Prison & Jail Telecom Data
For decades, incarcerated people and their families and allies have been fighting to reduce or eliminate the egregious rates charged by the predatory prison telecom industry. The industry’s major players — Securus, ViaPath (formerly GTL), and ICSolutions — have avoided accountability by obscuring rate data. For years, advocates and researchers were forced to manually pull their prison and jail call rates. Using automated scrapers, we have developed a National Prison & Jail Rate Map that displays the current cost of a 15-minute phone call charged by the nation’s three largest prison telecoms, who together provide telecom services to roughly 9 out of 10 incarcerated people across the country. With this data, updated biweekly, we seek to add transparency to the prison telecom industry and help drive change.
National Prison & Jail Rate Map
Rates reflect cost of a 15-minute phone call
Prison call rates SINCE 2008 (As Available)
Rates reflect cost of a 15-minute phone call
| State | Current Provider | 2020 Population | 2008 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2022 | 2008 - 2018 Change | 2018 - 2022 Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Securus | 25,328 | $6.45 | $6.75 | $6.75 | $6.75 | $3.75 | $3.15 | $3.34 | $3.34 | $0.75 | $0.75 | -48.2% | -77.5% |
| Alaska | Securus | 4,578 | $5.19 | $5.12 | $5.12 | $3.75 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $1.05 | $2.10 | -39.3% | -33.3% |
| Arizona | ICSolutions | 37,731 | $5.40 | $4.60 | $5.00 | $6.00 | $3.15 | $3.00 | $3.34 | $3.34 | $1.80 | $1.13 | -38.1% | -66.2% |
| Arkansas | Securus | 16,094 | $4.68 | N/A | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $4.80 | $2.25 | $2.10 | 2.6% | -56.3% |
| California | ViaPath | 97,328 | $4.23 | $2.03 | $2.03 | $2.03 | $2.02 | $2.03 | $2.03 | $2.03 | $1.14 | $0.45 | -52.0% | -77.8% |
| Colorado | ViaPath | 16,168 | $5.97 | $3.20 | $5.00 | $3.75 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.61 | $1.65 | -69.8% | -8.3% |
| Connecticut | Securus | 9,559 | $4.97 | $3.65 | $4.87 | $4.87 | $3.75 | $3.65 | $3.65 | $3.65 | $3.65 | $0.00 | -26.6% | -100.0% |
| Delaware | ViaPath | 4,710 | $5.30 | $10.70 | $10.70 | $3.20 | $0.75 | $0.60 | $0.60 | $0.60 | $0.60 | $0.60 | -88.7% | 0.0% |
| Florida | Securus | 81,027 | $1.76 | $1.92 | $2.10 | $2.10 | $2.10 | $2.10 | $2.10 | $2.10 | $0.60 | $2.10 | 19.3% | 0.0% |
| Georgia | Securus | 47,141 | $4.66 | N/A | $4.85 | $4.85 | $2.55 | $2.40 | $2.40 | $2.40 | $1.95 | $2.10 | -48.5% | -12.5% |
| Hawaii | ViaPath | 4,171 | $3.41 | N/A | $3.18 | $3.18 | $1.95 | $1.95 | $1.95 | $1.95 | $1.95 | $1.05 | -42.8% | -46.2% |
| Idaho | ICSolutions | 8,171 | $3.80 | $3.60 | $3.80 | $3.80 | $1.65 | N/A | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.20 | $1.20 | -56.6% | -27.3% |
| Illinois | Securus | 29,729 | $6.14 | $3.55 | $3.55 | $3.55 | $3.63 | $1.05 | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.14 | -97.8% | 0.0% |
| Indiana | ViaPath | 23,944 | $6.45 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.15 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $2.10 | -44.2% | -41.7% |
| Iowa | ViaPath | 8,307 | $5.36 | N/A | $5.45 | $3.15 | N/A | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | -69.2% | 0.0% |
