Text of Zoom Chat from 9/11/20 Meeting – Correctional Funding Commission

From horgans to All panelists: (1:01 PM)
 Can you see or hear me? Gerard Horgan 
From Kathy Reboul to All panelists: (1:03 PM)
 It is a pleasure to see my Rep here today, Rep. Day. 
From KN to All panelists and attendees: (1:13 PM)
 You have to download the chat. Or, there is a setting to automatically download it in Zoom settings. 
From William Brownsberger to All panelists: (1:14 PM)
 https://correctionalfunding.com/2020/08/18/draft-minutes-from-3-6-20-meeting/ 
From William Brownsberger to All panelists and attendees: (1:19 PM)
 https://correctionalfunding.com/2020/08/18/draft-minutes-from-3-6-20-meeting/ 
From olivia petipas (she/her) to All panelists: (1:20 PM)
 Pass S.2846! 
From Pass S.2846 – STOP exploiting families to All panelists and attendees: (1:35 PM)
 You all are taking about “great initiatives” and “a model for the future” and we’re here to say No Cost Calls is both!!! Support legislation that will make a true difference for the people most impacted by your decisions. Thank you Senator Brownsberger for filing this important legislation, please keep it going! 
From Justice Healing to All panelists: (1:36 PM)
 The most critical re-entry program for families is free phone calls. Thank you Senator Brownsberger for filing this important legislation. The general public wants no cost calls passed now! 
From Beth Whalley to All panelists: (1:38 PM)
 Agreed- connections to the outside is crucial to reducing the recidivism you’re discussing. We hope you all deeply consider your missions and what you hope to do, who you hope to be in your role. Consider the last time you spoke to your loved one on the phone- including during COVID- were you quarantined and unable to visit anyone you loved? How important was the ability to call them and see how they were, just to hear their voice? Please extend that to all families in the Commonwealth, and support No Cost Calls this session. 
From Pass S.2846 – stop exploiting families! to All panelists and attendees: (1:39 PM)
 Spending on incarceration is a crisis in the commonwealth. Why are unwilling to implement No Cost Calls with S.2846 when we know free phone calls would hugely benefit MA families and incarcerated people? If we don’t act on this I worry we don’t take community concerns seriously and aren’t willing to do the bare minimum. 
From marlenepollock to All panelists and attendees: (1:40 PM)
 Regarding programming, poor families should not be forced to underwrite programs through costly phone charges. Pass S.2846 for no cost phone calls. neither should giant corporations feed off these families. 
From Pass S.2846–Keep Families Connected! to All panelists and attendees: (1:40 PM)
 Yes, Senator Brownsberger, we need you to prioritize passing S.2846 No Cost Calls this session! Communication with loved ones on the outside is essential and free phone calls are a step towards both racial justice and economic justice. Sheriffs should not be funding programs through financial exploitation of incarcerated people and their families. 
From Sarah Duncan to All panelists and attendees: (1:41 PM)
 I would like to second the above! Thank you Sen. Brownsberger for taking these important first crucial steps. S. 2846 /No Cost Calls is so crucial to keeping families and loved ones connected with their loved ones in prison. Connection makes communities stronger and safer! No Cost Calls must be passed. It is the right thing and it is also the will of the people, whom you all work to represent. No Cost Calls is a step towards racial and immigration justice at a pivotal time. Correctional funding should directly benefit incarcerated people and their loved ones — not those running the prisons. 
From Leslie Credle to All panelists: (1:42 PM)
 This is not the Sherriff’s money nor the DOC. This money is coming from families in this Covid environment who have lost housing, employment, no one has any money ect. If you go to our page https://justiceashealing.org/news/ you can hear testimony from women on the inside of prisons that we recorded. why to Pass, S.2846 free phone calls is so important. I spoke with families re sheriffs using their money and they are not happy about it. Also the statement that they use the money for programming is not true. the money from commissary is used to pay for programing for the prisoners inside. 
From Owen (they/them) to All panelists and attendees: (1:43 PM)
 The ability to communicate with loved ones should be a human right. Please pass S. 2846 /No Cost Calls to keep loved ones connected regardless of economic circumstances, in order to keep our communities safe. 
From Elizabeth Nguyen to All panelists and attendees: (1:44 PM)
