal receivership due to gross indifference to the life and well being of prisoners.

 

[Brainonska511]

While I strongly oppose for profit prisons, you do realize they make a very small percentage of the overall prisons. Most states don't even have for profit prisons, and those that do usually have a very limited number of them.

And lets not think government run prisons are much better than for profit, the largest being California prison system has remained in federal receivership due to gross indifference to the life and well being of prisoners.

Even though for-profit prisons make up a small percentage, the mentality is pervasive in times of shrinking or stagnant budgets. Need to raise funds without raising taxes: raise user fees. Make entire departments "self-sustaining", etc.

 

[Pipeline 1010]

Aw, are the prisoners having a hard time in prison? Excuse me, I'll be crying in the corner.

Many of them did nothing to hurt anyone who isn't them. Yet you still support shitting on those people. Why? Why are you such a dick?

 

[Pulsar]

Many of them did nothing to hurt anyone who isn't them. Yet you still support shitting on those people. Why? Why are you such a dick?

Did you seriously just try to play the "prisoners are victims" card? Holy shit dude. Really?

 

[zinfamous]

Did you seriously just try to play the "prisoners are victims" card? Holy shit dude. Really?

Point in fact, many of them actually are. In the US, anyway. You think the bulk of the criminal justice system prosecutes actual criminals? lol!

Reading: something most of us appreciated by grade 1. It is all out there for you to learn, if you wish to do so.

Believe me, I know it's easier to simply continue on believing what you assume to be true, or even what you are told; but sometimes curiosity is worth investigating, no?

 

[Darwin333]

The ludicrous exploitation of people who have already been stripped of their rights and have virtually zero ability to earn money to pay for shit has been absurd for as long as I can remember. We are talking about what is essentially a fucking pay phone call but it's being billed at rates like cell phones when they first came out, bigger than bricks and you were calling Australia from the US. It's a massive money making scheme targeted at people who quite literally have zero other options but that's just the way that our just-us system works.

 

[Sonikku]

If you're the kind of person that can drop fourteen bucks a minute on a phone call and think nothing of it, you probably aren't a person that would get slammed with prison time in the first place.

 

[Ackmed]

Seems like that $14/Minute quote is rare and cherry picking the data in an effort to deceive and fool people.

Of course it is, making headlines is what it is about.

It is funny to me thinking prisoners are victims. Should they be price gouged on phone calls? No, they shouldn't. That doesn't mean they are victims for being there. They had their "rights stripped from them" for being criminals. Boo hoo. The public is paying for their house, food, medical, etc already. Don't go to prison if you don't like the treatment.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Of course it is, making headlines is what it is about.

It is funny to me thinking prisoners are victims. Should they be price gouged on phone calls? No, they shouldn't. That doesn't mean they are victims for being there. They had their "rights stripped from them" for being criminals. Boo hoo. The public is paying for their house, food, medical, etc already. Don't go to prison if you don't like the treatment.

So... Not a victim?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-hospice-arrest-court-fees-20150807-story.html

 

[CitizenKain]

Point in fact, many of them actually are. In the US, anyway. You think the bulk of the criminal justice system prosecutes actual criminals? lol!

Reading: something most of us appreciated by grade 1. It is all out there for you to learn, if you wish to do so.

Believe me, I know it's easier to simply continue on believing what you assume to be true, or even what you are told; but sometimes curiosity is worth investigating, no?

Too much critical thinking for a rightwing idiot like Pulsar or Ackmed. They literally lack the ability to understand these concepts.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

Too much critical thinking for a rightwing idiot like Pulsar or Ackmed. They literally lack the ability to understand these concepts.

Maybe if they took the 18 minutes to watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjpmT5noto

 

[WHAMPOM]

If you're the kind of person that can drop fourteen bucks a minute on a phone call and think nothing of it, you probably aren't a person that would get slammed with prison time in the first place.

Your worship of the rich is funny. LOL