By Mike Soika

The most recent budget for the Department of Corrections in Wisconsin estimates that “Telephone Company Commissions” will increase 29% to $4.4 Million per year over the 2023-25 biennium.  This seems like good news for tax payers, but it has significant negative repercussions for the inmates and their families who are predominantly low income, and who are funding these commissions through payment of exorbitant fees for phone calls, email, video calls, and access to tablet services.

The state of Wisconsin has contracted with for profit companies (TextBehind and ICSolutions) to provide inmate communication services.  These companies compete for contracts – in part – based on how much they pay back to the state in the form of these commissions, free equipment, and services.

Inmates who “earn” between 12 – 42 cents per hour are charged $3.60 per hour to make a phone call in Wisconsin according to data from Prison Policy Initiative organization which analyzed cost in state prisons across the country from 2008 – 2021.  It is not just the cost of phone calls that are onerous.  The price for emails, video services and tablet services are also prohibitive and they are rising.

Because the vast majority of the inmates in Wisconsin are low income (Less than 50% of males in prison in Wisconsin have a high school diploma while 27% have not even attained that basic level of education)  this becomes an economic justice issue.  But, Wisconsin holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of black incarceration in the nation.  While blacks comprise just 6% of the state population, they represent 42% of the prison population.  This makes the issue of gouging inmates and their families for services also one of racial justice, as well.

Studies going back more than 40 years have consistently shown that inmates who maintain close contact with their families via visits, phone calls, and the like are much less likely to return to prison once released.  A lower rateof recidivism translates to lower crime.  Thus, placing financial barriers to communication between inmates and their families is not only a justice  issue, it is also an issue of public safety and waste of taxpayer dollars.  It costs the state nearly $47,000 per year to house someone in prison.  In Wisconsin,  59% of those in prison are former inmates who have been released and who have had their parole revoked for infractions.  If improving the connection between inmates and their loved ones reduces recidivism, then each prisoner who does not return to prison saves Wisconsin taxpayers nearly $47,000 per year.

Direct testimony from inmates shows that not only are these communication services expensive to inmates and their families, they are also rife with technical problems, delays, and calls that get disrupted without subsequent reimbursement for costs.

Given all the above, we are requesting that the Legislative Audit Bureau be empowered to audit the finances and performance of these two for profit companies providing services to those incarcerated in Wisconsin prisons.

Note: This is a Fact Sheet written for the Friends of Peace and Justice Committee of MFM – March 2024