 We have an opportunity to keep families connected by passing S.2846 No Cost Calls this session. I’ve personally helped many families pay for phone calls – so parents could talk to their kids, so partners could support each other through sickness and poverty. There is no reason phone calls should be for profit. Phone calls help keep families together, strong and resilient. 
From Louellyn to All panelists: (1:44 PM)
 Pass S.2846. No cost calls is the most important thing we can do for people, their families and our communities. Please do the right thing here. 
From Kathy Reboul to All panelists and attendees: (1:46 PM)
 I think training should be open. It taught me a lot of the culture of DYS when I took their training. Both by what they covered and did not cover. 
From Pass S.2846 – stop exploiting families! to All panelists and attendees: (1:46 PM)
 ”Community based corrections” is contradiction at best a cynical racist lie at worst 
From Dave Weimer to All panelists: (1:48 PM)
 We should be breaking communities apart with “community based corrections.” The least you can do is pass S.2846 No Cost Calls to help communities stay connected. 
From Kathy Reboul to All panelists and attendees: (1:52 PM)
 Honestly what was being said in the DYS training communicated a lot. So I believe this DOC training should also be open so we hear what is actually said. Papers don’t give the real feel of the training. 
From Mike Jackson to All panelists: (1:52 PM)
 If you want information on the process of determining staffing levels the course is based on our publication Jail Staffing Analysis Workbook and is available at no cost on our website at www.nicic.gov. 
From Owen (they/them) to All panelists and attendees: (1:56 PM)
 You have the opportunity to do something very positive for families in MA by passing S. 2846 /No Cost Calls. Please help families and loved ones be able to stay connected regardless of economic circumstance. The ability to talk to loved ones shouldn’t be subject to profiteering. 
From Pass S.2846 – stop exploiting families to All panelists: (1:57 PM)
 I want to support what’s already been voiced in the chat about passing S.2846/No Cost Calls. In general and especially during a pandemic when incarcerated folks are even more cut off from their family/friends/support network on the outside, it is crucial that families are able to remain connected through free phone calls. 
From Sarah Duncan to All panelists and attendees: (1:57 PM)
 I agree re: “community based corrections” 
From Arely to All panelists and attendees: (1:57 PM)
 Pass S. 2846 to keep all people connected. Stop Securus and other companies from exploiting people for a simple phone call. Sheriffs have no right to be making profit from peoples phone calls either. 
From Pass S.2846 – stop exploiting families! to All panelists and attendees: (1:58 PM)
 I hope the commission can recognize that bills like S.2846 address real material difference for people and the normal operations around spending are insufficient 
From Pass S.2846–Keep Families Connected! to All panelists and attendees: (2:00 PM)
 Senator Brownsberger we appreciate you bringing forward S.2846 to provide No Cost Calls for incarcerated people to stay connected to their families. Now we need you to follow through and make sure this important legislation passes without further delay. 
From Justice Healing to All panelists: (2:00 PM)
 Re: the last bullet point – Families shouldn’t be a funding source for corrections. Especially the most marginalized families in the Commonwealth. We need No Cost Phone calls now. 
From Michael Cox to All panelists and attendees: (2:02 PM)
 Closing prisons and jails is the best way to reduce correctional spending. Without laying off guards we likely will never see significant savings which could be invested in our communities. 
From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:02 PM)
 staffing ratios reveal an absurd number of corrections staff draining money from our loved ones inside. we need to cost calls and to immediately begin reducing the number of people in lock up, and with them, corrections staff 
From Pass S.2846–Keep Families Connected! to All panelists and attendees: (2:06 PM)
 A “review of the funding sources” should include acknowledging that sheriffs should not be relying on fees for basic services like phone calls to fund operations. Incarcerated people and their loved ones should not be coerced into subsidizing incarceration. 
From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:06 PM)
 ^^^^huge agree 
From Kathy Reboul to All panelists and attendees: (2:07 PM)
 One of the Sheriff’s (I believe it was Sheriff Kevin Coppinger) mentioned not wanting individuals to come back. No cost phone calls would encourage connection with family which would reduce reincarceration.

