How to send messages, photos, and packages
Cooper Street Correctional Facility uses Global Tel*Link / ViaPath (GTL) for phone service. Call setup and account help go through GTL/ConnectNetwork. MDOC lists a uniform rate of $0.0735 per minute for all calls, effective October 1, 2023—though taxes and vendor fees may still apply. Each incarcerated person can keep up to 20 Personal Allowed Numbers (PANs). These lists reset quarterly on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1, so plan ahead if you need to add or change numbers. One catch: collect calls can't go to cell phones, office phones, hospital numbers, or other commercial lines. That often means using prepaid options like AdvancePay. If your AdvancePay account sits unused for 180 consecutive days, it can become inactive—contact the vendor for refunds or reactivation.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Getting mail or JPay messages to someone at Cooper Street comes down to a few key details: the right name and number, understanding that mail gets photocopied, and following JPay's one-photo rule.
MDOC lists ViaPath (GTL) call rates at $0.0735 per minute for all calls, effective October 1, 2023. This rate does not include any applicable taxes or vendor fees.
An incarcerated person may list up to 20 Personal Allowed Numbers (PANs). PAN lists reset quarterly on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
Calls go through GTL/ViaPath, and MDOC references AdvancePay (ConnectNetwork) as the prepaid option for receiving calls. If your AdvancePay account goes unused for 180 consecutive days, it can become inactive and may be forfeited. Contact the vendor for refunds or reactivation.
No. MDOC states collect calls can’t be placed to cell phones, office phones, hospital numbers, or other commercial telephone lines. If you can’t receive collect calls, you may need to use a prepaid receiving option like AdvancePay through GTL.
Address mail using the facility address and include the prisoner’s full name and MDOC/prisoner number on every item. It’s also recommended that you include your full name and return address on the envelope.
No. All incoming personal mail—including envelopes—gets photocopied in black and white, and the originals are shredded. For color images, send them through JPay instead of regular mail.
Sending money to someone at Cooper Street is straightforward once you know the one rule that matters: deposits go through GTL Financial Services. The biggest mistake families make? Trusting a random message asking for money through Cash App or Venmo. Those payments won't reach a prisoner's account.
Phone calls are one of the fastest ways to stay connected—but they can get confusing when a call won't go through. Here's how the phone system works at Cooper Street, what the 20-number PAN list means, what calls cost per minute, and how to fund an account by mail if you can't pay online.
