Herlong FCI

Visiting FCI Herlong takes some planning, especially your first time. The Warden can restrict or cancel visits, and inmates in special housing may have modified schedules—call ahead before making the trip. To get on the approved visitor list, complete and return the visitor questionnaire and release form to the institution. Missing or incomplete information can delay processing. When you enter Bureau grounds, you consent to being searched. The Notification to Visitor form lists prohibited items: weapons, explosives, drugs, cameras, recording equipment, telephones, radios, pagers, and other electronic devices. Dress code matters too—inappropriate or provocative clothing can get your visit denied. Brief greetings like handshakes, hugs, and kisses in good taste are generally allowed. Attorney and attorney-representative visits have specific application requirements, and false statements carry federal penalties.

FCI Herlong uses TRULINCS for electronic messaging. Messages are paid through the Inmate Trust Fund, text-only, screened, and limited to 13,000 characters. No attachments allowed. Phone calls are typically paid by the inmate and monitored. Third-party or alternative billing arrangements aren't permitted. Attorney calls may be unmonitored in certain circumstances. To use electronic messaging or prepaid video services, create an account on the department's communications platform (web or mobile) and add funds through the app's prepaid feature when required. During statewide provider transitions, keep using whichever platform the institution currently supports. Regular contact with family and friends is linked to lower recidivism.

Sending mail to someone at FCI Herlong is straightforward once you know the screening rules. Letters fall into two categories: general mail and special (privileged) mail. Staff can open and inspect general mail. Special mail gets opened only in the inmate's presence and checked for contraband. Packages from home aren't allowed unless you have prior written approval. The only household items typically permitted are release clothing and authorized medical devices. Books and magazines must ship directly from publishers or approved vendors—not from your home address. Use the inmate's full booked name and required identifier, and include your printed return address. Before sending money or nonstandard items, check FCI Herlong's official mailing instructions.

Don't mail money to FCI Herlong's facility address. Mailed deposits must go to the Bureau of Prisons processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. For MoneyGram ExpressPayment, enter the inmate's eight-digit register number immediately followed by their last name, and use Receive Code 7932. The money goes into the inmate's commissary/trust account for purchases. Authorized deductions like restitution can reduce the balance. Commissary offerings follow updated trust fund policies, including added healthy food options and standardized items for female and transgender people (through commissary or special purpose order). Double-check the register number before sending, and review vendor posting times so you know when funds should be available.