What you are running into is a common mailroom rule that is not always clearly explained. Many facilities reject photos that are printed on regular paper, even if they are not actually “scanned” in the way you are thinking. When a prison says “no scanned photos,” they are often using that as a catch-all term for images that are: Printed on standard printer paper Pulled from the internet and printed at home Not on true photo-quality paper Mailrooms prefer or require actual photo prints because they are...

There is no publicly available, regularly updated commissary price list for the Arizona Department of Corrections. Most state systems, including Arizona, do not publish detailed pricing online, even though they may list available items. That said, commissary pricing is fairly consistent across facilities because most prisons purchase from the same limited group of vendors. Looking at federal commissary lists can give you a very close estimate of what things cost. Here is a realistic pricing range to help you budget: Ramen and basic food...

When you send a letter through InmateAid, it is printed and mailed through the US Postal Service, so delivery times are similar to standard mail. In most cases, the letter will arrive at the facility within 1 to 3 business days after it is sent. However, that does not always mean the inmate receives it immediately. Once the letter reaches the jail or prison, it must go through the mailroom where staff: Open and inspect it for contraband Review it for compliance with facility rules Process it...

Inmates will not be notified electronically that you sent them a letter through InmateAid, and there is no email system involved in this process. InmateAid’s “e-letter” service simply means you write the letter online, and it is then printed and delivered through the US Postal Service as regular mail. Since inmates do not have internet access, they cannot check email or receive digital notifications. Your letter will arrive just like any other piece of mail during mail call. Once it is delivered,...

To see if the person you want to stay in contact with is already on InmateAid, you can use the Search InmateAid Profilesfeature on the site. Just type in their name and check the results. If a profile already exists, you can select it and click “Follow Inmate” to connect. This allows you to send letters, photos, and other services directly to them. If you do not find a matching profile, that just means no one has created one yet. You can easily...

At Kirkland Correctional Institution, there are several common reasons why your boyfriend may have missed a scheduled call, and most of them are routine rather than serious. The most likely possibilities include: No funds or minutes available in his phone account Phone restrictions or limits on how many calls or minutes he can use in a set period Unit lockdowns or schedule changes that temporarily prevent access to phones Equipment issues with the phone system Work assignments or count times conflicting with call hours It is also possible he simply did not get...

At Arizona State Prison Phoenix West, inmates can usually purchase televisions through the commissary system, but the exact options and pricing depend on the facility’s approved vendor list. Typical costs: Small black and white TV: around $100 Small color TV: about $250 to $300 To buy one, your fiancé will need money in his inmate trust or commissary account. You can send funds using approved services like Western Union. Once the funds are available, he places the order through commissary, and it usually takes about a...

If you are receiving calls from an inmate and do not recognize who it is, there is no simple way to identify the caller on your own. Correctional phone systems are set up to protect inmate identity unless they choose to identify themselves during the call. When you get a call, the system usually plays a recorded message stating it is from a correctional facility, but it does not always clearly name the inmate unless they record their name during setup. The...

In most cases, you cannot send clothing to a prison before an inmate arrives, and even after arrival, facilities usually do not allow clothing shipments from family. Prisons issue standard clothing to every inmate, so your son will be provided with what he needs when he gets there. Some facilities also allow inmates to purchase additional items like sweatpants, t-shirts, or shoes through commissary, which are approved for use inside the facility. Sending clothing ahead of time is typically not allowed because: Facilities...