How to Contact an Inmate at Facility

Right after someone is admitted to the Adult Detention Center (ADC), they get reasonable access to phones for outgoing calls. This covers both official and personal calls, so you may hear from them fairly early in the booking process.

Once the person has been classified and moved to an assigned housing area, phone access changes. Inmates can make free local official calls to their attorney, probation or parole officer, bonding agent, and certain community agencies. These free calls are strictly for official matters and are separate from personal calls to family and friends.

For regular phone contact with family and friends, the facility uses Smart Communications as its inmate phone vendor. Through Smart Communications, you can set up a Pre-paid Collect, Collect, PIN Debit, or Direct Bill account. The right option depends on your preference and the type of call being placed (local, in-state, out-of-state, or international).

1. Figure out where they are in the process. On admission, inmates have reasonable phone access for outgoing official and personal calls. After classification and transfer to assigned housing, they can make free local official calls to attorneys, probation or parole, bonding agents, and some community agencies.
2. Plan around outbound calling. Since calls are placed by the inmate, your job is to make sure you can accept the call, and that any needed accounts are set up so the call can go through.

1. Use Smart Communications for phone account setup. This facility’s inmate phone vendor is Smart Communications.
2. Choose an account type that fits your situation. The facility notes options such as Pre-paid Collect, Collect, PIN Debit, and Direct Bill for local, in-state, out-of-state, and international calls.
3. Get help directly from Customer Care if you get stuck. Smart Communications Customer Care can be reached at 1-888-253-5178 or 1-727-349-1561.

1. Treat emergencies differently. The facility only delivers emergency messages if they are verified.
2. Contact the facility and follow their verification process. Be ready to provide details that allow staff to confirm the emergency before they will pass a message to the inmate.

What to Verify

• ✓ Confirm Smart Communications is still the phone vendor for the facility.
• ✓ Confirm you have the correct Smart Communications sign-up method and the current customer care numbers (1-888-253-5178 or 1-727-349-1561).

• ✓ Ask what calling options are currently allowed for the inmate (local, in-state, out-of-state, international).
• ✓ Confirm which account types are accepted for their calls (Pre-paid Collect, Collect, PIN Debit, Direct Bill).
• ✓ Verify whether anything changes after classification and transfer to assigned housing, especially for official calls that are free and local only.

• ✓ Reconfirm that inmates may not receive incoming phone calls.
• ✓ Ask how the facility defines an “emergency message” and what they require to verify it before delivering it to the inmate.