Communication is a vital lifeline for the more than 27 million Americans with an incarcerated loved one and the 2.3 million Americans behind bars. For nearly 30 years, Americans and their families have been exploited by the $3B for-profit prison telecom industry, which charges as much as $25 per 15-minute call.

Finally, there’s a free alternative - Connect, America’s first free prison video calling platform. 

Connect is supported by Ameelio, the only nonprofit prison telecom provider. Already supporting thousands of Americans, Connect empowers families to maintain regular contact with free video calls.

I urge Texas to adopt Connect and to enable families to stay in contact at no cost.

Here’s why:

• 71% of Americans support providing families and their incarcerated loved ones with free prison communication (Worth Rises Poll, 2019)
• Sustained communication with support systems reduces recidivism by up to 56% and improves post-release outcomes (Mitchell and McCollough, 2016) 
• 1 in 3 families are driven into debt due to the cost of communication (Ella Baker Center, 2015)

We are failing our communities by supporting an industry that prioritizes profits over people. 

Support Ameelio in creating a more humane and rehabilitative corrections system in Texas by adopting Connect. 

Accessible communications will significantly shrink prison populations, save taxpayers money, and lift a major financial burden off of families. 

Please advise the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to adopt Connect! #ConnectAll50