One in three families goes into debt just to communicate with incarcerated loved ones. 87% of those bearing the financial burden are Black and Latina women. Families spend $400-500 monthly on calls—choosing between groceries and hearing their children’s voices. Facilities receive up to 60% of call charges as commission. Georgia profits from family separation. Communication shouldn’t be a luxury only the wealthy can afford. 1
The Cost of Connection
Communication prices exploit captive markets:
- $0.14-0.21 per minute—for audio calls depending on facility
- $0.11-0.25 per minute—for video calls
- $400-500 monthly—typical family spending on calls
- 60% commissions—facilities profit from family desperation
Families have no choice—they can’t switch providers. The prison chooses the service, and families pay whatever it costs.
Who Pays the Price
The burden falls on those least able to afford it:
- 87% Black and Latina women—bear the financial burden
- One in three families in debt—from communication costs alone
- Children suffer most—when families can’t afford calls
- Impossible choices—groceries or phone calls
One mother described choosing between feeding her children and letting them talk to their incarcerated father. She reduced calls. The children suffered emotionally.
The Human Cost
Expensive communication damages everyone:
- Family bonds weaken—when calls are unaffordable
- Children’s development suffers—without parental connection
- Anxiety and mistrust increase—for incarcerated people
- Recidivism increases—when family ties break
Research shows regular communication improves mental health and jail safety. Georgia profits from policies that increase recidivism.
Regulatory Failures
FCC regulations have helped but gaps remain:
- Audio calls capped—at $0.06-0.09 per minute under new rules
- Video calls unregulated—up to $0.25 per minute
- Messaging unregulated—$0.50 per message in some facilities
- Providers shift costs—to unregulated services
Without comprehensive regulation, families will continue to be exploited.
Take Action
Use Impact Justice AI to send advocacy emails demanding affordable prison communication in Georgia. The free tool crafts personalized messages to Georgia lawmakers—no experience required.
Demand:
- Elimination of facility commissions on calls
- Regulation of all communication services, including video
- Free or low-cost communication options
- Protection for families from predatory pricing
Further Reading
- Life on the Line: How Families Bear the Burden of Georgia’s Prison Crisis
- The Commissary Con: How Georgia Prisons Exploit Inmates and Families
- GPS Informational Resources
- Pathways to Success
About Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS)
Georgia Prisoners’ Speak (GPS) is a nonprofit investigative newsroom built in partnership with incarcerated reporters, families, advocates, and data analysts. Operating independently from the Georgia Department of Corrections, GPS documents the truth the state refuses to acknowledge: extreme violence, fatal medical neglect, gang-controlled dorms, collapsed staffing, fraudulent reporting practices, and unconstitutional conditions across Georgia’s prisons.
Through confidential reporting channels, secure communication, evidence verification, public-records requests, legislative research, and professional investigative standards, GPS provides the transparency the system lacks. Our mission is to expose abuses, protect incarcerated people, support families, and push Georgia toward meaningful reform based on human rights, evidence, and public accountability.
Every article is part of a larger fight — to end the silence, reveal the truth, and demand justice.
- GPS Statistics, https://gps.press/gdc-statistics/[↩]