The eTc Campaign has a Whole New Way to Correspond!
http://www.etccampaign.com
This website is designed to help you advocate for changes in the prison phone system. Here is how the campaign works:

1. Each month, for ten months, you will visit this website and select the letter you wish to send. Each letter is designed to be sent to one or more policy makers in a position to make a difference.

If you live in the same state as your incarcerated loved one, you will need to know your state representative and state senator. (We will provide the name of the appropriate legislators if your loved one is incarcerated in another state)

2. When you select a letter, you will be asked for information that is needed to complete it.

In some instances that will include the option of listing problems you have experienced, or adding your own comments to the letter.

3. Then you print the letter and mail it to the addresses(es) provided.http://www.etccampaign.com

Hello People:) I went on here and took a peek and think it would be worth everyone's time and effort, if it could help us and our loved ones. I personally picked Mr. Bright and Mr. Laverty because I have spoken with both last fall.And I know both present bills in favor of the inmates.I wish Mr. Bright's Housebill 2624 would have passed as it was for goodtime for violent offenders.Laverty's Sen.Bill 205, concerned Ex.Clemancy.Both were very polity when I called them with questions.I have my first set of letters printed and ready to send.We need to have our voices heard, and this concerns our phone system so let's get those letters out.Thanks, Pods for posting this. Kitty

Thank you kitty, the Arkansas contract with MCI comes up for renewal in Dec. '06 and will be voted on by the Board of Corrections. The more we can let "those in power" know that the rates are not fair, the better off we will all be. If the contract is renewed as it is, we will be locked into the phone rates we now have or higher. I can't tell everyone how important it is to take the time to mail these letters.
Thanks

OK, Arkansas Ladies and Gents let's try to make some changes for our own benifits:) It's all done for us.. just fill in a few blanks and they are ready it takes very little time to prepare the letters and the postage is small compared to a 15 minute phonecall which could get higher if we don't banned together and fight them:) Pods has gotten it together on here for us, now let's do our part now!!! Kitty

Done! Thanks Pods. Goodinfo.

I sent my letters. I wish I had known about this sooner, I would have started sending them out months ago. I hope that they listen. Thanks for the post pods :)

Hey! I got a letter from one of the state reprensitives that I mailed my complaint letter to. It was Randy Lawerty. He said that he would contact the proper authrorities and would get back to me on what he finds out. I hope that somebody up there listens.

Tommy's girl,
Great, we have had numerous responses from the legislature. Some just ask the Dept. of Correction about the cost and repeat the answers given others look beyond what the Dept. of Correction tells them and have asked valid questions as to "why are these calls the 2nd. highest in the U.S.?"
The Dept. typically says, that if the family would not accept the calls then their phone bills wouldn't be so high (basically just don't use the phone).
However, it is hard to defend the 51% commission the Dept of Correction gets off of the phone system... about 3 million a yr. off of us.
Thanks for using the website