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Federal Bureau of Prisons

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Stay in touch

Studies show that when inmates maintain relationships with friends and family,

it greatly reduces the risk they will recidivate.

• Phone Calls

• E-mail

• Send Mail

• Send Package

• Send Money

• 
  

Phone Calls

We extend telephone privileges to inmates to help them maintain ties with their families and other community contacts. Third-party or other alternative call arrangements are not permitted ensuring inmates do not have the opportunity to use phones for criminal or other inappropriate purposes.

Who Pays?

Ordinarily, the inmate pays for the calls; but in some cases the receiving party pays.

Restrictions

Limitations and conditions may be imposed upon an inmate's telephone privileges to ensure they are consistent with our correctional management responsibilities.

Monitoring

A notice is posted next to each telephone advising inmates that calls are monitored. Unmonitored calls to attorneys are permitted in certain circumstances.

E-mail

Electronic messaging has become a standard form of communication within most American homes and businesses, and it can now be used to help inmates stay connected to their families. The Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS) application enables electronic messages to be exchanged between inmates and the general public in a secured manner. With the inmate's eventual release, maintaining family ties will improve the likelihood of a successful reentry into the community, thus reducing the potential for recidivism.

Who Pays?

No taxpayer dollars are used for this service. Funding is provided entirely by the Inmate Trust Fund, which is maintained by profits from inmate purchases of commissary products, telephone services, and the fees inmates pay for using TRULINCS.

Restrictions

• Each inmate must be approved to use the system and each person that an inmate wants to communicate with must give their permission to do so.

• Inmates access to TRULINCS is controlled and inmates do not have access to the internet.

• Messages can only contain text and no attachments are permitted.

• Message size is limited to 13,000 characters (approximately two pages worth of text).

Monitoring

Inmates and their contacts must consent to monitoring prior to using the system. In addition, all messages are screened for content that could jeopardize the public or the safety, security, or orderly operation of the facility.

Learn More About TRULINCS

Sending Mail

The BOP encourages inmates to write to family, friends, and other community contacts to maintain these ties during incarceration. Written correspondence is classified as either general or special mail.

General Correspondence

"General correspondence" is opened and inspected by staff for both contraband and content that might threaten the security or good order of the institution.

Special Mail

Special incoming mail that is specially marked as such, can only be opened only in the presence of the inmate. It too will be inspected for physical contraband and the qualification of any enclosures as special mail.

Inmates may also receive certain commercial publications from the community. The BOP permits an inmate to subscribe to or receive publications without prior approval as long as the incoming publication is not detrimental to the security, discipline, or good order of the institution, or facilitate criminal activity.

Policy on Correspondence

Sending Packages

Inmates are not allowed to receive packages from home without prior written approval from the inmate's unit team or authorized staff member at the institution. The only packages an inmate may receive from home are those containing release clothing and authorized medical devices. However, inmates may receive magazines, hard and paperback books directly from the publisher (For more information see: Policy on Incoming Publications ).

Sending Money