DALLAS, Aug. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies today provided its weekly update on the total number of free calls, video connections, and JPay stamps it has provided since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The offerings are a component of an emergency program first deployed with correctional partners across America on March 13, the day the pandemic was declared a national emergency in the United States. It is intended to help incarcerated individuals stay connected with loved ones during this challenging time.

To date, those free offerings total:

• 24.2 million free call credits for incarcerated individuals and their families, resulting in 186.1 million free minutes of phone connections;

• 5.1 million free video connections to friends and families of incarcerated individuals;

• 11.8 million free JPay Stamps for electronic messaging;

• Total accommodations for 398 agencies and 739 sites across the United States.

In addition to this ongoing assistance, Securus is offering compassion credits designed to accommodate incarcerated individuals who fall ill with COVID-19. Those credits, which are uploaded onto prepaid cards and distributed by correctional facilities, allow additional free access to Securus phone calls and video connections throughout an individual's medical care. The company is also making free calls available to public defenders at many locations.

For those facilities enabled with Securus tablet technology, the company has introduced select free movie and game titles during the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been downloaded almost 2 million times. This expanded assistance is in addition to the collection of no-cost resources, including educational offerings, free eBooks, podcasts and other self-help tools that are always available free of charge.

"Communicating with loved ones has always been a priority, but the necessity is even more important during a pandemic," said Dave Abel, president and CEO of Aventiv Technologies, parent company of Securus Technologies. "While Aventiv is proud to play a critical role in these connections by offering free and reduced rates on our services, our work is far from over. We will continue to do what we can to keep families connected amid this pandemic."

The program is a continuation of an ongoing expansive transformation by Securus Technologies to improve access to its services and greater support for those impacted by incarceration. The company continues to work with its partners to garner feedback about the situation on the ground. All support from Securus will be in accordance with the latest public health guidelines to ensure that the support is tailored and responsive to the unique needs of the incarcerated community.

ABOUT SECURUS TECHNOLOGIES
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Aventiv Technologies serves more than 3,450 public safety, law enforcement and corrections agencies and over 1,100,000 incarcerated individuals across North America, Aventiv is committed to serve and connect by providing emergency response, incident management, public information, investigation, biometric analysis, communication, information management, incarcerated self-service, and monitoring products and services in order to make our world a safer place to live. For more information, please visit www.Aventiv.com. Aventiv is a portfolio company of Platinum Equity. Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world.

SOURCE Securus Technologies