Humanity, Transparency, and Accountability

Demanding action from Louisville Metro Department of Corrections

On October 5^th, LFJA Board members, Special Project art activity leaders and community advocates wrote a letter to the Director and Assistant Director of Louisville Metro Department of Corrections (LMDC). With video visiting suspended since March 13^th and no consistent public information concerning COVID-19 cases inside the jail, we called on LMDC to take three simple and humane actions for families with incarcerated loved ones in Louisville’s Main Jail Complex:

1. Provide at least two (2) free phone calls per week to people inside the Jail until visiting is reinstated. The current cost of collect calls to cellular phones from the Jail is an exorbitant amount of $9.99 for a 15-minute call. This fee includes a commission for LMDC.
2. Post weekly information about the number of cases and health protocols for COVID-19 cases inside the Jail.
3. Establish public guidelines for timing and conditions to resume video visiting, or create a new alternative.

The letter called for LMDC leaders to respond by October 13^th, the date marking seven months with no video contact options for families. The Jail leaders chose not to acknowledge or reply to these common sense calls for action, adding lack of transparency and public accountability to the lack of basic humanity in the face of the pain and suffering especially affecting poor Black and Brown people disproportionately confined in the Jail.

WE NEED YOU TO JOIN OUR CALL TO ACTION!

Here are four ways you can support our work:

1. Watch our virtual forum on Prison Phone Justice and hear the voices of directly impacted community members, including:
   • Chef Nikkia Rhodes points out how the high cost of phone calls unfairly punishes children and families who committed no crimes.
   • LaTonya MacNeal, a recovery worker, says, “a phone call can be a matter of life or death.”
   • Aaron Bentley, a civil rights attorney, explains how a person being held Pre-Trial and cannot pay cash bail are is less likely to be able to access a free attorney call.
2. Learn how Prison Phone calls are part of the global for-profit Prison Industrial Complex now dominated by two international corporations. Research how local jails, including LMDC, get “commissions” on each call. 
3. Sign your name and circulate this petition to engage more people in this important call to action for humanity, transparency, and accountability by Louisville Metro Department of Corrections.
4. Email LFJA at louisvillefamilyjusticeadvocates@gmail.com if you or a group would like to create an additional separate letter of support like this one that focuses on children’s health.