See also http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/10/inmate-calling-companies-sock-prisoners-families-with-endless-fees/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/10/inm

See also http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/10/inmate-calling-companies-sock-prisoners-families-with-endless-fees/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/10/inmate-calling-compa... Apparently a large amount of those fees are paid back to the prisons via "commissions", so it's basically governments auctioning off the right to take advantage of prisoners and their families.