To contact an inmate, you’ll need to know a few very important pieces of information. You’ll need to know their full name, inmate number, often called a DOC number, the facility’s inmate mailing address and also the protocol they have when it comes to writing inmates. Each facility will have a detailed list of what you can and can’t send someone, when you can send things and when the inmate will get them.
The DOC number is very important to some facilities and others not so much so it’s very useful to do an inmate search to help you figure out what you have to do. Having mail returned can be frustrating and if an inmate is waiting for some money, it can be pretty depressing, especially if they are out of shampoo or a needed item.
Writing An Inmate
Writing used to be the most common form of inmate contact and is still extremely popular. A letter can boost an inmate’s spirits and help them to not feel forgotten or put aside as well as relay important information. This is also the primary way to get them legal documents and pictures.
Many inmates can receive books and magazines but most facilities will require that they be sent from a publisher or business, not from you personally. An Inmate search can clear up the requirements by giving you the contact information you need for that facility.
Calling Inmates
Most places don’t allow you to call an inmate so you will have to wait for them to call you. Inmates can call whoever they like collect but if you’ve sent them money or a phone card, they can use that to place regular calls instead. Inmates are often very bored throughout the day and being able to call someone every once in a while helps a lot.
Today, most large prisons will use some type of e-mail system. This will still cost an inmate money to use but they have access to it multiple times per week. They can’t open images this way so pictures will have to come from standard mail but e-mail is a great way to send an inmate information they need such as important phone numbers or even jokes.
Using An Inmate Search For This Information
An inmate search will tell you how you can begin to contact an inmate usually because they’ll give you all the contact information for the facility the inmate is in right now. This allows you to contact that facility or look them up to begin the process of contacting them. Many times the inmate will have to know you want to be contacted and this will usually be done with a normal letter. After that, you can begin phone and e-mail correspondence.