Thread by @BiancaTylek

We must make all communication in prisons & jails free NOW, forever. COVID-19 is teaching us why, starting with humanity.

Please follow the thread.

#Coronavirus

1/ COVID-19 is spreading fast in free society and will spread even faster in prisons and jails. Families must be able to check on their incarcerated loved ones regularly and vice versa. Humanity calls us to care for ALL of our most vulnerable.

#Coronavirus

2/ Prisons and jails have banned visits amidst the public health crisis. While it may make sense, these visits are a lifeline for families and their incarcerated loved ones. If families can't see their loved ones, they must be able to hear them regularly.

#Coronavirus

3/ Families w incarcerated loved ones are typically cash poor & #COVID19 is going to exacerbate their financial hardship as people are denied paychecks, laid off, saddled w elder & child care, etc. Under normal conditions, families can't afford calls. Under these...

#Coronavirus

4/ 1/3 of families w incarcerated loved ones goes into debt trying to stay connected; 87% of those carrying this burden are women--largely women of color. The impact will be worse during the pandemic. This is not the time, it's never the time to exploit families.

#Coronavirus

5/ Prison telecom corps are offering families at best 2 free phone calls a WEEK. That's not enough. Families cannot be expected to ration calls during a #pandemic. Instead, calling hours & infrastructure should be expanded to accommodate increased call volume.

#Coronavirus

6/ Some (@JPay_com) are offering 2 free EMAIL stamps. Emails are free in the outside world, but in prisons & jails they require stamps that can cost up to $0.35, & a stamp is needed for every so many words & each attachment. We shouldn’t have to ask for free emails.

#Coronavirus

7/ These corps make up a $1.2 Bn industry. @SecurusTech, owner of @JPay_com, alone makes ~$700 Mn a year. These corps can afford to give families free phone calls, video calls, & emails for at least a few months. And, they still have other predatory product lines.

#Coronavirus

8/ And behind them, there is still more money: their multi-billionaire private equity owners. @SecurusTech & @JPay_com are both owned by billionaire @TomGores, owner of the @DetroitPistons, & his firm @PlatinumEquity. What are they doing for families now?

#Coronavirus

9/ In 2020, when most people don't pay for phone service but for data and when many cities have installed free calling stations and wifi, charging families for prison & jails calls is cruel. But corps and govts (which get kickbacks) don't want to give up the money.

#Coronavirus

10/ Disconnected by the cost barrier to calls, our children, families, and communities suffer. They suffer in moments of public crisis like this and in moments of individual crisis like when a mother has cancer or child has a car accident. Neither more important.

#Coronavirus

11/ Giving families & their incarcerated loved ones free access to communication empowers impacted children, strengthens families, improves reentry success, protects public health & safety, and recognizes humanity.

We must do this now, forever.

#Coronavirus #PrisonPhoneJustice

We just dropped our #prisonphonejustice messaging report and #COVID19 talking points for those fighting to increase access to free communication in prisons and jails now and forever.

worthrises.org/resources

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