Just hearing the sound of a loved one’s voice can change your day, lighten your mood, and even give you inspiration.

Establishing and maintaining bonds between friends and families is a key element in the re-entry and rehabilitation programs helping offenders in TDCJ.

Now that communication will be easier.

The rates charged to offenders and their families for the use of the Offender Telephone System are dropping by 75% off the current per minute charge.

A new Offender Telephone System (OTS) contract was formally approved by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice at its monthly meeting this afternoon in Austin. The competitively bid contract was awarded to CenturyLink and the rate charged per minute drops to six cents per minute no matter the destination of the call. A typical 15 minute phone call currently costs about $3.90 but under the new agreement that same call will cost just 90 cents.

“The new OTS contract is going to benefit not only family of offenders who are hoping to stay connected, but enhance the agency’s focus on re-entry,” said TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier. “The system is used to maintain relationships with friends and family that are a vital part of a successful re-entry and reintegration of offenders into the community.”

TDCJ receives no revenue from the system but by law last year more than $15,000,000 from the OTS were contributed to the Texas Crime Victim’s Fund.

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