Adam Rust, Director of Financial Services at the Consumer Federation of America issued the following letter to Senator John Fetterman. The letter discusses the predatory financial burdens imposed on incarcerated individuals and their families, focusing on the high fees attached to essential services and financial transactions. Rust highlights the exploitation through “junk fees” at various stages of the justice process, including the issuance of prepaid debit “release cards” with high fees upon release from incarceration. He advocates for regulatory reforms to eliminate these burdens and suggests specific legislative actions to alleviate financial pressures, aiming to enhance rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.