| Kansas | ICSolutions | 8,779 | $7.70 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $2.63 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $2.10 | -64.9% | -22.2% |
| Kentucky | Securus | 18,552 | $4.30 | $4.50 | $4.50 | $4.50 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $1.50 | $2.10 | -26.7% | -33.3% |
| Louisiana | Securus | 26,964 | $4.81 | $4.41 | $4.85 | $4.85 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $3.15 | $2.10 | -34.5% | -33.3% |
| Maine | ViaPath | 1,714 | $5.05 | $5.30 | $5.30 | $3.75 | $1.65 | N/A | $1.35 | $1.35 | $1.35 | $1.35 | -73.3% | 0.0% |
| Maryland | ViaPath | 15,623 | $7.05 | $4.50 | $5.45 | $5.45 | $0.52 | $0.52 | $0.52 | $0.52 | $0.48 | $0.45 | -92.6% | -13.5% |
| Massachusetts | Securus | 6,762 | $2.26 | $2.36 | $2.36 | $2.36 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.80 | $1.80 | -33.6% | 20.0% |
| Michigan | ViaPath | 33,617 | $1.80 | $3.00 | $3.00 | $2.00 | $3.00 | $2.40 | $2.40 | $2.40 | $2.40 | $2.10 | 33.3% | -12.5% |
| Minnesota | ViaPath | 8,148 | $6.22 | N/A | $6.45 | $6.45 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | -87.9% | 0.0% |
| Mississippi | ViaPath | 17,577 | $4.70 | $5.70 | $5.70 | $5.70 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $0.59 | $0.59 | $0.60 | $0.60 | -87.4% | 1.7% |
| Missouri | Securus | 23,062 | $2.40 | $0.75 | $1.75 | $1.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | -68.8% | 0.0% |
| Montana | ICSolutions | 3,927 | $5.55 | $2.04 | $2.04 | $2.04 | N/A | $2.14 | $2.15 | $2.15 | $1.73 | $1.50 | -61.3% | -30.2% |
| Nebraska | ViaPath | 5,306 | $1.40 | $1.25 | $1.45 | $1.45 | $1.50 | $0.94 | $0.94 | $0.94 | $0.94 | $0.90 | -32.9% | -4.3% |
| Nevada | Securus | 11,422 | $2.50 | $2.95 | $2.95 | $2.95 | $1.65 | N/A | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | -34.0% | 0.0% |
| New Hampshire | ViaPath | 2,352 | $2.60 | $2.25 | $2.70 | $2.70 | $0.68 | $0.20 | $0.20 | $0.20 | $0.20 | $0.15 | -92.3% | -25.0% |
| New Jersey | ViaPath | 12,830 | $7.35 | $4.95 | $4.95 | $4.95 | $0.66 | $0.66 | $0.66 | $0.66 | $0.66 | $0.60 | -91.0% | -9.1% |
| New Mexico | Securus | 5,500 | $3.85 | $0.59 | $0.66 | $0.66 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | -68.8% | 0.0% |
| New York | Securus | 34,128 | $0.72 | $0.72 | $0.72 | $0.72 | $0.72 | $0.72 | $0.65 | $0.65 | $0.65 | $0.60 | -9.7% | -7.7% |
| North Carolina | ViaPath | 29,461 | $4.91 | $3.40 | $3.40 | $3.40 | $1.50 | N/A | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.50 | -69.5% | 0.0% |
| North Dakota | Securus | 1,401 | $5.82 | $6.06 | $6.06 | $6.06 | $1.20 | N/A | $1.19 | $1.19 | $1.19 | $1.19 | -79.6% | 0.0% |
| Ohio | ViaPath | 45,036 | $5.55 | $4.69 | $5.87 | $5.87 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.30 | -86.5% | -60.0% |
| Oklahoma | Securus | 22,462 | $3.60 | $3.00 | $3.00 | $3.00 | $3.00 | N/A | $3.00 | $3.00 | $3.00 | $2.10 | -16.7% | -30.0% |
| Oregon | ICSolutions | 12,753 | $13.61 | $2.40 | $2.40 | $2.40 | N/A | N/A | $2.40 | $2.40 | $1.35 | $1.35 | -82.4% | -43.8% |
| Pennsylvania | Securus | 39,357 | $5.99 | $5.15 | $6.25 | $6.25 | $0.90 | N/A | $0.89 | $0.89 | $0.89 | $0.89 | -85.2% | 0.0% |
| Rhode Island | Securus | 2,227 | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.70 | $0.71 | $0.71 | $0.44 | $0.44 | 1.4% | -38.7% |
| South Carolina | ViaPath | 16,157 | $3.10 | $0.75 | $0.99 | $0.99 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $0.83 | $0.83 | $0.90 | -61.3% | -25.0% |
