Receiving your new InmateAid discount phone number means your account is set up and ready. That is great news. However there is one more step before your inmate can actually call you on it. Your inmate needs to add the new number to their approved call list at the facility before any calls can go through. Until that number is approved by the facility it will not connect even if your inmate tries to dial it. Here is how to make that...

You will receive it in two ways simultaneously. A text message to the mobile number you provided during signup and an email to the address on your account. The number is also placed automatically in your Account Dashboard under your phone lines section so you always have access to it in one place. If two hours have passed and you have not received your number here is what to check. Look in your spam or junk folder. Automated emails from new services...

Finding an inmate's release date depends on which system they are in. For federal inmates the Bureau of Prisons publishes projected release dates in their free online locator at bop.gov/inmateloc. Search by name or inmate ID number. The date shown reflects good time credits already applied and is updated as the sentence progresses. For state inmates each state Department of Corrections maintains its own inmate search tool. Most include projected release dates or parole eligibility dates in the results. InmateAid's facility directory...

Release dates shown on InmateAid are accurate at the time they are collected from official sources. However like all database-driven information they reflect a specific moment in time and can change between updates. Here is why a release date might differ from what you expected or what you previously saw. Release dates are not permanently fixed. They move based on factors that happen inside the facility after the data was last collected. Good behavior and program participation can earn time credits that...

Every inmate in the United States correctional system is assigned a unique ID number and you will need it for almost everything including sending money, sending mail, and setting up phone calls. Here is where to find it. For federal inmates the BOP inmate ID number is an eight digit number formatted as XXXXX-XXX. You can find it by searching the Bureau of Prisons free inmate locator at bop.gov/inmateloc using the inmate's full name. The ID number appears in the search...

The short answer is that they do not know automatically. You have to tell them. InmateAid has no way to notify an inmate inside a facility that a new phone number has been set up for them. The responsibility for communicating the new number to your inmate rests entirely with you. When InmateAid delivers your new number by text and email, that delivery includes step by step instructions explaining exactly what to do next and where your calls will forward to. If...

Making a phone call from inside a correctional facility is a straightforward process once everything is set up correctly. Here is how it works. Your inmate goes to the phone designated for inmate use in their housing unit. These are typically wall mounted phones in a common area accessible during specific times of day set by the facility. Phone access is not available around the clock. Your inmate will know their unit's designated phone hours once they are settled in. At the...

Losing your phone when you are expecting calls from an incarcerated loved one is stressful but there are steps you can take right now to stay connected. First, if you have access to another phone, a friend's phone, a family member's phone, or a temporary replacement, contact InmateAid immediately at aid@inmateaid.com. We can update the forwarding number on your discount phone line to point to whatever number you currently have access to. Your inmate keeps calling the same number they always...

This is a fair question and you deserve an honest answer. InmateAid previously offered single letters for $0.99. The reality of running that service was that the cost of materials, postage, and payment processing made every single letter transaction a losing proposition regardless of volume. Continuing to offer it would have meant either raising the price to a point that felt unfair or absorbing losses that were not sustainable. The current letter service is offered in packages of 8 letters for $8....

Unfortunately there is no way to call your inmate directly to let them know. All calls must be initiated by the inmate from inside the facility. You cannot reach them by phone from the outside. The fastest way to get a message to them is through a letter. A letter sent through InmateAid typically arrives within 2 to 3 business days via USPS. Write clearly that their phone account has been funded and that you are ready and waiting for their...