<div> Last year, state lawmakers approved a $1 million pilot project in response to reports suggesting that maintaining contact with loved ones helps reduce the recidivism rate among prisoners. Under this initiative, inmates with good behavior are allowed to make one free 15-minute phone call per month to the outside world. During the 2024 legislative session, the Florida Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations members expressed their satisfaction with the successful implementation of the program. As a result, they decided to allocate $2 million from an inmate trust fund, rather than relying on general revenues, to expand the program. Gov. Ron DeSantis made the decision to eliminate that specific line item in June, which has raised concerns among advocates for prison and criminal justice reform. Karen Stuckey, who has experienced the challenges of having her son and husband incarcerated in Florida prisons, emphasizes the significance of maintaining family connections and providing education during the re-entry process. She believes that in order for individuals to succeed upon release, it is crucial to keep them connected to their loved ones. Stuckey acknowledges that reintegrating into society after incarceration is extremely difficult, and therefore, maintaining these connections plays a pivotal role in supporting successful re-entry. “If you want someone to succeed, it’s crucial to keep them connected with their families or loved ones. Because after their release, it becomes incredibly challenging.” “My name is Karen Stuckley, and I am a wife and mother to inmates. Having loved ones behind bars has been a challenging journey for me and my family. The emotional toll it takes is indescribable. Every day, we are faced with the pain of separation and the constant worry for their well-being. It’s a constant battle between hope and despair, and it’s something that only those who have been through it can truly understand. But despite the hardships, we remain strong and determined to support our loved ones through their difficult times. We are their pillars of strength, their unwavering support system. And though the road may be tough, we stand by them, offering love, encouragement, and a glimmer of hope for a better future.” Studies conducted independently have highlighted the advantages of enabling prisoners to maintain communication with their loved ones. According to a report by the Urban Institute in <a href=https://www.academia.edu/36694713/Family_Members_Experiences_with_Incarceration_and_Reentry rel="noopener nofollow" target=_blank> 2006 report </a> , incarcerated individuals who had strong family ties were 25% more likely to refrain from engaging in criminal behavior within five years of their release. Furthermore, a <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0893-3200.19.3.350" rel="noopener nofollow" target=_blank> 2005 report </a> study focusing on incarcerated mothers’ interactions with their children revealed that telephone calls, surpassing physical visits, were strongly associated with positive maternal perceptions of their relationships with their children. In Florida, inmates have the option to make collect calls, but they are only allowed to do so. The correction department’s vendor, ViaPath Technologies (formerly Global Tel* Link Corp.), charges 13.5 cents per minute for these calls. However, inmates are still granted two free 5-minute calls every month. As part of its $24.375 million contract with ViaPath, which was signed in 2020, the Department of Corrections receives $5 million annually from telephone commissions. The issue at hand is not a recent one. Back in 1998, the Florida House of Representatives released a comprehensive report addressing the state’s policies concerning mail, visiting, and telephone access. According to the report, it was concluded that the agency’s strategic plan for 1998-2003 acknowledges the fact that over 95% of the offenders will eventually be released to the community. Therefore, it is imperative to provide programs that prioritize public safety. The report highlighted that rehabilitation programs primarily focus on areas such as job and life skills, as well as addressing substance abuse. However, it observed a lack of emphasis on utilizing the support of family members in the rehabilitation process, as well as the significance of maintaining regular contact with loved ones while incarcerated. In the fall of last year, Massachusetts joined the ranks of Connecticut, California, Minnesota, and Colorado as the fifth state in the US to eliminate fees for calls made from prisons and jails. <h4 class=editorialSubhed> Modest program </h4> Florida implemented a modest one-year pilot program, which offered individuals one free 15-minute call per month. Stuckey, a resident of Volusia County, took the lead in advocating for free calls for inmates. According to her, she incurred a total cost of $6,095 for phone calls over a span of two years, from March 2020 to April 2022. In contrast, her personal cellphone bills for unlimited service during the same period amounted to $1,038. Not willing to stop communicating with her family members, she took the initiative to reach out to state lawmakers, knowing that the cost was unsustainable. In response to Stuckey’s appeal, Broward County Democratic state Senator Lauren Book took action during the 2022 session. She introduced a proposal that would require the Department of Corrections to provide inmates with free phone calls. Unfortunately, her bill did not find a sponsor in the House and ultimately died without being heard in any committee. In Gainesville, two passionate University of Florida students, who had no personal ties to the incarcerated, were on the lookout for policy issues that they could devote their energy to. It was during this search that they stumbled upon the movement advocating for free phone calls for those behind bars. Graham Bernstein and Konstantin Nakov from the student-led Florida Student Policy Forum at UF were going through news articles on state legislatures across the nation. During their search, they stumbled upon an article in the Harvard Political Review that shed