Staying in Touch

Communication Options Overview

There are several ways to stay in touch with someone who is incarcerated, each with its own costs, limitations, and procedures. The main options are phone calls, video visits, email/electronic messaging, and traditional mail. Most facilities offer multiple options, but availability varies by facility and state.

Phone Calls

How Prison Phone Systems Work

Most incarcerated people cannot make calls directly to the outside world. Instead, they initiate calls through a prison phone system, and the facility’s designated service provider connects the call. As the person receiving the call, you’re responsible for having funds or an account set up before they can reach you.

The incarcerated person typically has limited phone time and must follow facility rules about when calls can be made (usually during recreation hours or evenings). They cannot choose who to call—calls can only go to numbers that have been approved and verified by the facility, or in some cases, to any number if it’s set up with an account.

Major Service Providers

Three companies dominate the prison phone market in the United States:

• GTL/ViaPath: Operates in many states and offers both collect calls and prepaid account options
• Securus/ICSolutions: One of the largest providers, offering collect calls and prepaid accounts
• JPay: Offers phone calls, video visits, email, and commissary services through an integrated platform

Which provider serves a facility depends on the prison’s contract. You’ll need to contact the facility or check its website to find out which provider handles communications there.

Phone Account Types

There are generally two ways to pay for calls:

• Collect Calls: The incarcerated person initiates the call, and you accept the charges. You pay per minute at the time of the call, either through your phone bill or a temporary account. This is more expensive but requires less advance setup.
• Prepaid Accounts: You deposit money into an account associated with a phone number. When the incarcerated person calls that number, funds are deducted from the account. This is cheaper than collect calls but requires advance planning.

Phone Call Costs

This is where the variation becomes significant. Prison phone rates are not federally regulated in all states, leading to huge disparities. According to advocacy groups, rates can range from $0.05 per minute in some states to $1.29 per minute or higher in others.

A 15-minute call could cost anywhere from $0.75 in a low-cost state to $20 or more in a high-cost state with added fees. Many visitors report that phone costs become one of the largest expenses related to incarceration.

Video Visits

Overview

Video visits (also called “video visitation” or “remote visits”) allow you to visit someone without being physically present at the facility. You connect through a computer or phone app, and the incarcerated person joins from a visitation kiosk in the facility.

Video visits don’t replace in-person visits—they supplement them. Most facilities allow both, and some facilities that have limited in-person visitation capacity encourage video visits as an alternative.

How to Set Up

Video visit setup varies by facility and provider:

Video Visit Costs

Video visit fees are separate from phone call charges. Costs typically range from $0.05 per minute to $1.00+ per minute, depending on the provider and facility. Some facilities offer a package rate (e.g., $10 for 30 minutes). Video visits are often more expensive than phone calls per minute but can be cheaper overall if they replace multiple shorter calls.

Requirements

• You need a device with a camera and microphone (computer, tablet, or smartphone)
• A reliable internet connection
• To be on the visitor list for the facility (rules vary)
• To follow the facility’s video visit dress code (usually similar to in-person visit requirements)

Email & Electronic Messaging

Overview

Some facilities allow electronic messaging through apps or tablet devices. The most common platforms are:

• JPay: Offers email and messaging through an integrated app and tablet system available in many facilities
• Securus/ICSolutions: Offers email in some facilities
• Facility-specific systems: Some facilities operate their own email or messaging systems

How It Works

If a facility offers electronic messaging, you can send messages (similar to emails) from outside. The incarcerated person can read messages and reply through kiosks or tablets in the facility. Messages are monitored and screened by facility staff.

Costs

Email and messaging services vary:

• Some facilities offer limited free messaging
• Others charge per message ($0.25-$0.50)
• Some use a subscription model (monthly fee for unlimited messaging)

Important Considerations

• All messages are monitored: Facility staff read every message before it reaches the incarcerated person. Do not include sensitive legal information or personal details you want to keep private.
• Delays are common: Messages may not be delivered immediately. Expect a delay of hours to days before the person receives it.
• Limited formatting: Most systems strip formatting, links, and attachments. Plain text only.

Traditional Mail

The Basics

Traditional postal mail is the cheapest way to communicate—just the cost of a stamp. Letters are screened by facility staff but are a way to share longer messages, documents, and photos.

How to Send Mail

Address letters to:

[Incarcerated Person’s Name]
[Inmate Number, if known]
[Facility Name and Address]

Contact the facility to get the correct mailing address if you’re not sure. Some facilities have multiple units with different addresses.

What Can Be Mailed

Rules vary significantly by facility and state, but typical restrictions include:

• Photos: Usually allowed, but some facilities limit the number or require them to be unfolded and loose (not in frames)
• Cards and letters: Generally allowed, but may have restrictions on what can be written (no instructions for illegal activity, codes, etc.)
• Books and magazines: Often allowed but may need to come directly from the publisher (not used). Check your facility’s specific policy.
• Money: Generally NOT allowed through mail. Use official commissary deposit methods instead.
• Packages: Usually not allowed or only under strict conditions. Most facilities do not accept general packages from visitors.

Timeline

Expect 1-3 weeks for mail to reach someone who is incarcerated, depending on location and facility mail processing. Some facilities are slower than others.

Things That Get Mail Rejected

Recent Changes in Prison Phone Rates

The FCC’s Actions

In 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to regulate prison phone rates for the first time in decades. This is a significant development:

• What changed: The FCC established a federal cap of $0.21 per minute for intrastate calls (calls within the same state) and $0.25 per minute for interstate calls
• Implementation: These regulations are being phased in and apply to facilities that receive federal funding
• What it means: Rates in high-cost states are coming down, but the transition is not instantaneous

Status of Implementation

As of 2026, the regulation is in effect in many states, but some facilities are still transitioning. Check your facility’s current rates directly, as they may have already been reduced or may still be higher while the facility adjusts to new contracts with service providers.

What Didn’t Change

The FCC regulations address per-minute rates but do not cap other fees, including:

• Connection fees per call
• Account deposit requirements
• Monthly maintenance fees
• Video visit charges

Some advocates are continuing to push for regulation of these additional fees.