How to send messages, photos, and packages
Rivers CI uses the TRULINCS electronic messaging system. Messages are text-only—no attachments—and capped at 13,000 characters each. Every message gets screened. Both the inmate and anyone they communicate with must consent to monitoring before the system can be used. The inmate needs approval to access TRULINCS, and each outside contact must grant permission before messaging begins. To get started, create an account with the facility's approved communications vendor, then use their portal or app to complete setup and handle scheduling or payments.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
**Stop:** Do **NOT** send money to an inmate using Rivers CI’s street address. Any funds you send through the mail must be addressed to a processing center in **Des Moines, Iowa**.
Sending mail to someone at Rivers CI is straightforward once you know the right address format—and avoid the biggest mistake: mailing money directly to the facility.
The inmate must be approved to use TRULINCS, and you must give permission to communicate with them. Then create an account with the facility’s approved communications vendor and use the vendor’s portal or app to add the inmate as a contact.
No. TRULINCS at Rivers CI is text-only and doesn’t allow attachments, and messages are limited to 13,000 characters.
Yes. All TRULINCS messages are screened, and both inmates and their contacts must consent to monitoring before using the system.
Rivers CI classifies written correspondence as general or special. General mail is opened and inspected, and special incoming mail marked as special may only be opened in the inmate’s presence. For non-legal letters, follow any facility or offsite mail-scan vendor addressing requirements that apply.
No—packages from home aren’t allowed without prior written approval. Exceptions are typically limited to release clothing and authorized medical devices; otherwise, follow the facility’s approved vendor or package rules.
Don’t send money to an inmate using the facility’s street address—some systems require mailed funds to go to a centralized processing center. If electronic messaging is available (for example, TRULINCS), it’s text-only, messages are screened, and both the inmate and the correspondent must consent to communicate.
A posted visiting schedule is a starting point — not a guarantee. Before you drive to Rivers CI, take a few minutes to confirm visits are running and that your loved one can actually receive visitors that day.
Getting approved to visit at Rivers CI starts with the inmate. But you can save yourself a lot of frustration by checking the rules and confirming the schedule before making the trip.
Getting approved to visit at Rivers CI means going through the Bureau of Prisons' formal visitor approval process. Here's how the paperwork and screening work—and what to do if you hit a snag.