| South Dakota | ViaPath | 3,250 | $9.16 | $2.70 | $8.40 | $3.15 | $1.20 | N/A | $1.20 | $1.20 | $1.20 | $0.90 | -86.9% | -25.0% |
| Tennessee | ViaPath | 22,685 | $3.22 | $3.24 | $3.60 | $3.60 | $2.40 | N/A | $2.40 | $2.40 | $1.05 | $1.65 | -25.5% | -31.3% |
| Texas | Securus | 135,906 | $3.90 | $3.90 | $3.90 | $3.90 | $3.90 | N/A | $0.90 | $0.90 | $0.90 | $0.90 | -76.9% | 0.0% |
| Utah | ViaPath | 5,446 | $4.48 | $4.60 | $4.60 | $4.60 | $2.85 | N/A | $2.85 | $2.85 | $1.50 | $1.50 | -36.4% | -47.4% |
| Vermont | ViaPath | 1,284 | $4.62 | $2.50 | $3.23 | $3.07 | $1.76 | $1.04 | $0.59 | $0.59 | $0.60 | $0.60 | -87.2% | 1.7% |
| Virginia | ViaPath | 31,838 | $5.75 | $5.20 | $6.00 | $6.00 | $0.61 | N/A | $0.61 | $0.61 | $0.61 | $0.60 | -89.4% | -1.6% |
| Washington | ViaPath | 15,724 | $2.50 | $3.15 | $3.50 | $3.50 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.35 | -34.0% | -18.2% |
| West Virginia | ICSolutions | 6,044 | $3.65 | $3.45 | $3.85 | $3.85 | $0.47 | N/A | $0.48 | $0.48 | $0.48 | $0.45 | -86.8% | -6.2% |
| Wisconsin | ICSolutions | 20,298 | $5.17 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $1.80 | $0.90 | $0.90 | -65.2% | -50.0% |
| Wyoming | ICSolutions | 2,087 | $3.55 | $3.08 | $3.72 | $3.72 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | $1.65 | -53.5% | 0.0% |
| Average | $4.67 | $3.48 | $3.99 | $3.60 | $1.94 | $1.83 | $1.73 | $1.72 | $1.34 | $1.18 | -63.0% | -31.6% | ||
| Securus | $1.96 | $1.40 | $1.32 | -32.9% | ||||||||||
| ViaPath | $1.42 | $1.25 | $1.03 | -27.7% | ||||||||||
| ICSolutions | $2.03 | $1.51 | $1.29 | -36.7% | ||||||||||
| Weighted Average | $4.41 | $3.20 | $3.81 | $3.69 | $2.33 | $1.49 | $1.83 | $1.82 | $1.26 | $1.17 | -58.5% | -36.0% | ||
| Securus | $1.80 | $1.15 | $1.32 | -26.6% | ||||||||||
| ViaPath | $1.70 | $1.36 | $0.98 | -42.6% | ||||||||||
| ICSolutions | $2.47 | $1.53 | $1.19 | -52.0% |
Sources: Population data sourced from Bureau of Justice Statistics. Historical call rates for 2008-2018 sourced from Prison Policy Initiative. Historical rates for 2019-2020 sourced from Worth Rises.
Methodology
This map contains rate information pulled bi-weekly from the three major telecom vendors in the prison industry: Securus, ViaPath (formerly GTL), and ICSolutions. Though vendors contract at the agency level, they report rates at a facility level. Facility rates were grouped by agency and classified as a state, county, or local agency.
Typically rates are consistent across facilities in a single agency. In the rare case where an agency had multiple rates, it was treated as an outlier and removed from the dataset.
If multiple vendors reported a contract with a single agency, the agency's telecom vendor was confirmed either through their agency website or by phone, if no information was publicly available. Only rate information for the confirmed vendor was kept in the final dataset.
Counties that use regional jails or state prisons to house their incarcerated population, and thus initially have no county-level data, were added to the final dataset with the rates charged at the regional jail or state prison they use. Thus, the map shows the rate that would be paid by any person incarcerated by that county.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.