light on the exorbitant expenses associated with prison phone calls. The article also highlighted the lack of competition in the prison phone call market. They felt empowered to take action after attending a Future of Florida Summit on the UF campus. During the summit, Kevin Scott from Community Spring, a Gainesville nonprofit economic justice group, highlighted the importance of offering free phone calls to inmates. This resonated with them, especially since Community Spring was already assisting the formerly incarcerated in Alachua County. <h4 class=editorialSubhed> Free jail calls </h4> The Florida Student Policy Forum took on a renewed sense of purpose as they started advocating for the provision of free calls for inmates at the Alachua County Jail. This program, which was implemented in October last year, offers free phone calls to inmates and is still ongoing. Bernstein, along with Stuckey and other prison reform advocates, joined forces to lobby state legislators for a comparable initiative. Their diligent efforts paid off when the Florida Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations granted approval for a $1 million allocation to provide free phone calls, a law which was subsequently signed by DeSantis in 2023. Bernstein’s involvement in prisoner reform is unique because he doesn’t have any personal connections to the corrections department. “I was completely persuaded by the overwhelming evidence, extensive research, and heartfelt conversations I had with individuals who have either experienced incarceration themselves or have loved ones who are currently incarcerated,” he shared with the Phoenix. According to Bernstein, there has been extensive research and documentation highlighting the positive impact of communication between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. He emphasizes that this communication can effectively reduce recidivism rates, enhance public safety, and ultimately result in cost savings for taxpayers. In a unanimous decision, both the Biden administration and Congress have reached an agreement. The Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, which President Biden signed into law in January 2023, will now be implemented by the Federal Communications Commission. This law aims to ensure that inmate communication charges at prisons and jails nationwide are fair and reasonable. In a recent report, the FCC acknowledged and actively addressed the detrimental effects of exorbitant communication rates and charges on incarcerated individuals, their families, loved ones, and society as a whole. Excessive communication rates pose a significant burden on incarcerated individuals, hindering their ability to stay connected and maintain the essential bonds that support families and friends during periods of incarceration. The evidence presented in this proceeding overwhelmingly supports this claim. <h4 class=editorialSubhed> No burden to taxpayers </h4> Advocates for the Florida free phone call program are extremely disappointed because the $2 million set aside for the expansion of the program would not have utilized taxpayer money. Instead, according to Florida law, it would have come from the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund, which receives money from a variety of inmate-related businesses like canteens, vending machines, hobby shops, and other similar establishments. Denise Rock from the inmate advocacy group Florida Cares emphasized the importance of understanding that the funds being used are not coming from the state’s budget. She clarified that the money being used is from a trust fund, and it does not involve taxpayer dollars. “The entire situation just doesn’t make sense,” expressed Bernstein, currently in his senior year at the University of Florida. The governor chose not to publicly address the reasons behind his rejection of the appropriations. According to Karen Stuckey, she believes that “he was attempting to enhance the perception of how much he had cut from the budget.” She specifically mentioned that the line item in question was labeled as the Inmate Phone Call Pilot. “He has no interest whatsoever in anything related to inmates,” she remarked. St. Petersburg-based Democratic state Sen. Darryl Rouson, a member of the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations that approved funding for the program over the past two years, expressed his disappointment at the governor’s veto. “It seems like a great program that could positively impact inmate attitudes during their time in prison and enhance the safety of correctional officers. When an inmate is content and has a strong connection with their family, it has the potential to create a more conducive and harmonious environment within the prison walls.” Bernstein maintains his positive outlook despite being dissatisfied with the veto. “They are still individuals at the end of the day, and their families are human beings as well,” he emphasized when discussing the inmates. “Therefore, if we treat them with dignity and respect, we can witness a decrease in repeat offenses and save taxpayer money. That’s essentially the solution I would propose.” “I recognize that there may be variations in policy, but this is how I would personally support the pilot program and explain why I believe it was suitable for a state like Florida with a conservative Legislature. It also highlights why it should be considered for implementation in the future.” <a href=https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/08/30/desantis-veto-of-free-prison-phone-call-appropriation-disappoints-criminal-justice-reform-advocates/ rel="nofollow noopener" target=_blank> Reference Article </a></div>

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DeSantis vetoes free jail phone calls, disappointing criminal justice reformers

Last year, state lawmakers approved a $1 million pilot project in response to reports suggesting that maintaining contact with loved ones helps reduce the recidivism rate among prisoners. Under this initiative, inmates with good behavior are allowed to make one free 15-minute phone call per month to the outside world. During the 2024 legislative session, […]