Phone Calls from FCI Butner Medium 2: Who Usually Pays and What to Know About Monitoring

At FCI Butner Medium 2, the inmate typically pays for phone calls - this is standard across BOP facilities. In some cases, the person receiving the call may pay instead. Plan on calls coming out of your loved one's funds unless you've been told otherwise.

Third-party or "alternative" call arrangements aren't allowed at FCI Butner Medium 2. Don't try to route calls through another person or set up workarounds that disguise who's actually on the line. The BOP enforces this to prevent phone misuse, and violating the rule can cost your loved one their phone privileges.

Assume every call from FCI Butner Medium 2 is being listened to and recorded. The BOP posts a notice next to each telephone warning inmates about monitoring - this isn't informal or "just in case." Federal law specifically authorizes the BOP to monitor and record inmate calls under 18 U.S.C. 2510(5)(a)(ii) and 18 U.S.C. 2511(2)(c). Keep your conversations focused on family updates and everyday topics - nothing you wouldn't say in a public setting.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Budget with the assumption that your loved one will usually be the one paying for phone calls, since that’s the ordinary BOP practice.
• ✓ Talk as if the call is being monitored and recorded, because the BOP posts notices by the phones advising inmates that calls are monitored.
• ✓ Avoid third-party calling setups or other alternative arrangements; they’re not permitted and can put phone access at risk.
• ✓ If private legal communication is the issue, have your loved one ask about attorney-call options through the proper channels rather than discussing legal strategy on a monitored line.