That's even more true for prisoners and their families.
Visits are impossible or very expensive.
Most prisoners spend long periods of bitter isolation far from those they love and the forces which could rehabilitate them. Many, especially the minorities, are illiterate and unable to correspond effectively with home and loved ones. For most prisoners' families, the telephone is the primary way that they can keep in touch with their imprisoned loved one. Thanks to telephone competition, phone fees are low for all telephone calls except calls from prisoners. You can call a prisoner's wife from anyplace in the state.