How to send messages, photos, and packages
FCI Hazelton offers several communication options, though most are monitored. Approved inmates and contacts can use TRULINCS electronic messaging—text-only, capped at 13,000 characters, and screened. These services are funded through the Inmate Trust Fund, not taxpayer dollars. Phone calls go through the TRUFONE system, which collects telephone list numbers, uses biometric voice verification, and records conversations. Recordings are deleted after 180 days unless kept for legal or administrative reasons. A monitoring notice is posted by each inmate phone; unmonitored attorney calls are permitted in certain circumstances. For electronic messaging or vendor-run video visits, you'll need to create an account with the approved vendor, get approved as a contact, accept the online terms, and keep a payment method on file if required.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Mail rules can feel unforgiving—one wrong item or the wrong sender, and your package gets rejected. This guide breaks down what FCI Hazelton allows for books and magazines under BOP policy, when the Warden can return material, and why packages from home are almost always a no-go.
Approved inmates and approved contacts at FCI Hazelton can exchange TRULINCS messages. Messages are text-only, capped at 13,000 characters, and screened and monitored. You’ll need to be approved as a contact through the vendor platform before you can message.
Yes—FCI Hazelton uses the TRUFONE system, which records calls and uses telephone list numbers and biometric voice verification. Recordings are deleted after 180 days unless kept for legal or administrative purposes. A monitoring notice is posted by each inmate phone, and unmonitored attorney calls are permitted in certain circumstances.
TRULINCS and related inmate communication services at FCI Hazelton are funded by the Inmate Trust Fund. No taxpayer dollars are used.
No. Don’t send money to an inmate using the FCI Hazelton facility address. Any funds sent through the mail must be addressed to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.
Yes. Inmates may receive commercially published materials without prior approval as long as the content isn’t detrimental to security or discipline, or used to facilitate criminal activity. Send books and magazines directly from the publisher or an approved vendor, and statutorily non-distributable material will be returned.
Not without prior written approval. Packages from home are not permitted unless approved in advance, and only release clothing and authorized medical devices may be sent from home with approval.
A little prep saves you a wasted drive. Use this checklist to confirm the schedule, dress right, and know what to expect once you're inside.
Getting approved to visit at FCI Hazelton takes some setup, but it's manageable once you know the steps. Use the sections below to make sure you're on the list, your paperwork is complete, and you don't waste a trip.
Trying to put money on someone's account at FCI Hazelton? The biggest mistake people make is sending it to the facility's address. Here's how to avoid delays and get funds posted quickly.
