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Nationwide PLN Survey Examines Prison Phone Contracts, Kickbacks
Loaded on April 15, 2011
by John Dannenberg
published in Prison Legal News
April, 2011, page 1
by John E. Dannenberg
Filed under:
Contractor Misconduct,
DOC/BOP misconduct,
Crime/Demographics,
Statistics/Trends,
Telephone Access,
Telephone Rates,
PLN Litigation.
Location:
United States of America.
An exhaustive analysis of prison phone contracts nationwide has revealed that with only limited exceptions, telephone service providers offer lucrative kickbacks (politely termed “commissions”) to state contracting agencies – amounting on average to 42% of gross revenues from prisoners’ phone calls – in order to obtain …
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More from this issue:
- Nationwide PLN Survey Examines Prison Phone Contracts, Kickbacks, by John Dannenberg
- Some Agencies Balk at Releasing Prison Phone Data, by Michael Rigby
- New Research: Why Innocent People Confess to Crimes They Did Not Commit, by Derek Gilna
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Bexar County, Texas Fails to Properly Evaluate Mentally Ill Jail Prisoners, by Matthew Clarke
- Prisoners’ Human Rights, by Corey Weinstein
- Colorado Sought to Revoke Prisoner’s Electrician License After His Release, by Gary Hunter
- It’s Scary Out There in Reporting Land: Why Crime News is on the Rise and Reporting Analysis is on the Decline, by David Cay Johnston
- Controversial Drug Given to All Guantanamo Detainees Akin to “Pharmacologic Waterboarding”
- Washington Court Reverses Injunction Against Prisoner’s Public Records Requests
- New York Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Late Prison Vendor Payments, by Brandon Sample
- Texas State Auditor’s Reports Find Problems with Parole System, by Gary Hunter
- Oregon Parole Board Improperly Excluded Witnesses at Revocation Hearing
- Maryland: Convicted Felons Receive Victims’ Compensation, by Gary Hunter
- Maine Governor Rakes in Private Prison Money, Shows Appreciation, by Lance Tapley
- Minnesota DOC Releases Study on Impact of Prison-Based Sex Offender Treatment, by Matthew Clarke
- Heat Ray Device, Rejected by Military, to be Tested on Los Angeles County Jail Prisoners, by Michael Brodheim
- Federal Court Rejects California’s Attempt to Terminate Clark Remedial Plan, Grants $2.3 Million in Attorney’s Fees, by Michael Brodheim
- GEO Group Acquires Electronic Monitoring Firm for $415 Million, by David Reutter
- Facebook Lands Prison Guards, Prisoners in Hot Water, by Michael Rigby
- Massachusetts Strip Search Class-Action Nets $1,162,468, by Mark Wilson
- Billing Medicaid Would Save NC $11.5 Million in Prison Medical Care Costs, by Mark Wilson
- U.K. Terrorism Suspects May Challenge Extradition Based on U.S. Prison Conditions, by Matthew Clarke
- Twelve Indiana Prison Employees Suspended for Positive Drug Tests, Contraband, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Legislator Who Helped Prisoners’ Families Indicted, Convicted, Sentenced, by Gary Hunter
- Wisconsin Prisoner Pleads No Contest to Helping Cellmate Commit Suicide
- Questionable New Jersey Halfway House Funding Benefits CEC, by Matthew Clarke
- $85,000 Settlement in South Carolina Prison Murder Suit
- News In Brief:
More from John Dannenberg:
- Disciplinary Self-Help Litigation Manual, 2d Ed., by Dan Manville, March 5, 2015
- Systemic Changes Follow Murder of Colorado Prison Director, July 10, 2014
- The Redbook – A Manual on Legal Style, April 15, 2014
- Arrest-Proof Yourself, by Dale Carson and Wes Denham, March 15, 2014
- Arrested: What to do When Your Loved One’s in Jail, by Wes Denham, Feb. 15, 2014
- California Parole Board Agrees to Implement Policy to Fix Terms at Lifers’ Initial Hearings, Jan. 15, 2014
- FCC Order Heralds Hope for Reform of Prison Phone Industry, Dec. 15, 2013
- Federal Court Orders California to Release 9,600 More Prisoners, Aug. 15, 2013
- Valley Fever Declared a Public Health Emergency at Two California Prisons; Court Orders Prisoner Transfers, July 15, 2013
- Plata and Coleman Showdown in California, June 15, 2013
More from these topics:
- Now Under Federal Receivership, New York City’s Rikers Island Jails Still Have No Plan to Improve, No Firm Date to Close, Aug. 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Corrections Audits, Systemic Medical Neglect, Medical Records, Eighth Amendment.
- FCC Backtracks on 2024 Order to Cut Prison Phone and Video Rates by Half, Aug. 1, 2025. Telephone Rates, Video Visitation, Private Phone Contractors, Securus.
- HRDC Collaborates on Prison Telecom Cost Report to Washington Lawmakers, Aug. 1, 2025. Electronic Tablets, Telephone Access, Telephone Rates.
- Class-Action Suit at BOP “Rape Club” in California Settled for Record $116 Million, July 15, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, DOC/BOP misconduct, Settlements, Injunctions, Class Actions.
- Guards Used “Blast Grenades” to Break Up Mob Attack in California Prison, July 15, 2025. Failure to Protect (General), Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Prisoner Privileges, Telephone Access.
- JPay Loses Bid to Revoke Class Certification in Washington Prisoners’ Challenge to Crummy Products and Service, July 15, 2025. Electronic Tablets, Computers, Telephone Rates, Securus.
- Free Calls in Massachusetts Lead to Defunded Prison Programs, July 15, 2025. Telephone Access, Telephone Rates, Private Phone Contractors.
- Over $1.1 Million Recovered for Rikers Island Janitors, June 1, 2025. Contractor Misconduct.
- GTL/ViaPath Ordered to Pay $3 Million for Violations of Consumer Protection Laws, June 1, 2025. Telephone Rates, Bid-Rigging, Price-Fixing, etc., Global Tel*Link Corp.
- Missouri Pays More Than $1.2 Million for Deputy Warden’s Sexual Harassment Claim Against Warden, May 1, 2025. Staff-Staff Harassment, DOC/BOP misconduct, Settlements.

