Before you can send anything, you need to confirm exactly where your inmate is housed. Facilities transfer inmates more often than most families expect, and sending mail to the wrong address means it comes back or gets lost. InmateAid maintains a directory of every jail, prison, and detention center in the United States. You can search it to find the correct facility name and mailing address. Once you have the facility confirmed, you will also need your inmate's full

Absolutely. Nothing is stopping you from writing a letter by hand, addressing the envelope, buying a stamp, and dropping it in the mailbox the traditional way. That has always worked and always will. InmateAid exists to make the process easier, faster, and more affordable, not to be the only option. If handwriting letters is meaningful to you and your loved one that personal touch is worth keeping. That said here is why many families find the online system

You will first need to send in an application with a small processing fee to the Arizona Department of Corrections for a background check.  Once you are approved, you will need a photo ID to gain access on the day that your inmate is approved for visitation. You can read about their rules HERE.

The service is for prisons or jails or ANY correctional facility where inmates have access to a telephone in the US.  Your account is pending until we email you your number. If for any reason we cannot service your inmate, we will gladly refund your money.

You will have to create a "Personal Inmate Page" with your inmate's information, their inmate ID # and the facility they are incarcerated in. Once that page is created, you will then be able to click a button "Send Letter" and process letters and photos right there.

Once you have selected an inmate from "Search Personal Inmate Page" - you are then taken to their Personal Page - at the top of their profile, there are two buttons, one says "Send a Letter", the other "Follow Inmate". If you follow inmates, you can then interact with them via InmateAid where you can write them and they can write you back through our Response Service - sort of like a Pen Pal feature, especially if you do not

Delivery is between 1-3 days but be mindful that all of the mail is opened and inspected for contraband by the prison staff. This sometimes delays actual delivery to the inmate.

There are provisions for visitation where an out-of-town visitor may be granted a "Special Visit".  You must have your inmate get written approval for such a visit.  If you just show up and ask to go in, you will be turned away.  Counselors, unit managers or wardens usually grant these requests - provided they are not frequent.

The InmateAid discount telephone service will be online May 1st with a special offer to our members.  We will be inviting you to sign up for a rate that is the lowest in the industry for prison-inmate calling.  If we can get you signed up any earlier we will be sure to let you know!

All letters and photos are delivered daily by US Mail. It will take one or three days but please be mindful that the prison staff will open every piece of mail for contraband. Therefore, the actual delivery date that it makes it to mail call depends solely on the prison staff.