How to send messages, photos, and packages
If you're relying on phone contact with someone at USP Atwater, expect calls to be monitored. The facility's telephone notice states that inmate calls are monitored, though unmonitored calls to attorneys are allowed in certain circumstances. TRUFONE is the telephone vendor and is documented as collecting inmate telephone lists, contact numbers, voice verification biometric data, and call recordings. For visit-related questions, the facility recommends calling ahead to confirm the visiting schedule and provides a phone number for that purpose. If you can't reach the facility or your question isn't facility-specific, BOP Central Office contact options are available, including a phone number and estimated email response times. Other communication options may include email or messaging, tablet messaging, and remote video visits through third-party vendors, but rules and costs vary by site.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Mail to USP Atwater falls into two buckets, and the bucket determines how it's opened and checked. Once you understand the difference between general mail and special mail, you'll have a much better sense of what will make it through—and what might get delayed or rejected.
Yes. The facility’s telephone notice states that inmate calls are monitored. It also says unmonitored calls to attorneys are allowed in certain circumstances.
TRUFONE collects inmate telephone lists and phone numbers. It also gathers voice verification biometric data and records inmate calls.
Call ahead. The facility provides a phone number specifically for visitors to confirm visiting hours. If you can't get through, BOP Central Office contact options are also available, including a phone number and estimated email response times.
Before you put miles on your car, make one call. A quick check-in with USP Atwater can save you from arriving on the wrong day, showing up before you're approved, or discovering your loved one isn't available to visit.
Whether you're planning a visit or staying in touch by phone, confirm the latest rules directly with the facility first. Schedules and access can shift, and a quick call can save you a wasted trip.
Getting approved to visit at USP Atwater starts before you ever plan the trip. You need to be on the inmate's approved visiting list and cleared by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) before you can walk through the door.
