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The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced the policy change will take effect Aug. 1. Incarcerated individuals will be able to make free calls using the prison phones or their tablets.

New York joins at least five other states, including Connecticut and Minnesota, in providing free phone service to inmates. DOCCS will cover the costs in its 2025-26 budget.

DOCCS explained that free phone calls will allow the incarcerated population to remain connected with their family and friends. Visitation was affected by the correction officer strike this year. Although weekend visitation has resumed, weekday visits at eligible facilities are suspended.

"We recognize the critical role that strong family bonds play in an individual's rehabilitation and long-term success after incarceration," DOCCS Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III said. "By eliminating the financial burden associated with phone calls, we not only are removing a barrier to communication, but are actively promoting stronger connections between those in our care and their loved ones."

Before the change, inmates were allowed three free phone calls, each up to 15 minutes, every week. Inmates and their families paid fees to make additional calls.

Worth Rises, a nonprofit that aims to dismantle the prison industry, said the change will save families an estimated $13.3 million annually. The group also noted that studies have found providing access to communication reduced disciplinary issues and violence in prisons. Incarcerated individuals who are in contact with their family members are more likely to avoid reoffending after they are released from prison.

"For decades, families across New York have had to choose between their essential needs and staying connected to their loved ones behind bars," said Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises. "It has been a remarkable burden, carried largely by women in the community, that has only worsened since the strike that halted services across our state prisons.

"Finally, relief is on its way, and it couldn't be more timely."

Correction leaders in other states that have adopted free phone calls for the incarcerated population detailed the benefits of the policy.

Angel Quiros, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Correction, said in a statement that removing the financial burden of the phone calls allows incarcerated individuals to "reduce feelings of isolation and foster positive relationships with family members, which are critical for successful reentry into the community."

Paul Schnell, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections, added that free phone calls for inmates have "resulted in increased communication between incarcerated parents and their children, which is known to be beneficial for both the incarcerated and their children."

In New York, DOCCS negotiated what it describes as one of the lowest call rates in the country. Under its agreement with Securus Technologies, the department provides calls at a rate of 2.4 cents per minute. The rate will be lowered to 1.5 cents per minute.