In anticipation of the Federal Communications Commission vote tomorrow on inmate calling, the United Church of Christ's media justice ministry issued its strong support of the Federal Communications Commission vote tomorrow capping local prison phone rates.
"The vote tomorrow is a victory, no questions asked," said Cheryl Leanza, policy advisor for the historic ministry. "The FCC is not only capping the rates paid by families but cracking down on fees that could otherwise have been a source of abuse."
Because of the limits on both rates and fees, the commissions previously paid by phone companies to jails, prisons and detention centers will be severely curtailed. "I can see why Global Tel Link and some prison phone companies might want the FCC to stop commissions in addition to capping rates," continued Leanza, "those companies would like to keep all of the revenue and pass none of it on to correctional facilities. But make no mistake, the only entities harmed by tomorrow's vote are the phone companies that have been gouging families and pastors for so long."
UCC OC Inc. and many civil rights and criminal justice organizations signed a letter just before the record closed, laying out their strong support for the FCC's planned vote.
UCC OC Inc. has been working with a long list of allies, including The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Center for Media Justice, Prison Policy Initiative, many faith leaders, and the Prison Phone Justice campaign and all of its members. A rally celebrating the FCC's order is planned for Thursday morning at 9:30 am outside the FCC.