How do inmates know about phone funds and numbers?

Inmates are not personally notified when money is added to their phone account. There is no staff member who goes and tells them. They usually find out when they check their balance on the phone system or when they go to make a call and hear the available funds.

As for getting your phone number to them, you will need to send it yourself. Jail and prison staff generally will not pass along messages or contact information.

The best ways to do this are:

• Send a letter with your phone number clearly written
• Include it in multiple letters to make sure they receive it
• If they already know your number, they can enter it into their approved call list

Once they have your number, they will need to add it to their phone list and have it approved before they can call. Every facility requires numbers to be registered in their system.

If you want to make sure they get your number quickly, sending a letter through InmateAid is one of the fastest and most reliable ways. If you need help getting started, we can even provide a coupon for your first letter.

The key is that communication has to go through the mail first if they do not already have your number.