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North CarolinaUtilities Commission OK’s Higher Rates on Prisoner Telephone Calls
The North Carolina Utilities Commission recently ruled in favor of Petitioners, providers of prisoner telephone services, allowing the companies to charge higher telephone rates to the friends and families of prisoners for local collect calls. The petition was supported by the Public Utilities Commission Staff, but opposed by North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services. As in other cases, higher rates for prisoner-initiated telephone calls are driven by “commissions” paid to correctional facilities or agencies in exchange for the right to provide exclusive telephone services, thus creating a monopoly. This practice, denounced by organizations such as the American Correctional Association and others in the law enforcement community conveys an appearance of impropriety and will bring the corrections profession into disrepute as the matter gains greater public attention. Relevant documents can be accessed at http://www.ncuc.net/docket.htm (search P100, Sub 84C), and at the following links:
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