BOSTON, MA – Today Marine Corps Veteran, successful business leader, and proven government reformer Brian Shortsleeve, Republican candidate for governor, called for a repeal of the Massachusetts law that provides free phone calls and video calls to individuals incarcerated in state prisons and county jails—calling it a “misuse of taxpayer dollars.”
“Massachusetts taxpayers are footing the bill for free calls and video chats for convicted criminals while struggling families are paying some of the highest energy bills, housing costs, and taxes,” said Shortsleeve. “Taxpayers have funded over $20 million for these calls. A prisoner should not be calling out of the country on the taxpayers’ dime nor spending 16 hours on the phone. As governor, I will work to stop this abuse and repeal the free calls.”
The policy, enacted in the FY24 state budget and signed by Governor Maura Healey, makes Massachusetts the first state in the nation to require all correctional facilities—state and county—to provide unlimited free communication services to inmates. The law has already cost taxpayers over $20 million annually, with that number expected to rise. The Department of Corrections has spent $8.1 million for state prisoners and county jails have incurred $12 million in costs.
“Let’s be clear: no one is saying incarcerated individuals shouldn’t be able to communicate with their families. But it is not the role of the taxpayer to provide unlimited, free access to video and phone calls,” Shortsleeve added. “There’s a difference between humane treatment and costly perks that undermine personal accountability.”
Shortsleeve’s campaign is proposing:
· Repealing the free prison communications law
· Redirecting funds toward victim services and crime prevention
· Reinstating cost-sharing models that allow communication access without burdening taxpayers
“This is about fairness. While everyday citizens pay for their own phone bills and internet service, Beacon Hill is handing out freebies to felons,” said Shortsleeve. “I’m running to bring back balance, discipline, and commonsense to state government.”