Families with loved ones in federal prison will soon have far greater opportunities to remain connected, following the nationwide rollout of secure electronic tablets announced by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The tablets will provide inmates with secure messaging, educational and faith-based programming, healthcare and reentry resources, and unlimited video-call minutes. The change will allow parents to speak regularly with their children, participate in family milestones, and maintain relationships without constantly rationing limited calling time.

The announcement marks the culmination of years of advocacy by the Tzedek Association, which has worked closely with BOP leadership to expand communication between federal inmates and their families.

Federal inmates were historically limited to 300 telephone minutes each month. Following the passage of the First Step Act, which Tzedek helped develop and advocate for, that allowance increased to 510 minutes. Last year, BOP Deputy Director Joshua Smith announced another revised nationwide phone policy at Tzedek’s National Gathering in Washington, D.C.

The new tablets will allow fathers to learn Gemara with their sons, help children with schoolwork, and join family conversations before Shabbos and Yom Tov. They will also provide access to vocational training, First Step Act programming, healthcare information, and BOP-approved Torah courses authored by Tzedek.

Tzedek has argued that stronger family connections help improve institutional safety, reduce recidivism, and provide inmates with a more stable support system upon their release.

The organization thanked BOP Director William Marshall, Deputy Director Joshua Smith, and the BOP professionals who worked with Tzedek to advance the reforms.