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

At Silverdale Detention Center (formerly operated by Corrections Corporation of America), many facilities have moved away from collect calls. The main reason is cost and system changes: Collect calls are often the most expensive type of inmate call Phone providers are shifting to prepaid and debit systems instead Facilities prefer systems where billing is clearer and controlled While it feels like a loss, collect calls usually end up costing more per call than prepaid options. Lower-cost options to consider: Set up a prepaid phone account with the facility’s provider Use a local number setup to reduce long distance charges If possible, have...

If a monthly payment is declined, your discount phone number is not permanently lost. InmateAid holds the number for you and no one else can be assigned that number while your account is being resolved. Once the payment is made successfully, the number is reinstated and your inmate can continue using it without having to go through the facility approval process again. The number stays yours. If you added funds to your card and believe the payment should now go through, contact...

Special visitation is an extended or non-standard visit granted by a facility under specific circumstances that fall outside the normal visiting schedule. The most common reason a special visit is granted is distance. If a family member is traveling from out of state or a significant distance to visit an inmate, most facilities will consider allowing additional visiting time or a visit outside the regular scheduled hours to accommodate the travel involved. Special visitations are not automatic. They must be requested...

Yes, that is exactly how it works. After you receive your local number, you still need to set up and fund an account with Global Tel Link (GTL). Here is the process: Get your new local number Contact GTL or log into your account Add that number as the approved number for calls Deposit funds into that account Once that is done: Your inmate calls the new number GTL connects the call You are billed at the lower local rate instead of long distance So the local number reduces the cost, but GTL still handles and charges...

Visitation length varies by facility and can also change from day to day depending on how many visitors show up. There is no single standard that applies everywhere. At most facilities, a scheduled visit runs somewhere between one and two hours under normal conditions. Some facilities allow longer visits, up to three or four hours, particularly for family members who have traveled a significant distance or when the facility has the space and staffing to accommodate extended time. Others cap visits...

Being held pretrial, meaning waiting for a court date rather than serving a sentence, does not automatically disqualify someone from receiving visitors. Most county jails and detention facilities allow visitation for pretrial inmates under the same general framework they use for sentenced inmates, with the approval process being the main hurdle to clear first. The verification process typically involves submitting a visitation application with your identifying information, which the facility uses to run a background check and confirm there are no...

This is a genuinely difficult situation and options are limited, but there are a few things worth trying. Contact the facility's chaplain. Ask specifically whether the facility has an indigent communication program that allows inmates with no funds to make at least one call to notify family. Some jails have provisions for this, particularly for recently arrested individuals who have not yet had any contact with the outside. The chaplain is often the most accessible person to ask. Ask about a free...

SAFP, which stands for Substance Abuse Felony Punishment, is a Texas state program that places eligible offenders in a structured residential treatment facility rather than a standard prison. Bed availability in the SAFP system is limited and the waitlist can be significant, which is why transfers often take much longer than families expect. Once the paperwork has been submitted and an inmate is on the list, the timeline is entirely determined by when a bed opens up at the receiving SAFP...

No, inmates are not allowed to have cell phones at Cooper Street Correctional Facility or any other prison. Cell phones are considered contraband, and being caught with one can lead to: Disciplinary action inside the facility Loss of privileges (phone, commissary, visitation) Additional criminal charges and more time added to the sentence How communication actually works: Inmates must use the facility’s approved phone system Calls are monitored and recorded They can only call approved numbers About call costs: Calls can be expensive, especially if they are long distance Using a local number setup can reduce the cost significantly There is no legal...

Phone numbers purchased through InmateAid are processed overnight and assigned by 7am the following morning depending on where your order falls in the processing queue. What Happens After You Purchase Once your order is complete it enters the overnight processing queue. Numbers are assigned and activated in the order they are received. If you purchased early in the day your number will typically be ready by 7am the next morning. If you purchased late in the evening it may take until the...