To email someone in prison, you use a specialized messaging platform, not regular email. Federal prisoners receive messages through CorrLinks, which connects to the Bureau of Prisons’ internal TRULINCS system. State prisoners are usually reached through JPay or ViaPath (formerly GTL/ConnectNetwork), depending on the state. County jails vary widely, and some do not offer electronic messaging at all. Before you can send anything, you need to know which facility holds the person, which provider that facility uses, and the inmate’s identification number.
How Prison Messaging Works
Incarcerated people do not have direct internet access. When you send a message, it passes through the provider’s servers, where correctional staff can review it, and then appears on a tablet or shared kiosk inside the facility. Some facilities still print electronic messages and hand-deliver them, though that practice is fading as tablet programs expand.
Three companies handle almost all of this traffic. JPay, owned by Securus Technologies, serves state prison systems across roughly 30 states. ViaPath Technologies covers another large share of state facilities and many county jails. Federal prisons run their own system, TRULINCS, which outside contacts reach through CorrLinks at corrlinks.com. Each platform requires its own account, so picking the wrong one means your message goes nowhere.
Find the Right Platform
Start with the facility, then work out which provider it uses.
- Federal prisons all use TRULINCS, accessed from the outside through CorrLinks. No guesswork.
- State prisons: check the state department of corrections website, which usually names the provider. JPay also has an availability page where you can search by state and facility to confirm.1JPay. Getting Started
- County jails: call the jail directly. These facilities are the least standardized.
A message sent through the wrong platform will not reroute itself. Confirm the provider before you register or pay anything.
Get the Inmate’s ID Number
Every platform requires the person’s full legal name and their unique identification number.
For federal prisoners, use the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator at bop.gov. You can search by name or number, and the results show the register number (five digits, a dash, then three digits) along with the current facility.2Federal Bureau of Prisons. Inmate Locator For state prisoners, nearly every state department of corrections has a similar inmate search tool. Enter the name, and the results give you the state ID and housing assignment.
Records for someone recently transferred or newly booked can take a few days to update. If you cannot find the person or want to be sure, call the facility.
Set Up Your Account
Registration works very differently depending on whether you are contacting a federal or state prisoner. This is where most people hit a wall they didn’t expect.
Federal Prisons: CorrLinks and TRULINCS
You cannot simply sign up and start writing to a federal prisoner. The person inside must initiate contact. They add your email address to their approved contact list through TRULINCS, staff reviews it, and CorrLinks then sends you an automated email asking whether you accept future messages from that inmate. Once you accept, either of you can send messages.3Federal Bureau of Prisons. TRULINCS Topics
This means the person has to know your email address and has to take the first step. If they don’t, send a traditional letter with your email address and ask them to add you on TRULINCS. Outside users pay nothing to send or receive federal messages. Inmates are charged by the minute for their time on the system, drawn from their commissary accounts.4Federal Bureau of Prisons. Communications
State Prisons: JPay, ViaPath, and Others
State systems are simpler for the sender. On JPay, you go to the homepage, select the state, enter the inmate’s ID number, and register with your own information.1JPay. Getting Started ViaPath’s ConnectNetwork works similarly. You can usually initiate contact without the inmate adding you first, although some facilities require new senders to be approved before messages go through.
Most state platforms use a prepaid credit system. You buy digital “stamps” up front, and each message costs one or more stamps. Payment is by credit or debit card, and minimum purchase amounts often apply. Depositing funds sometimes carries a transaction fee on top of the stamp price.
Write and Send the Message
Once your account exists and is funded, sending is mechanically simple: log in, pick the recipient, type in the text field, hit send. The rules baked into the platform are what actually shape what you write.
Character limits vary widely across state messaging systems, from around 500 characters on some platforms to 20,000 on others. On tight platforms, a long update requires multiple messages, each paid for separately. Check the limit before you write.
Some platforms allow photo attachments, e-cards, or short video clips, but these cost extra and are not permitted at every facility. Formatting is bare-bones: plain text, no fonts, no embedded links.
Every message is reviewed, and staff can read anything you send. Content will be rejected or flagged if it involves:
- Threats or plans for violence against any person or location
- Discussion of illegal activity, past or planned
- Escape plans or information about facility security
- Sexually explicit images or descriptions
- Anything that could endanger staff, inmates, or the public
These categories are applied broadly. Even vague references to “getting even” or jokes about smuggling can trigger a rejection. Stick to personal news, family updates, and encouragement.
Delivery and Replies
Some messages arrive within minutes; others sit in a review queue for up to 24 hours. Weekends and holidays add delay. The recipient can typically reply through the same system. In state facilities using stamps, they pay for their own replies from commissary funds. In the federal system, they reply on TRULINCS terminals during designated hours. Access to tablets and kiosks is often limited by time of day and by demand, so back-and-forth is rarely instant.
What It Costs
In most state systems, a basic text message runs between $0.25 and $0.50, with the majority of states in the $0.27 to $0.30 range. Photo attachments add to that. On platforms with tight character limits, a single conversation can require multiple messages.
The federal system is different. Outside users send and receive through CorrLinks at no charge. Inmates pay for their time on TRULINCS from their trust fund accounts.4Federal Bureau of Prisons. Communications
The FCC has capped rates on prison phone calls and video visits under the Martha Wright-Reed Act, with updated caps taking effect in April 2026, but those caps do not extend to electronic messaging.5Federal Communications Commission. Incarcerated People’s Communications Services Messaging prices remain largely unregulated.
Assume Nothing You Send Is Private
Nothing you send through a prison messaging platform is private. Correctional staff can read, save, and share every message, and this applies even if you are discussing a legal case. The federal TRULINCS system makes this explicit: incarcerated users must agree that their messages will not be treated as privileged communications and may be monitored, read, and retained by Bureau staff.
Do not discuss pending legal strategy, case details, or anything you would want protected by attorney-client privilege through these platforms. For confidential legal communication, use traditional mail marked as legal correspondence or arrange an in-person legal visit.
If Your Message Is Rejected
In the federal system, regulations require the warden to notify you in writing when a message is rejected and to give reasons. You can appeal, and the appeal must be reviewed by someone other than the official who made the original decision.6eCFR. 28 CFR 540.13 – Notification of Rejections State systems vary. Most will notify you that a message was not delivered, though the explanation may be thin. If a message contains evidence of criminal activity, the facility is not required to return it or tell you it was intercepted. Repeated violations can get your account blocked, cutting off your ability to reach that person through the platform.