Mayor de Blasio Announces Full Implementation of Free Phone Calls for People in Custody

“We applaud Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Johnson, and the City Council for passing and implementing this innovative law. At The Fortune Society, we know firsthand that human connection is a powerful tool in easing feelings of isolation and hopelessness during incarceration. These free phone calls will have a direct and positive impact on the reentry process by giving everyone in jail better access to legal counsel, and helping them keep connected to family, friends, employers, landlords, doctors and others who comprise their important support networks. Removing cost-barriers for phone calls brings a new level of equity and humanity to our City’s jail system.” – JoAnne Page, President and CEO of The Fortune Society