How IDOC’s Mail Scanning Works and How to Stop Unwanted Contact
If you're sending mail to someone in IDOC custody, it helps to know what they'll actually receive. And if you need contact to stop, IDOC has a specific form for that.
Send Photos & Mail at Southwestern Corrections Center, IL
How to send messages, photos, and packages
Overview
Southwestern Corrections Center runs both video visitation and phone service through ICSolutions. To get started with video visits, create an ICSolutions account. If you have a GTL Visitor ID, enter it during registration to speed up approval. Video visits are limited to one per incarcerated person per day and can include up to three approved visitors for general population or protective custody. All visits are monitored live and recorded. Rule violations can end the visit immediately and lead to suspended visitation privileges. No video visits are scheduled between 2:30pm and 4:30pm due to institutional count procedures. Phone calls also run through ICSolutions, with IDOC listing a domestic rate of $0.008 per minute. People in custody can only make outgoing calls to numbers on their approved calling list.
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Quick Facts
- Southwestern Corrections Center has transitioned video visitation from GTL to ICSolutions.
- When registering for an ICSolutions account, visitors are recommended to enter their GTL Visitor ID to expedite approval.
- An individual in custody may have one video visit per day and no more than three approved visitors per video visit.
- Video visits are monitored live and recorded; violations may result in termination of the visit and suspension of visitation privileges.
- IDOC lists the ICSolutions domestic call rate as $0.008 per minute, and individuals in custody cannot receive incoming telephone calls.
Send Photos & Mail Guides
How IDOC’s Mail Scanning Works and When Mail Gets Rejected (what Southwestern families should know)
If your loved one is at Southwestern or another IDOC facility, their incoming mail won't arrive as paper. It gets scanned and delivered electronically to their tablet — and some mail gets rejected before it ever reaches them.
How to Send Books, Publications, and Photos to Someone at SWICC (and When You Can't Drop Them Off)
Sending books, magazines, newspapers, or photos to someone at SWICC? The rules boil down to who ships the item and how it gets there.
Mailing Letters and Photos to Someone at Southwestern Illinois: How IDOC Scans and Delivers Mail
Sending letters or photos to someone at Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center? Here's the key thing to know: IDOC now digitizes most incoming mail. This changes what you should send, how your loved one receives it, and what happens to the originals.
What Happens to Your Mail Now: IDOC's New Scanning Process (and Publication Rules)
Here's the big change: incoming non-privileged mail is now being digitized. Mailroom staff scan the front and back of the envelope plus every item inside—all in color—then upload those scans as PDFs. The person you're writing to reads them on their tablet through their Bulletin Board.
Common Questions
How do I register for video visits at Southwestern Corrections Center?
Start by creating an ICSolutions account, since Southwestern has moved video services to ICSolutions. If you have a GTL Visitor ID, enter it during registration to speed up approval. Complete the vendor verification steps and test the app before your scheduled visit.
What are the limits and monitoring rules for video visits at Southwestern?
Each person in custody may have one video visit per day, and each visit may include up to three approved visitors for general population or protective custody. Video visits are monitored live and recorded, and rule violations can end the visit and lead to suspended visitation privileges. No video visits are scheduled between 2:30pm and 4:30pm due to institutional count procedures.
Who provides phone service at Southwestern and how much do calls cost?
Phone service at Southwestern runs through ICSolutions, and IDOC lists the domestic call rate at $0.008 per minute. For help, contact ICSolutions at 888.506.8407 or Customer@icsolutions.com (Southwestern ICS caller ID: (618) 323-5453). People in custody cannot receive incoming calls. They can only place outgoing calls to numbers on their approved calling list.
Other Guides for Southwestern Corrections Center, IL
Phone & Messaging
How to Contact an Inmate at Southwestern Corrections Center, IL (IL)
Staying in touch by phone with someone at Southwestern Corrections Center (IDOC) starts with figuring out how calls get paid for. There are two funding options through ICSolutions.
How to Schedule Your First In-Person Visit at Southwestern Corrections Center (IL)
Your first in-person visit at Southwestern Corrections Center goes a lot smoother when you handle the approval and paperwork upfront, reserve a time online, and know what to expect when you arrive.
How to Schedule Your First Visit at Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center
Handle the online scheduling and first-visit paperwork ahead of time, and your first visit will go smoothly. Here's what Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center expects, step by step.
