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Time Served Collaborates with FCC to Host Public Commentary Event < Back Shirene Hansotia Feb 1, 2024 Your voice matters! Twenty years ago, a grandmother in Washington, DC wrote a letter to the FCC requesting they look into the steep cost of prison phone calls. At the time, Ms. Wright-Reed was struggling with many serious underlying health issues and subsisting on a meager budget. She faced difficult decisions, often forsaking paying for all of her necessary medications in order to have the funds to speak to her incarcerated grandson. Last year, legislation was passed in her name. The recently adopted Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 directs the FCC to adopt just and reasonable in-state communication rates between incarcerated people and their loved ones. On February 1, 2024, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and former FCC acting chairwoman and member Mignon Clyburn traveled to North Charleston, South Carolina to hold a listening session, gathering testimony from four formerly incarcerated men and women with lived experience trying to maintain familial relationships by phone while incarcerated. These four participants spoke eloquently about their experiences in federal and state prisons, struggling to maintain contact with loved ones, and often having to choose between food or phone calls. They also described frequent dropped calls and a severe shortage of phones within prison facilities, making communication very difficult. "For too many years, families and friends of incarcerated people have struggled with the outrageous costs charged for communicating with their loved ones,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “The FCC has long fought this problem using our existing rules, but they limited us to regulating interstate rates. Thanks to Congress and the President, this new law gives the FCC new authority to oversee state rates. I hope my colleagues will support me in taking the next steps to lowering the cost of prison phone bills so that incarcerated people can affordably stay connected with families and loved ones.” The FCC is still accepting public comment regarding incarcerated people's communication services . To file an express comment: Go to www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express Indicate the docket number of the proceeding as "23-62" and "12-374" Add your name, basic contact information, and type your brief comments. Check the box at the bottom of the form acknowledging that you are filing a comment into an official FCC proceeding. After submitting your comments, press "Continue to review screen," review your filing, and then press "Submit." Time Served was grateful to collaborate with the FCC and #Turn90 in bringing voices to speak about the high costs of communication in prisons in South Carolina. Previous Next

Guides At Time Served, we believe that access to justice includes widely-available community access to legal information and processes. That's why our team works to create educational Legal Guides related to our work. Please note that the Guides available here are based on general information and not tailored to your specific case. If you would like a specific review of your legal issue, contact us to apply for services. South Carolina Pardon Guide (English) 2025 Second Chance Day - Advocacy Information Packet 2025 Expungement Update - South Carolina Constitutional Carry Act

Meet Debbie Kasle, a dedicated volunteer with Time Served, committed to supporting our mission and helping individuals impacted by the justice system find a path to a brighter future. Meet Our Dedicated Volunteer BACK TO ABOUT US BACK TO ABOUT US Debbie Kasle VOLUNTEER Email Debbie Debbie is a dedicated volunteer at Time Served, supporting the team with both development and client work. Debbie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from Tulane University before going on to receive her law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. She began her legal career practicing corporate and securities law at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg in Chicago, Illinois, and later at DeNune & Killam in Toledo, Ohio. After stepping back from her career to raise her family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Debbie remained committed to public service, volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and advocating for children in the foster care system. Her commitment to ethical and compassionate service led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the Medical College of Wisconsin, after which she founded Kasle Planning, a firm focused on medical ethics and advance health care planning. In 2017, Debbie returned to law with a renewed focus on social justice. She served as a volunteer staff attorney with the Milwaukee Justice Center, providing legal support to low-income, unrepresented litigants. She also worked as a mediator with Mediate Milwaukee, helping landlords and tenants resolve disputes. Committed to supporting immigrant families, Debbie participated in the Dilley Pro Bono Project, assisting immigrant mothers and children at the U.S. border with their asylum cases. Most recently, she has volunteered with Root & Rebound, where she provided legal advice to individuals impacted by the prison system.

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Join our team at Time Served and help make a difference! Explore career opportunities and become part of our mission to support individuals impacted by the justice system. Join Our Team At Time Served, we are dedicated to advancing justice, supporting reentry, and creating a more equitable future for those impacted by the criminal legal system. Our team is a passionate group of advocates, legal professionals, and volunteers committed to driving systemic change and providing direct support to individuals and families. By joining us—whether through employment or volunteer opportunities—you’ll play a vital role in empowering our clients and transforming lives. Explore our current opportunities below and see how you can be part of meaningful work that makes a real difference. Positions Available Spring 2025 Social Media/Marketing Intern

Advocacy & Justice in Action Latest News Apr 25, 2025 In the News - Second Chance Day 2025 Read More Mar 9, 2024 Time Served Hosts "Reawakening Hope" Read More Feb 1, 2024 Time Served Collaborates with FCC to Host Public Commentary Event Read More

All Posts Civil Rights Nov 7, 2023 3 min Civil Rights You, too, can vote in South Carolina (probably). The right to vote is one of the most crucial tools we, as American citizens, have in our toolkits for change. And you should be using it.

