New York becomes first major US city to make jail phone calls free

New York has become the first major city in the United States to waive off charges for making phone calls from jail, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday (local time).

"For too long have people in custody faced barriers to basic aspects of everyday life that can help create more humane jails. With free phone calls, we're ... ensuring that people in custody have the opportunity to remain connected to their lawyers, families and support networks that are so crucial to re-entry into one's community," CNN quoted Blasio, as saying.

The measure came into effect on Wednesday after being passed last year by the city council.

Inmates were previously charged 50 cents for the first minute of a phone call and 5 cents for every additional minute.

Earlier, detainees were allowed three calls a week and those sentenced got two calls a week. Under the new rule, inmates can make free calls totalling to 21 minutes for every three hours to anywhere in the United States.