How to Contact an Inmate at MCC Chicago, IL (IL)

Assume all phone calls from MCC Chicago are monitored. A notice is posted next to each inmate telephone making this clear, so don't treat anything said on the phone as private. The inmate usually covers the cost of calls, though in some cases the receiving party pays. One firm rule: third-party or alternative call arrangements are not permitted. Stick to the approved calling options only. Routing calls through another number or service will get them blocked.

Attorney-client calls are a different situation. Unmonitored telephone calls to attorneys are permitted under certain circumstances, but the specifics depend on the facility's process and what qualifies. If you need an unmonitored legal call, confirm the exact steps with MCC Chicago beforehand. Don't assume it will automatically be treated differently than a standard call.

For electronic messaging, MCC Chicago uses TRULINCS. It doesn't work automatically the moment someone arrives at the facility. The inmate has to be approved to use the system first. On your end, you also need to give permission to communicate and consent to monitoring before you can exchange messages.

Steps to Follow

• ✓ Assume phone calls are monitored.
• ✓ Plan for call costs, ordinarily the inmate pays, but in some cases the receiving party pays.
• ✓ Do not use third-party or alternative call arrangements (these are not permitted).

• ✓ If you’re an attorney (or calling on a legal matter), ask MCC Chicago how to request an unmonitored attorney call and what circumstances qualify.

• ✓ Confirm the inmate is approved for TRULINCS before expecting messages to go through.
• ✓ Be ready to grant permission to communicate and consent to monitoring.
• ✓ Keep messages text-only (no attachments).
• ✓ Keep each message under 13,000 characters (about two pages of text).

1. Confirm the monitoring rules. Ask MCC Chicago how phone calls are monitored and how attorney calls are handled when unmonitored calls are permitted.
2. Ask how call costs are handled. Confirm whether the inmate pays, when the receiving party can pay, and which payment options are allowed.
3. Double-check prohibited call setups. Verify that third-party or alternative call arrangements are not allowed and ask whether any exceptions exist (if that is relevant to your situation).

1. Verify TRULINCS approval status. Ask whether the inmate is approved to use TRULINCS yet.
2. Confirm how you give permission. Ask the facility how correspondents grant permission and consent to monitoring before using the system.
3. Reconfirm message limits. Make sure you understand the current format restrictions (text only, no attachments) and the character limit of 13,000 characters.
4. Ask about any local restrictions. Confirm whether MCC Chicago has any additional sign-up steps or messaging restrictions beyond the standard TRULINCS rules.