After Gov. Ned Lamont signed a new bill into law in June, Connecticut became the first state in the US to make phone calls free for incarcerated people, including those in juvenile detention facilities. Studies show that having access to phone calls reduces violence in prisons and prisoner recidivism rates, so why have prisons and private companies been allowed to charge such exorbitant prices for communications between incarcerated people and the outside world? In this week’s episode of Rattling the Bars, Eddie Conway speaks with Dr. Venezia Michalsen about why Connecticut’s new law is so significant and why other states should follow suit. Dr. Michalsen is associate professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University and author of the book Mothering and Desistance in Re-Entry. #Prisons #PrisonIndustrialComplex #Connecticut
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While I agree the charge for phone calls and other items in jail are unrealistic and highway robbery, why should the tax payer always pay for everything? Yes, the families of those with family in prison have to carry those costs, lets remember it is not the tax payers mistake that creates that cost, but you feel they should get everything free? They get cable TV, not every tax payer can afford cable TV but they have to pay for a convicted persons TV? Out here we have to pay for college, in jail, it is free. Why should we as taxpayers always have to pay for everything? Last time I looked, about ten years ago, it costs $1,000 a day per prisoner, that's tax payer money. 100 prisoners is $100,000 a day, 1000 prisoners comes to $1,000,000 a day…. Why is forcing the costs to the tax payer the right answer instead of making fair cost laws the right answer? and she says my extra tax burden is better on prisoners…. sure, but is that fair to us, the majority of the people who did not commit a crime? Sorry, but I work to support my family, not to support those who are in prison or those who choose not to those who choose not to work. The comment not sending anyone to jail is in the best interest to everyone…. WHAT, so let the murders and rapists out of jail, let the robbers out of jail, don't convict anyone. Will you Dr. Michalsen allow these criminals to live with you in your house? This is the special interest crap that kills me, because she has someone in jail, she wants everyone to pay for it, I have a family member in jail, he chose that life, he knew what could happen to him and his family, but he did it. That was his choice, already costs the tax payers $1,000 a day now, he should have to work to earn the 1,000 a day to pay for it in my opinion. If your not willing to do the time, don't do the crime. It goes from "I'm a tough guy" to "can you please pay for everything and cry for me" over night. Fair cost for services laws, I agree, extra tax burden so they can have it free, NOPE. One reason to call it a debt to society is the tax paying society now has the burden to pay for everything for you, including free tv, free education, free food, free, free, free, free, free…. How is this fair, how is this equality, how is this just? it is not!
The reason that Connecticut may have been so high, is because less inmate population … they run detentions (and actually market investments) like a business, market demand, etc. I have blogged about this for years, from the prison phone calls, to commissary scam, to medical fees, free labour to buck ($1) an hour labour, and actually just taking money off inmates books/accounts, for so many miscellaneous things. This is NOT just prisons either, this goes all the way down to your smallest jails/detentions … INCLUDING those who never had a day in court, yet. These predators (including lobbyists) of this billion dollar prison industry, are actually committing criminal offenses, and these inmates ARE THE VICTIMS.
Getting those phone calls is something that is really important
They will make breathing illegal to fill the private prisons. No shortage of degenerate judges and communist prosecutors that hate the constitution like Brandon young in Holmes Co. Fl. Domestic terrorist and enemy of everything American.
Another example of oppression of women and people of color
Is there porn in prison ?? Surely thats free
This is surprising coming out of corrupticut
Crucial information for states and cities across the country!!!! "PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX"
I agree
Your trying to get someone in America to think long-term and actually make a plan? Are you sure that's not unconstitutional?
WHY MAKE PRISON PHONE CALLS FREE WHEN YOU CAN GET RICH EXPLOITING PRISONERS & THEIR FAMILIES. CAPITALISM USA 🇺🇸
….more government. Thats how we got in this mess. The public is indoctrinated to bow to the authority and beg for freedom.
Free phone calls wont be free…the tax payers will pick the bill up. So you will make people more poor making them pay for something they dont use. The cycle is going to continue creating the next generation of inmates while bleeding tax payers out of their labor and time. STATIST ARE STUPID AND THE REASON TO THIER OWN PROBLEMS.
ON YOUR COMPUTER JUST USE GOOGLE VOICE ITS FREE
Taxpayers ARE slaves lady. Have you even thought about what your saying. Outside of prison IRS & Federal Reserve Banking system enforces slavery. Inside Prisons is purely a slavery system where everyone but the slave or they're loved ones profits from the labor. You are either lost by choice or by mindset. Either way you are completely delusional if you think anyone outside the elitist is free from slavery legal or otherwise.
Do what? Did she say the government nor corporate oligarchs shouldn't be making money of the backs of the most vulnerable people? Hey lady have you ever read the 14th Ammendment? It legalizes slavery to those who commit crimes and anyone who disobeys the supremacists in black robes acting like they are gods incarnate although no crime is committed by definition those poverty stricken folks must work long hours in demeaning hard labor against they're will while governments and they're employees in the know and corporations make unethical profits while paying way less than 1 dollar an hour for products requiring entensive labor by unwilling slave labor. Nobody is ever free of slavery. You are one dirty police needing to make quota from being a slave yourself.
Sure give them one call every two weeks for like 10-15 minutes.
100% disagree with giving inmates anything for free unless it's a bed, food, and a book(s).
This is a good idea. Because the family does suffer the cost of these calls. The mail system is not an alternative, it takes forever. You get your one free call, but the number is blocked, and a lot of people don't answer blocked number calls, some services and phones cannot take collect calls. And fewer people have land lines. It's a big racket.
Other way around. Prisoners should have to pay for their room and board. NOT the taxpayer.
They should abolish millions of stupid laws, there's alot of innocent people in prison that had false charges filed on them by corrupt police, i have seen police lie to judges, sheriff's, prosecutors and on police reports all so they can steal the persons wealth and freedom, this is fact not conspiracy.
Not a single arrest is ever proven guilty before subjecting the punishment of being locked up. Not to mention so many laws that hardly deserve such punishment is evoked anyways. Jaywalking? Masks? And so many others that have no victim. The right to a phone call after being kidnapped is the very least that should be free. There is a dollar sign target on all of our backs for profit detentions.