Q&A transcript:

Pass S.2846 – stop exploiting families! 01:37 PM
Sheriffs have not been transparent on the use of income from calls made by incarcerated people. We know free calls would be essential lifelines for incarcerated people and we have reason to suspect that revenue is not being used for programming despite what the sheriffs say. Why do they oppose S.2846 – An Relative to inmate telephone calls – that would end this practice of charging for calls?

Pass S.2846 – STOP exploiting families 01:52 PM
Sheriffs on this call you’re at a turning point in history. You have access to millions in your budget and you can’t find funds to allow families to stay connected to each other? You are acountable to us, your constituencies. Tell us which side of history you are on. Will you support No Cost Calls?

Pass 2846 01:59 PM
Does “recommendations on funding” include discussing s2846 regarding no cost calls? If I understand correctly sheriffs are claiming they’re underfunded and so need to profit from incarcerated people’s primary form of communication…

Covid-19 has put people with loved ones behind bars in a difficult bind: In-person visits are risky (and have been suspended in many places), but families have to pay in order to stay connected remotely through phone and video calls. For the past several months, some state and local governments have provided relief for these families in the form of occasional free calls. But now, as the pandemic still rages, many facilities are phasing them out.

We checked in on several counties and states that offered free calls at the beginning of the pandemic, and found that many have ended or curtailed the practice. Middlesex County, Massachusetts stopped offering free calls last week. Delaware appears to have ended free phone calls in August off 
From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:19 PM)
 Berkshire had 178 and $19.45mil. that is troubling. we are not ready to adjourn. 
From Justice Healing to All panelists: (2:19 PM)
 The 7th charge is sources of funding Senator – and families are funding commissions right now 
From Leslie Credle to All panelists: (2:20 PM)
 https://justiceashealing.org/news/ Here what your incarcerated constituents are saying from prison 
From Kathy Reboul to All panelists and attendees: (2:21 PM)
 Speaking of DOC costs and programming for many years, I tried to get a specific program into DOC that was shown to reduce recidivism. Legislators would not pass. Interesting we had enough co-signers to pass but it still did not pass. Commissioner Turco would not reply to letters. 
From Leslie Credle to All panelists: (2:21 PM)
 States across the country are closing prisons to cut the state budget. Its time for MA to do the same. 
From norma to All panelists: (2:21 PM)
 Will there be any cost comparisions with other states that better outcomes for less per capita per person in custody or those states who have more diversion and post sentencing projects in place? 
From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:24 PM)
 I don’t think it’s hard. we spend too much on “corrections”

From Pass S.2846–Keep Families Connected! to All panelists and attendees: (2:25 PM)
 ^^^^This

From Ros Winsor to All panelists and attendees: (2:25 PM)
 Along the lines of Norma 

From Ros Winsor to All panelists and attendees: (2:29 PM)
 Along the lines of Norma’s comment, it does seem important to look at how diversionary programs and legislative changes to substitute programs outside of prison which could promote public safety. Keeping public safety as the ultimate goal of this process and even this Commission is important. 
From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:29 PM)
 from whom are you getting the negative feedback? 
From Justice Healing to All panelists: (2:29 PM)
 If it’s such a small % of money for the sheriffs, and such a massive burden on families – why is this so hard? We’re talking about families making less than 25,000 a year spending more than 1200 a year in calls.

From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:30 PM)
 the people want free calls 
From Owen (they/them) to All panelists and attendees: (2:30 PM)
 Families’ budgets are tighter than usual because of the pandemic also. Financial struggles due to the public health and economic crisis shouldn’t prevent people from being able to communicate with and support their loved ones.

From Elijah Patterson to All panelists and attendees: (2:30 PM)
 and even if not, it’s your job to make hard choices, like supporting the families of those in prison

From Beth Whalley to All panelists and attendees: (2:31 PM)
 If we have to monetize humanitarian issues, No-Cost calls is a cost-saving bill. In the long-term. 

From Justice Healing to All panelists: (2:31 PM)
 We definitely agree spending on incarceration is a crisis in the Commonwealth

From S2846 now to All panelists and attendees: (2:31 PM)
 love this line of questioning – the data the committee surfaces informs the conversations that can happen on Beacon Hill. 
From Justice Healing to All panelists: (2:31 PM)
 And that money would be much better in families’ pockets and in communities