The Federal Communications Commission voted Tuesday to dramatically increase the price limit that jails and prisons are allowed to charge for phone and video calls.

Under the new rules , costs in large jails were expected to increase to 10 cents per minute, and by 18 cents per minute in jails with fewer than 50 people. But at the last minute, the FCC also added a 2 cents per minute fee “to account for correctional facilities expenses.”

The FCC is backtracking on rules adopted last year, which had capped rates between $0.06 and $0.12 per minute. Overall, rates are expected to increase by as much as 83% for the nearly 2 million people who are currently incarcerated.

According to an analysis by the advocacy group Worth Rises , this will cost families and inmates an additional $215

See Full Page