How Do Inmates Access InmateAid Information From Inside a Correctional Facility

Inmates cannot directly access InmateAid from inside a correctional facility through any authorized means. The internet is not available to inmates through official facility systems and InmateAid is not accessible through approved tablet platforms or inmate computer terminals.

The way inmates learn about InmateAid and the services available to them is through their families and friends on the outside. A family member discovers the site, uses it to send letters, set up discount calls, or locate their loved one, and then tells the inmate about it during a call or visit. Word also travels between inmates whose families use the service and those whose families do not yet know about it.

Some inmates do obtain smartphones illegally inside facilities. This definitely happens and when it does inmates can theoretically access any website including InmateAid. However the consequences of getting caught with a contraband phone are severe and not worth the risk under any circumstances.

Getting caught with an illegal smartphone results in an immediate trip to the Special Housing Unit, the SHU, for a minimum of six months and often longer depending on the severity of the violation and the facility's policies. During the entire punishment phase all privileges are suspended including visitation, commissary access, and phone calls. The very things that keep inmates connected to their families disappear entirely.

Beyond the SHU stay there is a strong likelihood of redesignation to a higher security facility. An inmate who has been comfortably housed at a low or medium security facility can find themselves transferred to a significantly harsher environment because of one contraband phone.

No website is worth that. The right way for an inmate to benefit from InmateAid is through the people on the outside who love them.