Seven State AGs Back FCC Order Restricting Inmate Calling Service Prices
Seven state attorneys general defended an FCC inmate calling service order limiting ICS rates and fees, which is being challenged in court by industry parties and other state interests. AGs from Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Washington state…
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and Washington, D.C., said almost all state prison inmates are eventually released, but in prison they face "prohibitively high charges" for phone calls that far exceed rates outside the correctional system. The AGs support the 2015 order "because providing telephone service to prison inmates at a reasonable cost is feasible, and it fosters public safety, successful rehabilitation, reduction in recidivism, and improved outcomes for offenders' children and families," said their amicus brief (in Pacer) Monday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (Global Tel*Link v. FCC, No. 15-1461). ICS providers, various other states and sheriffs filed their initial arguments in June (see 1606070030). The FCC and DOJ responded last week, noting the commission updated its rate caps to account for correctional facility costs (see 1609140033).