How to send messages, photos, and packages
TDOC policy prohibits inbound telephone calls to inmates, so you can't call into Northwest Correctional Complex to reach someone directly. All calls are outbound. If there's a documented family emergency, contact the facility chaplain, who may be able to help arrange a one-time call. Inmates control their own approved call list and can include up to ten phone numbers. Any additions or changes have to be initiated by the inmate. If you want your number removed, submit a written request to the warden. Tennessee facilities typically use third-party vendors for phone, video, and tablet messaging. You'll set up and fund accounts through the vendor's portal, app, kiosk, retail locations, money order, or online card payments with a valid TDOC ID. All calls may be monitored and recorded.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Getting a letter accepted in Tennessee's prison system comes down to two things: using the inmate's committed name and writing the TDOC ID number clearly in the right format. Here's how to address your mail so it moves through scanning without delays.
When you send personal mail to someone at Northwest Correctional Complex, the letter they receive won't be the original paper you mailed. Tennessee Department of Correction scans all personal inmate mail and delivers it digitally to the inmate's tablet. Clear, accurate addressing helps mail room staff route your letter to the right person without delays—they need to confirm each piece goes only to the intended recipient.
Mailing a letter to someone at Northwest Correctional Complex? It probably won't arrive as paper. Personal mail gets scanned and delivered digitally to the recipient's tablet—which affects delivery time, how photos are handled, and what happens to the original.
No. TDOC policy doesn't allow inbound telephone calls to inmates at Northwest Correctional Complex. In an emergency, contact the facility chaplain, who may be able to facilitate a call.
Up to ten phone numbers. The inmate has to initiate any additions or changes. If you want your number removed, submit a written request to the warden.
Add funds through the facility's approved third-party vendor. Options typically include the vendor portal, mobile app, lobby kiosk, or approved retail locations. Many vendors also accept money orders or online credit/debit payments. You'll need to reference a valid TDOC ID.
Phone calls in Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) prisons work a bit differently than you might expect: you can't call in to reach an inmate, calls only go to approved numbers, and ConnectNetwork is the system families use to fund and manage everything.
The Tennessee Department of Correction uses the CR-2152 form to approve visitors. Fill it out carefully and follow the return instructions, and you can avoid the most common processing delays.
If your loved one is in a Tennessee Department of Correction facility, phone contact works differently than most people expect. Here's the quickest way to understand what you can and can't do.
