Contacting someone in federal incarceration follows the same exact process:
1. Postal Mail
You can send good-old snail mail through the US Postal Service
KENNETH PATRICK GAUGHAN 64290-037
FCI MORGANTOWN
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 1000
MORGANTOWN, WV 26507
*You must include the registration number after the name for mail to be appropriately received.
2. Email
Closed system email called TRULINCS by CorrLinks
This system is quite archaic. Emails are limited to 13,000 characters (basically a fancy tweet without pictures or public access).
To communicate through the TRULINCS email, someone in federal incarceration would enter the email address of a recipient. Then, TRULINCS sends an email to the recipient asking if it is okay to receive an email (check SPAM or JUNK Folder). Once the email is accepted, then emailing may begin. If you accidentally deny a request, you would have to contact CorrLinks directly by writing to them to have the email approved (again, very archaic).
IMPORTANT: Here is a video that covers how to set-up an account with CorrLinks
The CorrLinks App may be downloaded on a smart phone for about $6.00 per year.
Select One to Download CorrLinks App
3. Phone Calls
There are three options that someone in federal incarceration has for placing a phone call: direct dial, collect, and prepaid. Currently, each one costs differently, direct dial is $0.21 per minute with a limit of 10 minutes per day, which has been extended to 20 minutes per day due to COVID.
Phone calls may only be outgoing. Incoming phone calls will be denied and are not permitted. In order to make an outgoing phone call, the recipient must be on an approved list that is reviewed by the institution’s staff. It is certainly quite controlling, but these rules apply for all prisons from minimum security to maximum security.