Inmates in New York State prisons will soon get free tablet computers as part of an effort to better prepare convicts for life after imprisonment.
The tablets will have access to educational content, eBooks and music, and will even allow inmates to contact their family and friends. The products won’t give inmates access to the internet.
Inmates will be able to send emails during a scheduled time at a controlled kiosk, They will be able to contact only people who have been approved by authorities.
The state of New York won't allocate funds for the electronic devices. JPay, a corrections services company, will pay for the tablets as part of a contract with the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. JPay will make money if an inmate decides to make a purchase, such as additional books, on the tablet.
The New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision added in a statement on Twitter that it won't take commissions from the tablets, either.
The department’s acting commissioner, Anthony Annucci, called the move “groundbreaking,” and officials believe the move will better prepare inmates for re-entry into the outside community.
There are more than 50,000 inmates in New York State prisons.
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