The Missouri Attorney General’s recent lawsuit against the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) effort to cap the rates prisons and county jails charge for phone calls rests on a misguided argument: that such regulation would undermine public safety.
In fact, charging excessive rates for phone calls hurts families and public safety. At Keyway Center for Diversion & Reentry and Missouri Appleseed, we work every day with individuals impacted by the justice system, and our experiences show that access to affordable communication with family and support networks is essential for building safer communities and healthy families.
The assertion that capping phone rates would threaten public safety is, in fact, the opposite of the truth. Numerous studies have demonstrated that individuals who maintain regular contact with their families and support networks while incarcerated are more likely to succeed upon release. They are less likely to reoffend and more likely to secure stable employment and housing, reducing their reliance on public assistance and contributing to community safety and stability.
When incarcerated individuals are isolated from their families and loved ones, their chances of successfully reintegrating into society upon release diminish. Family ties are proven to reduce recidivism, promote mental health, and strengthen an individual’s sense of responsibility to their community. Affordable phone rates facilitate these connections, allowing incarcerated individuals to maintain relationships that help them transition back into society and become productive members of their communities.
Exorbitant phone rates disproportionately affect low-income families, many of whom already struggle to afford basic necessities. When a 15-minute phone call can cost as much as $17, families are forced to choose between speaking to their loved ones and putting food on the table. These high rates and per minute charges are even more illogical considering the current state of the telecommunications industry where the cost of phone calls continues to decrease and many of us have unlimited minute phone plans.
Keeping families connected also alleviates tension within correctional facilities themselves. Individuals who can maintain relationships with their families are generally more emotionally stable, reducing conflict with others and staff. In this way, affordable phone calls contribute directly to the safety and security of the facilities where they are housed.
Contact is good not only for people in jail, but also for their families. In particular, it is important for children. Children with an incarcerated parent are at greater risk for mental health problems, including self-harm and suicide attempts—but maintaining a good relationship with their incarcerated parent mitigates their mental health risks. Phone calls offer a way for children to maintain relationships even when they can’t visit a jail. Unfortunately, high jail phone call rates price poor families out of regular parent-child contact when a parent is in jail. People in correctional facilities have named costs a major barrier to keeping in touch with their families.
Public safety is not enhanced by overcharging for essential services. Instead, we should be focused on strategies that foster rehabilitation and community reintegration. We recognize that Missouri jails struggle to pay the cost of incarcerating individuals sent to their facilities by local courts and police; however, funding jail operations on the backs of poor Missouri families is not the answer. We should prioritize creating environments that support positive relationships, not restrict them through financial barriers. The Missouri Department of Corrections and the St. Louis County Justice Center are examples of institutions that recognize this concept and impose limited, market-rate phone charges. By capping phone rates, we strengthen families, reduce recidivism, and promote the public safety goals that everyone—whether in government, law enforcement, or community services—should share.
Let’s take steps to promote healthy families and safe communities while saving taxpayer dollars on reduced recidivism. We urge Missouri to abandon the challenge to the FCC’s regulations on jails and prison phone call rates.
April Foster is the Executive Director at Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry. Maggie Burke is the Organizational Development Specialist at Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry. Liza Weiss is the Executive Director of Missouri Appleseed
