Yes, that is exactly how it works. The number you received is a local phone line that forwards directly to the phone number you provided when you signed up. When your inmate dials it, the call routes straight to you. Before that first call can happen, there is one step that needs to be completed on the facility's end. Your inmate needs to register the new number through the prison's phone system. In the federal system that means submitting

Processing delays on new discount phone numbers are usually tied to order volume, and holidays are the most common cause. When a holiday falls the day before, overnight and same-day orders back up and take longer to work through than normal. It is not a technical issue with your account, just a queue that is running behind. If your number is still showing as pending, it is actively being processed. Orders do not get lost in the system, they

Pending means your phone line has been ordered and is in the queue waiting to be assigned. It is not active yet, but it is being processed. Under normal circumstances, you can expect to receive an email confirmation with your new number within one to two hours of placing your order. If there was a holiday the day before, processing may run a bit longer than usual due to backlogged orders. It will clear, just not on the standard

There are no true unlimited calling plans in jails or prisons like you would see with regular cell phone service. Facilities like East Carroll Detention Center contract with one phone provider only (such as Securus Technologies), and that company controls all calling options. Because of that setup, there is no competition and no outside company can offer unlimited calling. What you may be hearing about are subscription-style plans, not unlimited calling. For example: Some Securus plans allow a set number of calls per month (like up

Legal mail is protected. Facilities cannot hold it, restrict it, or prevent it from going out. That protection exists under federal law and applies to correspondence with attorneys, courts, and government agencies. If your boyfriend is sending legal mail, it should be leaving the facility. That said, there are a few practical things worth checking if he feels like something is not moving. Legal mail typically has to be identified as such when it is handed in. In

Yes, mail generally continues even during a lockdown in a federal prison camp. Lockdowns usually restrict movement, visitation, phone access, and commissary, but mail is considered an essential service. Inmates are still allowed to send and receive personal mail, although there can be delays. Here is what typically happens during a lockdown: Incoming and outgoing mail still moves, but more slowly Mailroom processing may be delayed due to limited staff movement Delivery to inmates may take longer than usual

Three days of silence after daily contact is understandably alarming, but in most cases there is a straightforward explanation that has nothing to do with your son's safety. The most common reason contact suddenly stops is a facility-wide phone restriction. When there is a rule violation on a unit or in the general population, staff will often pull phone privileges for everyone as a group consequence. It does not mean your son did anything wrong. It means the unit

There is no return receipt or delivery confirmation for mail sent through InmateAid. Once a letter clears the facility's mail room and reaches the inmate, the only way you will know it arrived is if they reach out to you directly. This is true of all prison mail, not just letters sent through our platform. Facilities do not notify senders when mail is delivered, and there is no tracking system that follows a letter past the point of mailing.

Absolutely. In fact, the best thing you can do for someone in segregation is to fill their days with plenty of stuff to read. Letters and photos keep them connected - but books, magazines and newspapers will bridge that gap of no outside contact.

When an inmate is newly transferred to a prison, it is normal for them to spend time in intake, classification, or temporary housing before being placed in general population. There is no exact timeline because placement depends on several factors: Classification review based on criminal history and custody level Available bed space in the appropriate housing unit Safety considerations, including separation from other inmates Medical or administrative screening In many cases, this process takes a few days to a few