Read a recent article in Slate written by Emancipate NC client Phillip Vance Smith II about the difficulties of romantic relationships in prison when relying on prison tech.
Philip writes, “For as long as there have been prisons, relationships have found a way to breach prison walls. When I was processed into the system in 2002, I was sent to a prison that had no access to phones; letters and visitation through a dirty plexiglass window were my only links to the outside. At the time, most other North Carolina prisons allowed prisoners to make two phone calls a month, but an officer stood beside the phone while men described the atrocities of incarceration to their loved ones. As is always the case in prison, we did what we could with what we had. But now, many incarcerated people can message their partners—and vice versa—throughout the day and night.
E-messaging can facilitate connection and growth during incarceration, but exorbitant fees and shoddy service can also hinder relationships instead of nurturing them.
In North Carolina, tablets are classified as “behavioral management tools,” which means prison officials can restrict usage at a whim, without following the disciplinary procedures that govern access to other “privileges” like commissary or unit phones.