In NJ prisons, digital access comes at a price for inmates and their families

NJ prison officials say their switch to a new telecommunications vendor will save incarcerated people money. But those in custody have doubts.

By: Dana DiFilippo

Outlets: New Jersey Monitor

Published: May 11, 2026

Words: 1,812

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

People incarcerated in New Jersey make as little as a dollar a day working prison jobs, but they paid more than $28 million over the past decade to the for-profit company that provides video visits, electronic messaging, music, and other digital content on personal tablets designed for use behind bars.

Now, the state is shifting to a new provider, ViaPath Technologies, saying ViaPath can offer the same services for cheaper prices than JPay, …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us