Phone calls to people incarcerated in Massachusetts are free. They have been since December 1, 2023, when Governor Maura Healey signed landmark legislation making Massachusetts the fifth state in the nation - and the first state in the country to include county jails - to provide no-cost calling for incarcerated people.
This covers the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) and all county sheriffs' houses of correction and jails. There is no cap on the number of calls.
You do not pay per minute. You do not pay to connect. The person in prison can call you for free.
WHAT "FREE" MEANS IN MASSACHUSETTS
The law covers:
- Phone calls (voice) - completely free, no cap
- Video calls - free under the same law
- Email through CorrLinks - the legislation included email; verify current status of charges at corrlinks.com; as of implementation in 2023 the $0.25/message fee for CorrLinks email may still apply - contact Securus at 1-800-844-6591 or corrlinks.com for current status
There is no cap on the number of calls per day or per week.
All calls still go through Securus Technologies - the state's contracted phone vendor. Existing Securus contracts continue until they expire and are renegotiated. The state and county governments cover the call costs rather than charging families.
HOW CALLS WORK
The incarcerated individual places outgoing calls only. They cannot receive incoming calls. They call from a facility phone to numbers on their approved calling list. All calls are monitored and recorded except attorney calls.
Getting your number approved: The incarcerated individual keeps a list of authorized phone numbers. Up to 15 numbers are allowed; 5 of those are reserved for attorney calls. To receive calls, your number must be on that list. Write or communicate with the incarcerated person and ask to be added.
Account setup: Although calls are free, you may still need a Securus account linked to your phone number for the call to connect to your specific number. Set up or manage at securustech.net or call 1-800-844-6591.
Note on the mass.gov "Contact an inmate" page: As of June 2026, the official mass.gov contact page still references a "flat rate per minute" and links to Securus for account setup. That page has not been updated. The authoritative source is the DOC's December 1, 2023 press release and the official No Cost Calling FAQ, which confirm calls are free.
Refunds: If you had a pre-paid Securus account balance when the law took effect in December 2023, those funds should have been refunded to you or the incarcerated individual. If you have unresolved balance questions, contact Securus at 1-800-844-6591.
MASSACHUSETTS DOC STATE FACILITIES (14)
The DOC operates 14 correctional facilities. No cost calling applies to all of them.
Facilities include:
MCI-Cedar Junction (Walpole) - maximum security
MCI-Concord - medium security men's
MCI-Framingham - women's facility
MCI-Norfolk - medium security men's
MCI-Plymouth - medium security
MCI-Shirley - medium and minimum security
NCCI-Gardner - medium security men's
Old Colony Correctional Center (Bridgewater)
Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center (Lancaster) - maximum security
Bay State Correctional Center (Norfolk) - minimum security
Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center (MASAC, Plymouth)
Pondville Correctional Center (Norfolk)
Northeastern Correctional Center (Concord)
And others - full list at mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-correction/locations
Inmate locator (VINE): vinelink.com/search/MA/Person
DOC headquarters: 50 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757 | 508-422-3300
COUNTY HOUSES OF CORRECTION AND JAILS
Massachusetts has 14 counties. Each county sheriff operates a house of correction (sentenced individuals up to 2.5 years) and in many cases a pretrial jail as well. Free calling applies to all of them under the state law.
County sheriffs select their own phone vendors. Most use Securus Technologies. Your number still needs to be on the incarcerated individual's approved list, and you may need a Securus account to receive calls from specific facilities.
Examples:
Suffolk County (Boston): Securus at Nashua Street Jail and Suffolk County House of Correction; 200 Nashua St., Boston MA 02114; 617-704-6595
Other counties: contact the county sheriff's website directly; look for "Phone" or "Family Information" pages
HOW TO RECEIVE FREE CALLS
1. Find where the person is housed: vinelink.com/search/MA/Person (DOC) or the county sheriff's website
2. Contact the person and ask to be added to their approved phone list (up to 15 numbers; 5 are for attorney use)
3. Set up a Securus account at securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591 (even though calls are free, the account may be needed for number registration and call routing)
4. Wait for the person to initiate the call - calls are free, no balance required
Before December 1, 2023, the DOC charged $0.12/min and most county jails charged $0.14/min. Families were spending an estimated $25 million per year on prison calls in Massachusetts.
When the free call law took effect, the state allocated funds to compensate correctional agencies and county sheriffs for the lost commission revenue that had supported facility programs. The DOC and jails received $20.1 million in year one. For fiscal year 2024-25, the budget allocated $10 million statewide - a reduction that has led to some program funding shortfalls at the facility level, according to Prison Legal News reporting (July 2025). Calls remain free; the funding allocation issue is on the government side and does not affect families.
Email - CorrLinks
Inmates can receive and respond to emails through CorrLinks. The law included email in the free communications provisions. However, as of implementation, CorrLinks emails were listed at $0.25 per message on the mass.gov contact page. Verify the current email cost status at corrlinks.com or by calling 1-800-844-6591 before setting up a CorrLinks account.
Frequently asked questions
Are phone calls from Massachusetts prisons and jails really free?
Yes. Since December 1, 2023, all phone calls from Massachusetts DOC facilities and county houses of correction and jails are free. No per-minute charge. No connection fee. No cap on number of calls.
Do I need to do anything to receive free calls?
You still need to be on the incarcerated individual's approved calling list. You may also need a Securus account for call routing. Contact Securus at securustech.net or 1-800-844-6591.
Does this apply to county jails too, not just state prisons?
Yes. Massachusetts was the first state in the country to include county jails in free calling. All 14 county sheriffs' facilities are covered.
Is video also free?
Yes. The legislation covers video calls as well as phone calls.
What about email?
Email through CorrLinks was included in the legislation. Verify current email cost status at corrlinks.com or with Securus - the $0.25/message fee may still be in effect pending contract renegotiation.
I had a Securus account with a balance. Where is that money?
Pre-paid balances as of December 1, 2023 should have been refunded. Contact Securus at 1-800-844-6591 if you have unresolved balance questions.
Which company provides phone service?
Securus Technologies. Their existing contracts continue until they expire and are renegotiated. Calls go through Securus but cost nothing to you. ====================================================================
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