Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.

They are not unlimited. There are many plans out there, the ones publicizing unlimited are not being honest; there are many add-on charges that mysteriously appear on your charge card - after you've signed up and it it too late.  InmateAid's service is totally disclosed at the time of the purchase. We charge $19.95 for either 300 minutes or 1000 minutes depending on the plan you choose. Whatever service you decide on, you will ALWAYS have to use the service at...

To create a Discount telephone Account with InmateAid, you will go to your My Account area of the website after logging in. Click on the link for Discount Telephone Lines and then click the "Add Local Line" button. Once you are past that page it will prompt you to select a state, facility, an inmate name and id number. Then you will add your current phone number and a contact name. Then you select the plan, either Quarterly or Monthly....

Joe Corley Detention Center does not use Western Union. Here are the methods of funds transfer: Sending Money Money may be deposited to a detainee “trust fund account” through the mail or on the Internet.  Mail • No cash allowed. The only acceptable forms of monetary instruments are U.S. Postal Money Orders, Western Union Money Orders, Cashier’s Check, or U.S. Government Check. • All must be made payable to “Detainee Trust Fund” with the detainee’s name and A#. • It must also include the...

Yes, you do need to get the number to your inmate, and the most reliable way is by writing to them. Facilities do not pass along phone numbers or messages, so the inmate will not know about your new number unless you tell them directly. Here are your options: 1. Send a letter (best method) Use the InmateAid letter service or regular mail Clearly write the new number and tell them to add it to their call list 2. Tell them during a call (if you...

Yes, you still have to go through GTL. The discount phone service does not replace the prison phone company, it works with it to lower the cost. Here is how to set it up correctly: 1. Set up your GTL account Go to the GTL system and create your account as you normally would. 2. Use the number provided to you When registering, use the local number you were given, not your personal phone number. That is the number your inmate will call. 3. How it works together Your...

You can access the number through your My Account area of the website after you have logged in. Click on "Discount Telephone" and go to the red button that says "Add Local Line". Then add your inmate's state, prison name, their name and ID number and the telephone number you want the new line to ring to.  Then select the Monthly (300 minutes) or Quarterly (1000 minutes) Plan and then go to the "Pay Now" page. Once you have completed the transaction,...

Yes. Correctional facilities are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide deaf and hard of hearing inmates with reasonable accommodations for communication, and that includes telephone access. The most common solution at facilities that serve deaf inmates is a TTY machine, also called a TDD, which allows typed text communication over a phone line. Facilities are required to have TTY equipment available for inmates who need it, and family members on the outside need a compatible TTY device or...

Your inmate can call home by calling collect but AT&T does not have the contract with the jail, you will be paying GTL for this collect call. Please be mindful that this is the most expensive way of receiving and inmate call, it will cost at least $14.99 per 15 minutes.  GTL has a prepaid option through their website. The cost of the calls vary depending upon where the call connects. If you are inter-state long distance, the cost of...

The phone service at a particular correctional center is set up through bid process. In this case, Global Tel*Link has the contract for all inmate outbound calling and to tape record the calls - essentially a monopoly. Therefore, you have to use them to receive any calls. The choice is whether you pay GTL for a long distance call (to your number) or a local call (to a number that we get you). If you are already local, we cannot save you money. We get you...

Mail is considered sacred in a prison, detention center or jail. You cannot send stamps and other sundries through the mail, you can only send her money to her inmate trust account. When the inmate has money on their books, they buy the writing material and stamps at the commissary. There is also a program for indigent inmates at every facility where they supply paper, pencil, envelopes and stamps. Whether the inmate has money on their books or not, there...

There is no single cheapest solution that applies to every jail or prison because the phone service at each facility is controlled by a contracted provider that sets its own pricing. Companies like Securus, GTL, and ICSolutions operate under exclusive contracts with individual facilities, which means the rate you pay is largely dictated by whichever company holds the contract at that specific location. Shopping around between providers is not an option the way it would be for a regular phone...