Skyrocketing collect call prevented inmates from reaching their families

When someone is in jail, getting through friends and family members is a lifeline.

But unless you've ever received a call from an inmate, you probably didn't know that the companies who bill the people who receive these calls- often charge exorbitant rates.

The good news, according to inmate advocate groups, is that things have changed.

And it's all thanks to an elderly woman who complained to the Federal Communications Commission (FCCC) that it was too expensive to receive calls from her jailed grandson.

In the past, inmates' families have needed to shell out nearly $1.15 per minute if an incarcerated loved one called them collect, they said.

Not only was the high per-minute rate was unfair; some had gone as far as to call it abusive, if not downright predatory.

But thanks to this go-get-em grandmother, that's now a thing of the past.

Collect call rates to drop as much as 80 percent

According to a statement by the FCC, they've capped the cost for pre-paid calls at 21 cents per minute and the cost of collect calls at 25 cents per minute.

The numbers themselves are staggering.  In the past, a 15-minute call could have cost upward of $17.  Now, that will be reduced to just under $3.25.

Inmate advocates call the change a huge victory, especially because this will better allow inmates to connect with family members.

Studies show that inmates who have strong family connections are less likely to reoffend- and allowing them greater access to phone calls may reduce recidivism rates.

Some calling companies are reportedly saying the new rates come in below their operating costs, and will continue to evaluate how the change affect their bottom line.