MENG INTRODUCES THE STAMPS FOR STAYING CONNECTED ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced the Stamps for Staying Connected Act (H.R.10129), a bill that provides postage to incarcerated individuals who cannot afford it.

This legislation would authorize the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide postage for general correspondence to incarcerated individuals who lack sufficient funds in their commissary accounts. While the BOP already provides postage for legal-related mail, this measure would codify that policy and extend it to personal correspondence by providing up to five stamps per week for general mail, in addition to the five stamps currently available for legal-related mail.

Federal prisons currently require individuals to use funds from their commissary accounts to purchase postage. But many incarcerated people have little or no money available. Federal prison jobs can pay as little as 12 cents per hour, meaning it can take several hours of work to earn enough to purchase a single stamp.

“People who are incarcerated rely on mail to stay connected with their families and loved ones, prepare for reentry, pursue education, practice their faith, and communicate with their attorneys,” said Congresswoman Meng. “Providing a few stamps each week is a basic but meaningful way to help people maintain those critical connections while they are serving their time. This commonsense legislation builds on an existing BOP policy so that people in prison do not have to spend the little money they earn each day simply to write home.”

Staying connected with family, friends, faith communities, and other support networks can help people successfully return to their communities after incarceration. The Bureau of Prisons encourages people in its custody to maintain these relationships, and research shows that strong support systems can reduce recidivism and improve reentry outcomes after release

"Maintaining family and community connections is one of the strongest predictors of successful reentry and safer communities,” said Nina Patel, Senior Policy Counsel, Justice Division, American Civil Liberties Union. “However, many people in federal prison cannot afford the cost of a postage stamp.  The Stamps for Staying Connected Act recognizes that meaningful rehabilitation depends on preserving relationships for people who are incarcerated.  Sending a letter home can strengthen a parent's bond with a child, sustain hope, and reinforce the support systems that help people return to their communities successfully. This commonsense legislation will help ensure people in federal prison are not cut off from the very connections that provide meaning and support for rehabilitation."

“When incarcerated people are able to stay connected to their families, it helps boost their mental health and can ease their transition back home after they’re released,” said JC Hendrickson, senior policy strategist in the Brennan Center's Justice Program. “But many people incarcerated in federal prison cannot afford stamps, making it difficult to send letters to loved ones. This bill would help make sure that everyone behind bars can communicate with their families.”

“Communicating with family members in prison should not depend on how much money someone has,” said Shanna Rifkin, FAMM General Counsel. “This bill would help people in prison foster relationships with loved ones that we know are crucial for improved mental health and also reduced recidivism once people return to the community.”

“NYC Books Through Bars, a prison literacy project, sends free books in response to letters we receive from people who are incarcerated in facilities around the country,” said Daniel Schaffer, NYC Books Through Bars. “We know that the stamps needed to write to us are a precious resource, and we are likely failing to serve the neediest population—those with nothing in their commissary. If people in federal prisons were regularly provided stamps, they would not have to choose between staying in touch with their families, seeking legal advice from their lawyers, and writing to us to request books that are critical to their survival behind bars.”

“For many incarcerated people, the cost of postage is a barrier to staying connected with their loved ones,” said Aleks Kajstura, Sr. Policy & Advocacy Analyst, Prison Policy Initiative. “Improving family contact is critical for the health and reentry outcomes of people in prison. Requiring that the Bureau of Prisons provide stamps to people who cannot afford the cost of sending a letter makes it easier for everyone to achieve those goals.”

The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Yvette Clarke, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Eleanor Norton-Holmes, and Nydia Velazquez. It is supported by American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center for Justice, Citizens Against Recidivism, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM), Fortune Society, Justice Action Network, NYC Books Through Bars, Prison Policy Initiative, and Social Workers and Allies Against Solitary Confinement.

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