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Click the image above to view our new issue brief, Justice is Calling, to learn more about our reforms in San Francisco and our recommendations for other jurisdictions who seek to advance similar reforms.
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Click the image above to view our survey of people incarcerated in San Francisco jails, one of the largest surveys of its kind, which will let you hear directly from incarcerated people on the high costs of jail phone calls and store items.
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In our survey of people incarcerated in San Francisco County Jails, we asked: "What does the ability to make phone calls while in jail mean to you?"
"Everything," was by far the most common answer.
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The high costs of jail phone calls and store items are a significant financial drain on low-income families and communities of color. These high costs strain incarcerated people's connection to their families, make meaningful contact with their support networks difficult, and negatively impact their reentry.
That's why The Financial Justice Project worked with community partners and the SF Sheriff’s Office to make San Francisco the first county in the nation to put People Over Profits - making jail phone calls free and ending commissary markups.
Today, we are releasing a new issue brief, Justice is Calling, and our survey of people incarcerated in San Francisco County jails. We hope that these will be helpful tools for other jurisdictions considering eliminating high-cost phone calls and store items in county jails. |
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1. Prior to our reforms, if an incarcerated person made a 15-minute call in the morning and evening, these calls would cost $300 over the average jail stay.
One survey respondent said that the ability to make jail phone calls are his "only means to communicate with my son each day, as an active father, while I am awaiting trial and my release."
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2. Before we ended markups on commissary store items, critical necessities and toiletries — such as toothpaste, deodorant, and ramen — were marked up an average of 43%.
Another survey respondent said about the commissary store, "I understand it’s a business but feel exploited. This is jail not a 7-Eleven."
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3. Because of inflated jail phone call and store item prices, $1.7 million was extracted from low-income communities of color in San Francisco prior to our reforms.
One survey respondent noted that free phone calls "would allow me to contact more loved ones who cannot afford to access collect calls..."
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4. Research shows that increased communication between incarcerated people and their loved ones improves reentry outcomes after release.
One survey respondent wrote that the ability to make phone calls from jail “means I’m in touch with the outside world, that my family knows I’m alright, it means I can get things handled through them. Means love.”
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Learn More at Upcoming Feb. 23 Webinar
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We are grateful to our many community partners and the SF Sheriff’s Office for collaborating on this important work. We look forward to continuing to build the movement for Financial Justice with all of you.
Yours in Financial Justice,
Anne, Michelle, and Shawn
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