What You Can't Do on Inmate Phone Calls: Toll-Free Numbers, Call Forwarding, and Other Restrictions

Personal phone calls from inmates must go through the Bureau's Inmate Telephone System (ITS). No shortcuts, no alternate methods. If you're helping someone stay in touch, start here: if it's not an ITS call, it's not an authorized personal call.

Call forwarding is one of the most common accidental violations. Inmates can't use call forwarding - automatic, electronic, or otherwise - to bypass ITS. Numbers that route calls elsewhere or services that "pass through" to another line can cause problems. The facility may treat this as an attempt to circumvent the system.

Certain number types are off-limits entirely. Toll-free numbers and credit-card access numbers aren't authorized - that includes 1-800, 1-888, 1-877, 1-866, 1-900, and 1-976 prefixes. If the number requires a credit-card "access" step or starts with one of these prefixes, the call won't go through.

All calls through ITS are monitored. A notice is posted next to each inmate telephone making this clear. This monitoring is one reason the system is strict - anything that reroutes or disguises a call undermines it.

Blocked Calls and Issues

• ✓ Make sure the number you’re giving the inmate is a regular phone number (not a toll-free prefix like 1-800/1-888/1-877/1-866/1-900/1-976, and not a credit-card access number).
• ✓ Turn off call forwarding and any automatic electronic forwarding features on the line that will receive the call.
• ✓ Avoid phone setups that “route” calls to a different number using a similar forwarding function, since bypassing ITS through forwarding is prohibited.

Still getting blocked after ruling out toll-free numbers, credit-card access numbers, and forwarding? Remember the basics: calls must go through ITS, and forwarding functions aren't allowed. Your best next step is contacting the facility directly - ask them to help identify what's preventing the ITS call from connecting.