InmateAid Website questions — Ask the Inmate
InmateAid is designed to be as simple and accessible as possible, but questions about how the platform works are completely normal, especially for first-time users navigating a stressful situation. This section covers the most common technical and account questions including how to create an account and set up an inmate profile, how to send letters and photos through the platform, how the discount phone service works and when your number will be ready, how to track the status of a letter or money transfer, what to do if an order did not go through as expected, how to update an inmate's facility information after a transfer, and how to contact InmateAid's support team when you need help. The guidance here is written to get you back on track as quickly as possible so you can focus on what matters, staying connected with your loved one. See also our sections on Send Inmate Mail, Inmate Phone Calls, and Money Transfer.
Related InmateAid Services
Anyone can create an inmate page to communicate with them using the InmateAid app platform. There is NO charge or cost of any kind to add an inmate. Most of the inmate page data is added by InmateAid from the various facilities across the country
Read moreAnswers are sometimes redundant or duplicates of what we have previously answered. All of your questions have been answered - and there are several similar answers posted on the site from months and years past.
Read moreGo you your Account Dashboard >> Resources >> Questions and Answers
Read moreWe do not notify the followers of an inmate's release or any sentencing information. You can go to the countyoffices.com and find the clerk of the court for that information.
Read moreInmateAid was founded in 2012 with a specific purpose: to make it easier, more affordable, and less confusing for families to stay connected with someone who is incarcerated. The site grew out of firsthand experience with the federal correctional system and the recognition that the services available to families were expensive, fragmented, and difficult to navigate. Over more than a decade of operation, InmateAid has built a platform that consolidates the core needs of inmate families in one place.
Read moreThis is a fixable situation and InmateAid handles it without any hassle. A phone number assigned for one facility will not work correctly for a different jail because the number is calibrated to the specific carrier and rate structure of the facility it was set up for. Your inmate dialing that number from a different jail will not get the intended discount because the number does not correspond to that facility's phone system. The solution is a replacement
Read moreThere is a cancel button on your Account Dashboard. Click the link and the cancellation is immediate and automatic.
Read moreYes, InmateAid has all of the county jails in the United States separated by state. Once you find the county jail where your loved one is being held, follow the links for the phone service, the letter service, the magazine service, and others. If there is something you are looking for and don't see it, email us at aid@inmateaid.com for more help.
Read moreIt is sent immediately after your order. It normally takes 1-3 days to reach the facility mail room. It is sorted and examined for contraband. Once they've approved it, it is handed out at mail call. This is standard at every facility across the US.
Read moreInmateAid maintains a database of about 1.5 million inmates drawn from publicly available correctional records across the country. That database gets updated regularly through a data service that pulls current inmate designations from state and federal correctional systems, which is why your husband was already in the system when you searched for him even though you had never used the service before. The information that appears in those pre-existing profiles comes from the same public records that state departments
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