Anticipating the arrival of friends and family, making eye contact, holding a child’s hand — these are the experiences and memories that give someone the resilience they need to make it in prison. A visit can alleviate the suffering that comes cold confinement and the brutality of unpredictable violence that erupts between inmates.

Over 600 prisons in 46 states have some sort of video visitation system, and every year, more of those facilities do away with in-person visitation. This isn’t just a financial burden on inmates and their families — but a contribution to the endless criminal justice system cycle.

This is fucking despicable. Private companies should NEVER profit at the expense of prisoners and their families.