Mail, photos, messaging, and phone/call options for staying in touch.
Communication at the James W. Allred Unit runs through TDCJ systems and approved vendor tools. Incoming mail goes through TDCJ's digital mail platform: it's sorted, scanned, and uploaded to inmate tablets (effective September 6, 2023), so most letters arrive electronically rather than as original paper. To be approved for deposits or commissary purchases, the inmate must add you to their Approved Visitation List, or you need to register your phone with Securus for the Approved Phone List. Victims and others who want offender notifications or victim services can enroll through the TDCJ IVSS portal at https://ivss.tdcj.texas.gov/. Phone calls, video visits, messaging, and tablet features vary by unit and eligibility, so follow the vendor registration steps and the unit's rules for scheduling and payments.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Reaching someone at the James W. Allred Unit goes smoother when you start with two basics: confirm which TDCJ communication options are available for that person, and have their TDCJ number ready.
Mailing someone at the James W. Allred Unit? Here's the key thing to know: most mail now goes through TDCJ's Digital Mail Processing Center first, where it's scanned and delivered digitally.
Since September 6, 2023, the James W. Allred Unit has been on TDCJ's digital mail platform. Most regular incoming mail no longer arrives at the unit as physical paper. Instead, it gets routed through the Digital Mail Processing Center, where staff sort it, scan it, and upload it to the inmate's secure tablet. For everyday correspondence (letters, cards, photos), this is the default path. The key thing to remember: you're usually mailing to Dallas, not directly to Iowa Park, unless what you're sending falls into one of the exceptions below.
The inmate must add you to their Approved Visitation List, or you need to register your phone with Securus for the Approved Phone List. Either route makes you an approved sender for deposits and purchases.
Sign up through the TDCJ IVSS portal at https://ivss.tdcj.texas.gov/ to enroll in victim services and manage offender notifications.
Allred processes incoming mail through TDCJ's digital mail platform. Letters are sorted, scanned, and uploaded to inmate tablets. This system has been in effect since September 6, 2023.
If your loved one is at the Allred Unit, eCommDirect is the program you need to know about. It's the official way approved friends and family can buy commissary items online for TDCJ inmates, and the rules are very specific.
Want to buy commissary-style items online for someone at the James W. Allred Unit? eCommDirect is the program you need. It's the only approved online package program for TDCJ inmates — no other services will work.
Before you can schedule an in-person visit at the James W. Allred Unit, you need to create your own TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler account. Here's how to get through the steps that trip people up most.
