Study Finds Widespread Support for Prison Phone Reform

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Silent Sentence Coalition announced that 72 percent of Americans support regulating the commissions that sheriffs' departments demand in exchange for providing phone services to inmates. This information was determined through a recent poll, commissioned by the Silent Sentence Coalition and completed by the Benenson Strategy Group which surveyed over 600 voters across the country.

Across the country, hundreds of thousands of sheriff's departments collect revenue by demanding a commission on each call made by an inmate. These commissions are added to the cost of the phone call, raising the overall calling rate – a charge that is typically passed on to an inmate's family. Commissions were initially intended to cover the administrative costs of operation of the phone service, however in recent years commission rates have skyrocketed to an average of 60 percent of a call. Phone costs to inmates' families are rising steeply as sheriffs continue to receive increasing percentages of profits.  Over eight in ten voters were unaware that sheriffs collect fees and commissions on phone calls made by prisoners, however when asked whether this practice was appropriate, 62 percent said it was not appropriate.

Other significant findings from the study include:

• Nearly two-in-three (65 percent) voters say that prisoners should have access to phones while in jail. Those that believe prisoners should have access to phones cite the ability to call family and friends (61 percent) as the top reason.  Other reasons mentioned by voters on an open ended question included: to help with rehabilitation (19 percent) and that they were deserved as a basic human right (13 percent);
• A majority of voters (58 percent) support the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) placing a cap on the charges and fees collected by sheriffs on phone contracts with prisoners before any substantive information is provided;
• Once voters were educated on the commissions, support for proposed FCC regulations increased to about seven in ten voters (72 percent). In fact, close to half of all voters (44 percent) strongly support new regulations.

"High telephone rates are threatening inmates' ability to stay in touch with their families," said Robert Raben, Executive Director of the Silent Sentence Coalition. "Last year, inmates in the American prison system spoke with loved ones an estimated 6 billion minutes. This communication with their families and friends is critical to ensuring they sustain the necessary support system to avoid re-incarceration after release. This poll reinforces the reality that FCC action is necessary to ensure prisoners can maintain contact with vital support systems."

The poll indicates the majority of voters agree the system is in desperate need of reform. The FCC is expected to make a decision on prison telephone commissions in the near future and if you agree it is time to regulate sheriffs' commissions, visit the Silent Sentence Coalition's website at www.silentsentence.com to submit comments to the FCC or send an email to the National Sheriffs' Association.

About The Silent Sentence Coalition

The Silent Sentence Coalition is committed to preserving access for inmates and their families to stay connected during incarceration. We are committed to ending the tax that local Sheriffs' offices and state departments of corrections demand to provide access to this important technology, and to ensure that inmates and their families can make calls affordably. Find out more at www.silentsentence.com

About The Benenson Strategy Group

The Benenson Strategy Group is a top strategic research consultancy that advises many of the world's most successful corporations, heads of state, and institutions. For over a decade, they have been passionate about helping their clients achieve better results by forging powerful connections with their audiences' values and emotions. Find out more at www.bsgco.com

SOURCE The Silent Sentence Coalition

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