How to send messages, photos, and packages
Inmates at FCI Cumberland can use telephone privileges, but the Bureau of Prisons doesn't allow third‑party or alternative call arrangements. Non‑attorney calls are monitored; attorney calls may be unmonitored in certain circumstances. Electronic messaging through TRULINCS is text‑only—messages are screened and monitored, attachments aren't permitted, and each message maxes out at 13,000 characters. TRULINCS is funded through the Inmate Trust Fund (not taxpayer dollars), and both inmates and contacts must consent to monitoring. It doesn't provide internet access. TRUFONE call recordings are stored temporarily and generally deleted after 180 days unless kept for legal or administrative reasons. For reliable communication, set up and fund an account with the authorized vendor, consent to monitoring, and follow the vendor's instructions.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Mail rules at FCI Cumberland can feel strict, but they're predictable once you understand the categories. Here's what you need to know about general vs. special mail, how books and subscriptions must be sent, and what happens if something gets rejected.
At FCI Cumberland, most everyday letters count as
No. FCI Cumberland does not permit third‑party or other alternative call arrangements, so calls must go through BOP‑authorized systems and procedures.
TRULINCS is text‑only and doesn’t allow attachments. Messages are screened and monitored and limited to 13,000 characters each, and you must consent to monitoring; it’s funded through the Inmate Trust Fund and does not provide internet access.
TRUFONE stores call recordings temporarily and generally deletes them after 180 days. A recording can be kept longer if it’s needed for legal or administrative purposes.
Special mail is opened only in the inmate’s presence and inspected for contraband or other concerns. Properly marked legal (or otherwise qualifying) special mail is handled differently than general correspondence.
In many cases, family can't mail books directly—hardcover books and many publications must come straight from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore. Personal packages from home aren't allowed without prior written approval. Only limited items like release clothing or authorized medical devices are permitted from home.
It won’t be delivered. Commercially published sexually explicit or nudity-featuring material must be returned to the publisher or sender under the Ensign Amendment.
Phone calls can be a lifeline — but they're tightly controlled at FCI Cumberland. Here's how the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) handles monitoring and recordings, why three-way calls and other workarounds are off-limits, and what that means for you on the outside.
Getting approved to visit at FCI Cumberland starts with one non-negotiable rule: you must be on the inmate's approved visiting list and cleared by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Here's how the list works, how to complete the BP‑A0629 form, and what happens during screening.
Getting approved to visit someone at FCI Cumberland starts with one thing: they have to put you on their visiting list. Then the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) runs a background check. Here's how the process works, what the BP‑A0629 form asks for, and who qualifies.
