Setting Up TRULINCS Email with Your Loved One at CFRC‑MAIN (Coleman): First‑Timer's Guide

TRULINCS is the Bureau of Prisons' electronic messaging system - it's how you'll stay in touch with your loved one at CFRC‑MAIN (Coleman). Before either of you can use it, both the incarcerated person and the outside contact must consent to monitoring. Messages are also screened for anything that could jeopardize public safety or the facility's security.

One thing that catches people off guard: TRULINCS is text-only. No attachments. Photos, PDFs, documents - none of it goes through.

Approval works in two parts. First, your loved one has to be cleared to use TRULINCS. Then, each person they want to message must give permission separately. By opting in, you're agreeing that messages can be monitored and screened for safety and security concerns before delivery.

Message Rules Limits

• ✓ Messages are text-only, with no attachments allowed.
• ✓ Each message is capped at 13,000 characters (about two pages of text).
• ✓ You and your loved one must consent to monitoring, and messages are screened for content that could threaten safety, security, or the orderly operation of the facility.

The 13,000-character limit gives you plenty of room for a solid update - think letter-length, not essay-length. Keep in mind that staff can review everything sent through the system. They're screening for content that could create safety or security issues, so write accordingly.

TRULINCS isn't taxpayer-funded. The money comes from the Inmate Trust Fund, which is supported by commissary profits, telephone service fees, and the charges inmates pay to use TRULINCS itself.