Inmate Family Connections

Theological/Ethical Reflections

·       We are created for community; support of loved ones is an essential for wholeness.

·       Government should not discourage family support.

·       Families of prisoners should not be penalized for loved ones’ crimes.

Background

·       The Department of Corrections’ contract with MCI for inmate telephone service, in many instances, works as an impediment to
        encouraging family connections.  

·       Instead of easing family communications, this contract’s purpose seems to have an explicit profit motive.  For example, an inmate must
        place a collect call  which charges $3:00 to initiate and 16 cents per minute opposed to $5.00 per month and 5 cents per minute.  The
        average inmate call lasts 19 minutes and costs $6.00 – a markup of 630%.  Since it inception in 1996, New York State has collected over
        $175 million.

·       The Department of Corrections says 2/3 of this profit is spent on medications for prisoners with AIDS.  This is a cost that family members
        should not have to  bear.

What Would Help

·       One of the criteria for successful reintegration of an inmate into society it family ties.  Therefore, the Department of Corrections needs to
        focus on developing a variety of programs and policies that are pro family  

        ·       encourage, when possible, the placement of inmates in facilities close to their families.

        ·       encourage family friendly communication practices.  Families should not have to choose between food and rent or speaking with their
                 loved ones.

        ·       include all medication costs for inmates in its annual budget and not rely on profits from any outside contracts.

        ·       support immediate passage of the proposed Family Connections bill (S5299/A7231) sponsored by chairs of Senate and Assembly
                Crime and Corrections Committees

                                                5/2005