HELP US END MASS INCARCERATION The Prison Policy Initiative uses research, advocacy, and organizing to dismantle mass incarceration. We’ve been in this movement for 22 years, thanks to individual donors like you.

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Figure showing steps for communicating using two-way electronic messaging systems: 1) Non-incarcerates user creates account on system and prepays. 2) Composes and sends message. 3) Facility approves message (manually or through automated system) 4) Incarcerated recipient logs into kiosk and reads message. 5) Incarcerated recipient can respond, but payment mechanics vary.

Data Source: Please refer to footnotes of original report. (Graph: Elydah Joyce, 2016)

This graph originally appeared in You’ve Got Mail: The promise of cyber communication in prisons and the need for regulation.

For two-way electronic messaging systems, both the non-incarcerated and incarcerated users send and receive messages electronically. Note that even the non-incarcerated users must use the provider’s system, not a normal email account.

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