Beginning August 1, individuals incarcerated in New York state facilities will be able to make phone calls at no cost. Previously, they were allowed three free 15-minute calls per week, with additional minutes charged at 2.4 cents per minute. This policy update will eliminate those charges. “Improved family connection reduces tension and conflict inside facilities,” said Daniel Martuscello, commissioner of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, in a statement reported by CBS News.
The new rule brings New York in line with other states such as California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, where similar measures are in place. The change follows New York City’s 2019 decision to make jail phone calls free and has been enacted through executive action. State Senator Jamaal Bailey told The City, “This is about more than phone calls — it’s about fairness, family, and the kind of future we want for our communities.”
The decision comes at a time when prison programs and in-person visitation remain limited, particularly following a recent three-week strike by correction officers. An estimated 30,000 families are expected to save about $13.3 million annually under the new policy. Worth Rises, an advocacy group, estimated the cost of the program to the state at $5.4 million per year, as reported by The City.
The removal of call charges is intended to reduce financial pressure on families and support communication between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie commented on the anticipated impact, stating, “Making these calls free is important for the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals." He added, "It eases the financial burden on families and improves outcomes both within the facility and in reentry into their community,” in a statement obtained by The City.
The policy update addresses longstanding concerns about the financial strain phone call costs have placed on families of incarcerated individuals in New York. The new telecommunications contract with Securus Technologies sets the per-minute rate for calls at 1.5 cents—lower than both the proposed FCC rate cap and California's rate of 1.6 cents per minute.
This policy change also coincides with delays in the implementation of the bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Act, which would cap phone rates for incarcerated individuals at the federal level. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized the delay, stating that many families go “into debt just to afford phone calls and visits with loved ones behind bars,” The City reported.
