Opinion: City Must Stop Using Incarcerated People as Revenue Source

FFJC Co-Director Joanna Weiss worked with #CLOSERikers Campaign Coordinator Brandon Holmes to publish this op-ed in the Gotham Gazette. Together, they argue that New York City should end the practice of charging telephone fees for incarcerated people:

“Like all justice system fees, the phone fee particularly harms the city’s most vulnerable communities. It may also diminish public safety. When people in jail can’t afford to pay for phone calls, they can be cut off from contact with their families. Research shows that regular communication between incarcerated people and their loved ones correlates with lower recidivism and higher opportunity for successful re-entry to society.