To email an inmate, you’ll use a specialized messaging platform that the facility contracts with rather than a regular email service. The five major providers are CorrLinks (the public side of the federal TRULINCS system), JPay, Securus Technologies, GTL’s ConnectNetwork, and SmartInmate. You don’t get to choose; each facility picks one. Once you know which platform applies, the process is roughly the same everywhere: register with the inmate’s ID number, buy prepaid “stamps,” and send messages that follow the facility’s content rules.
Find the Provider and the Inmate’s ID Number
Two pieces of information come first: which platform the facility uses, and the inmate’s identification number. The facility’s official website almost always lists its communication provider. If it doesn’t, call the facility. For anyone in federal custody, the system is always TRULINCS, accessed from the outside through CorrLinks.
You’ll need the inmate’s ID to register. For federal inmates, search the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator at bop.gov by first and last name; results show the register number along with age and location. Try alternate spellings or known aliases if the name doesn’t come up. Every state runs its own inmate locator on the department of corrections website, and the search works the same way.
Set Up Your Account
Registration depends on the provider, and one difference catches people off guard. On CorrLinks, you cannot initiate contact. The inmate has to submit your email address to the facility for approval first. Once that goes through, the system sends you an automated email with an identification code and a link to accept or block messages from that person.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal Bureau of Prisons – TRULINCS Topics You may need to send a traditional letter first so the inmate can add you to their contact list.
To finish CorrLinks registration, enter your name, the email that received the notification, a password, and the identification code from the automated message. Then provide billing information and verify your email through the confirmation link.
JPay runs in the opposite direction. You start the process by going to the JPay website, selecting the state where the inmate is housed, and entering their inmate ID. The system pulls up their record, and you register with your personal information and the terms of service.2JPay. Getting Started Securus and ConnectNetwork follow a similar self-service model where the outside contact signs up first.
Buy Stamps to Send Messages
Every platform uses prepaid credits, usually called stamps. You buy them in bundles and spend them per message. A basic text-only message costs one stamp on most platforms.3Securus Technologies. Securus eMessaging Attaching a photo generally costs one additional stamp per image, and an electronic greeting card adds another stamp.4JPay. Sending Email FAQ
The dollar cost per stamp varies by facility. Both ConnectNetwork and Securus display the price only after you pick your specific inmate and facility.5ConnectNetwork. Send Messages to Loved Ones There is no national rate. Credit and debit cards are the standard payment methods.
Who pays for replies depends on the system. On most state platforms like JPay and Securus, the outside contact buys the stamps, and some let you attach a “reply stamp” so the inmate can respond without spending their commissary funds. On Securus, a reply stamp costs one extra stamp on top of the message.3Securus Technologies. Securus eMessaging In the federal system, the inmate pays for messaging out of their commissary account, including replies, so outside contacts cannot prepay for those.6Federal Bureau of Prisons. Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS) – Electronic Messaging If you’re writing to a federal inmate and want them to be able to write back, you may need to send commissary funds separately.
Write and Send
Composing a message works much like writing an email. Select the inmate from your contacts, type the message, and send. Character limits vary widely. CorrLinks caps messages at 13,000 characters, roughly two pages.7Federal Bureau of Prisons. Community Ties and Communications SmartInmate allows up to 30,000.8SmartInmate. Response to PPI Electronic Messaging Report Other platforms set shorter limits, so check before drafting anything long.
Hyperlinks are not allowed on any platform. Photo attachments and e-cards are available on some systems and not on others, depending on the facility’s contract.
Messages do not arrive instantly. Most incarcerated people receive their messages within 24 to 48 hours, following a delivery schedule set by the facility.4JPay. Sending Email FAQ Everything passes through the same screening as traditional mail, so flagged messages take longer.
What Gets a Message Blocked
Staff review every message. Content that will get yours rejected includes discussion of illegal activity, escape plans, threats, and sexually explicit material. You also cannot share personal identifying details about third parties, such as home addresses or phone numbers, and any language that appears coded will be flagged.
A rejected message is not just an inconvenience for you. It can create serious problems for the person you’re writing to. In the federal system, using electronic messaging for illegal purposes is classified as a “Greatest Severity” prohibited act. Consequences for the inmate can include loss of good-conduct time credit, disciplinary segregation for up to 12 months, loss of communication privileges, and monetary fines.9eCFR. 28 CFR 541.3 – Prohibited Acts and Available Sanctions State systems impose their own sanctions along similar lines. Write as if a corrections officer is reading over your shoulder, because one is.
How Replies Come Back
Most incarcerated individuals read messages on secure tablets issued by the facility, though some facilities still print messages and deliver paper copies. Facilities set specific schedules for when inmates can read and compose electronic messages, so expect a lag, not real-time conversation.
When a reply comes in, you’ll usually get a notification at the email linked to your account, with the full message in your platform inbox. Turnaround depends on the facility’s review process and tablet access schedule. Some replies arrive the same day; others take several days.
Nothing You Send Is Private
Every message you send and every reply you receive is subject to monitoring. The volume means not every message is read by a human, but all are archived, searchable, and available to facility staff and law enforcement.
One boundary worth knowing: the Federal Bureau of Prisons does not recognize attorney-client privilege for electronic messages. Federal inmates who want to use email must waive any claim to privilege for those communications.10Congresswoman Madeleine Dean. Dean, Jeffries, Lee, Bacon Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Private Communication Between Incarcerated People and Their Lawyers Phone calls, postal mail, and in-person visits with attorneys remain privileged. Anything related to a pending case should go through those channels, not email.