Westchester Reporter

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins has introduced a new initiative at the Westchester County Jail aimed at providing free phone access for clients to communicate with their attorneys. This program, called the Free Client Phone Access Program, is a collaborative effort between the Westchester County Office of Assigned Counsel (OAC), and the Departments of Correction and Information Technology.

Jenkins emphasized the importance of equal legal representation, stating: “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and has the same right to access qualified legal representation, regardless of their economic status. We want to ensure that residents at the jail feel supported when navigating the legal system, and no one should be at a disadvantage because of the cost of a phone call."

The OAC plays a crucial role in this initiative by overseeing approximately 250 lawyers who provide mandated representation in Westchester County. Stephanie Perez, Acting Administrator for OAC, noted that since its rollout last month, about 300 calls have been made through this system.

Joseph K. Spano from the Department of Correction acknowledged contributions from various departments: “I want to offer special recognition and thanks to participating representatives from the Office of Assigned Counsel and Westchester County Department of Correction for their forward thinking."

Edward Wirchansky from Telecommunications expressed pride in developing this system: “Being entrusted to develop a system as important as this was a big honor for me.”

Legislators Terry Clements and David Imamura praised the program's potential impact on ensuring adequate legal representation and due process. Clements remarked on its significance for those unable to afford such services while Imamura highlighted its potential as a model for other facilities.

The OAC includes five distinct panels covering Criminal, Parole, Criminal Appeals, Family, and Family Court Appeals cases. The office is located in White Plains, NY.