In response to evidence that staying connected with loved ones helps reduce the chances of reoffending, Florida lawmakers approved a $1 million pilot project last year. This program allows well-behaved inmates to make one free 15-minute phone call each month.
The program’s success led the Florida Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations committee to propose doubling the funding to $2 million during the 2024 legislative session. However, this funding would come from an inmate trust fund, not from general tax revenues. Despite this, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the additional funding in June, a decision that upset prison and criminal justice reform advocates.
Keeping families connected is crucial for successful re-entry, said Karen Stuckey, whose son and husband are incarcerated in Florida prisons. She highlighted how important family contact is for inmates to successfully reintegrate into society.
Studies support Stuckey’s view. For example, a 2006 Urban Institute report found that within five years of release, inmates with strong family connections were 25% less likely to return to crime. Another study from 2005 showed that phone calls between incarcerated mothers and their children were especially beneficial in maintaining positive relationships.
Currently, Florida inmates can only make collect calls, costing 13.5 cents per minute through the Department of Corrections’ contract with ViaPath Technologies. Inmates are also allowed two free 5-minute calls each month. The Department of Corrections earns $5 million annually from telephone commissions as part of a $24.375 million contract with ViaPath.
The issue of prison communication costs isn’t new. A 1998 report from the Florida House of Representatives recognized the need for inmates to stay in contact with their families to ensure successful rehabilitation.
While other states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Minnesota, and Colorado have eliminated fees for prison calls, Florida’s program remains modest, offering just one free 15-minute call a month.
Karen Stuckey, a resident of Volusia County, initially led the movement for free inmate calls after her phone bills reached over $6,000 in two years. Realizing the costs were unsustainable, she reached out to state lawmakers for help.
Broward County Democratic state Senator Lauren Book responded by proposing a bill in 2022 to make phone calls free for inmates, but it didn’t pass. However, the efforts continued, leading to the $1 million appropriation for free calls that Governor DeSantis signed into law in 2023.
Two University of Florida students, Graham Bernstein and Konstantin Nakov, also joined the cause. Inspired by research showing the benefits of inmate communication, they began advocating for free calls at the Alachua County Jail, a program that started in October 2023.
Although disappointed by the veto, Bernstein remains hopeful. He believes that keeping inmates connected with their families is key to reducing recidivism and improving public safety.
The Biden administration also supports fair communication rates for inmates. In January 2023, President Biden signed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, ensuring fair charges for inmate communication nationwide.
Advocates are particularly upset because the $2 million expansion wouldn’t have involved taxpayer money. The funds were supposed to come from the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund, which is generated from inmate canteens and vending machines.
Despite the setback, Bernstein remains optimistic, believing that the program has potential for the future.