COVID-19 Assistance Program Extends Beyond Calls, Includes 6.4 Million Free Video Connections, & 23.8 Million Free JPay Stamps

Securus Technologies today announced that the company’s COVID-19 assistance program which launched in March 2020 has provided 40 million free phone calls, 6.4 million free video connections, and 23.8 million free JPay Stamps to incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. The assistance program, launched in partnership with correctional agencies across the country, has facilitated more than 320 million minutes of free phone connections alone, ensuring loved ones can stay in contact during the pandemic with those that mean the most.

In response to measures taken by jails and prisons to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Securus began offering a suite of free communications to help incarcerated individuals maintain these connections while also easing the financial burdens their friends and families are facing amid the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the entire world and rapidly changed just about every aspect of our lives.  Our robust infrastructure allowed us to step up and provide free communications across the country to ensure justice-involved families could still stay in contact during such an unforeseen epidemic, and we couldn’t be more proud to be in a position to do so, said Dave Abel, President and CEO of Aventiv Technologies, parent company of Securus Technologies. “We worked closely with our facility partners to implement assistance programs as well as expand technology offerings where available to provide more options for digital communications.  I’m thankful for all the work done by our Aventiv associates, facility staff and all frontline workers.  We’re in this together.”

The program, launched on March 13, 2020, thus far totals:

  • 40 million free call credits for incarcerated individuals and their families, resulting in 322.5 million free minutes of phone connections;
  • 6.4 million free video connections to friends and families of incarcerated individuals;
  • 23.8 million free JPay Stamps for electronic messaging;
  • 274 thousand free monthly subscriptions to Newsstand;
  • 758,600 free game downloads;
  • Total accommodations for 419 agencies and 758 sites across the United States.

Securus has also offered compassion credits designed to accommodate incarcerated individuals who fall ill with COVID-19. Those credits, which are uploaded onto prepaid cards and distributed by correctional facilities, allow additional free access to Securus phone calls and video connections throughout an individual’s medical care. The company is also making free calls available to public defenders at participating locations.

For those facilities enabled with Securus tablet technology, the company has introduced select free movie and game titles to provide incarcerated individuals with entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been downloaded almost 2 million times. This expanded assistance is in addition to the no-cost resources, including educational offerings, free eBooks, podcasts and other self-help tools that are always available free of charge.

The program is an element of an ongoing transformation effort by Securus Technologies to improve access to its services and provide greater support for those impacted by incarceration. The company continues to work with its partners to garner feedback about the situation on the ground. All support from Securus will be in accordance with the latest public health guidelines to ensure that the support is tailored and responsive to the unique needs of the incarcerated community.