Mon, Feb 19 | Wesley United Methodist Church Reawakening Hope Join Time Served as we host a launch event for our 2024 policy and advocacy work. We're at capacity. Please contact us at info@tsscnow.org for assistance. See other events Time & Location Feb 19, 2024, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM Wesley United Methodist Church, 1725 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201, USA About the event Time Served is proud to host Reawakening Hope -- a launch event for our 2024 policy and advocacy work. Guest speakers and panelists include Time Served staff, systems-impacted activists and leaders from across the state, and more. We will explore our top three policy priorities for the year: South Carolina's broken parole system, ending juvenile life without parole, and ban the box legislation. RSVPs are required for food and capacity purposes. This event is open to the public, but due to the nature of the conversation, you must be 18 years or older to attend. Show More Share this event

Latest News Mar 9, 2024 Time Served Hosts "Reawakening Hope" Read More Feb 1, 2024 Time Served collaborates with FCC to host public commentary event Read More

< Back Time Served Hosts "Reawakening Hope" Megan Powell Mar 9, 2024 ​ “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” - Desmond Tutu For people serving life with parole sentences in South Carolina, the hope for release on parole dwindles with every passing day. South Carolina currently has one of the lowest parole rate grants in the entire country , and as a result, some of the people who deserve release the most are being kept in prison. “I know for a fact I will never violate the law again. I’d be a fool to come back here if given a chance for parole,” said a currently incarcerated person. On February 19th, Time Served hosted Reawakening Hope—a collaborative event aimed at energizing and motivating advocates from all over South Carolina who care about sentencing, parole, and reentry reform, and providing a glimmer of hope for the people who are currently incarcerated in South Carolina. “This is the first time I’ve seen this,” said Jerry Blassingame, Founder and Executive Director of Soteria CDC. “I’ve been out 25 years, and this is the first time that I’ve seen formerly incarcerated people in a room getting ready to organize.” Photos courtesy of Isaac Ellison, Time Capsule Media, LLC. Time Served is extremely grateful for Mr. Ellison's donation of his time and services in covering this event. The crowd was comprised of a record-breaking number of formerly incarcerated advocates, loved ones of currently incarcerated people, and colleagues from local and national organizations, including: · The Campaign for Fair Sentencing of Youth; · Families Against Mandatory Minimums; · South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty; · University of South Carolina School of Law; · Justice360; · South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center; · Soteria CDC; · JumpStart; · FreshStart Visions 5.0; · And more. In addition to hearing stories of hope and change from formerly incarcerated advocates, we discussed the 2024 policy priorities of the SCJP, which include reforming South Carolina’s broken parole and compassionate release systems, eliminating juvenile life without parole, and passing Ban the Box legislation. Previous Next

< Back Time Served collaborates with FCC to host public commentary event Shirene Hansotia Feb 1, 2024 ​ Your voice matters! Twenty years ago, a grandmother in Washington, DC wrote a letter to the FCC requesting they look into the steep cost of prison phone calls. At the time, Ms. Wright-Reed was struggling with many serious underlying health issues and subsisting on a meager budget. She faced difficult decisions, often forsaking paying for all of her necessary medications in order to have the funds to speak to her incarcerated grandson. Last year, legislation was passed in her name. The recently adopted Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 directs the FCC to adopt just and reasonable in-state communication rates between incarcerated people and their loved ones. On February 1, 2024, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and former FCC acting chairwoman and member Mignon Clyburn traveled to North Charleston, South Carolina to hold a listening session, gathering testimony from four formerly incarcerated men and women with lived experience trying to maintain familial relationships by phone while incarcerated. These four participants spoke eloquently about their experiences in federal and state prisons, struggling to maintain contact with loved ones, and often having to choose between food or phone calls. They also described frequent dropped calls and a severe shortage of phones within prison facilities, making communication very difficult. "For too many years, families and friends of incarcerated people have struggled with the outrageous costs charged for communicating with their loved ones,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “The FCC has long fought this problem using our existing rules, but they limited us to regulating interstate rates. Thanks to Congress and the President, this new law gives the FCC new authority to oversee state rates. I hope my colleagues will support me in taking the next steps to lowering the cost of prison phone bills so that incarcerated people can affordably stay connected with families and loved ones.” The FCC is still accepting public comment regarding incarcerated people's communication services . To file an express comment: Go to www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express Indicate the docket number of the proceeding as "23-62" and "12-374" Add your name, basic contact information, and type your brief comments. Check the box at the bottom of the form acknowledging that you are filing a comment into an official FCC proceeding. After submitting your comments, press "Continue to review screen," review your filing, and then press "Submit." Time Served was grateful to collaborate with the FCC and #Turn90 in bringing voices to speak about the high costs of communication in prisons in South Carolina. Previous Next