What Happens to Your Phone Calls with an Inmate: Recording, Storage, and How the BOP Uses Call Data
If you're calling someone in federal prison, that call is being tracked in more ways than just a phone bill. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) uses the TRUFONE system to collect, store, and act on call information. Recordings are kept for a set period, and sometimes longer if there's a legal or administrative reason.
Every phone call with a federal inmate runs through the BOP's TRUFONE system. It collects and stores information about each call, including recordings and identifying details. The BOP uses this data to monitor communications with the public, gather law enforcement intelligence, and carry out its responsibilities for the safekeeping, care, and custody of incarcerated people.
TRUFONE does more than connect a call. It collects and stores inmate telephone call information: inmate demographic and contact details, call lists, voice biometric information, and the recordings themselves. In practical terms, the system retains both the "who/when" details and the actual contents of what was said.
Keep in mind: Because TRUFONE stores recordings and voice biometric data, calls can be linked to specific individuals and reviewed later as needed.
Call recordings in TRUFONE are stored temporarily, then deleted after 180 days. The exception: if a recording is still needed for legal or administrative purposes, it can be held beyond that 180-day window.
Keep in mind: If a recording is kept past 180 days, it's because it's still needed for legal or administrative reasons. This ties directly to how the BOP uses call data for custody responsibilities and law enforcement intelligence.
The BOP collects TRUFONE data to help meet its statutory responsibilities for the safekeeping, care, and custody of incarcerated people. More specifically, it uses the information to monitor and control communications between federal inmates and the public, and to gather law enforcement intelligence.
Here's the bottom line: these calls are not private conversations. The system supports oversight of inmate communications, and recorded call data can be used whenever the BOP needs to manage security, handle custody concerns, or develop law enforcement intelligence connected to outside contacts.
Privacy Families
- ✓ Assume your call is being recorded and could be reviewed later.
- ✓ Avoid sharing sensitive details you would not want repeated, including banking information, account logins, or passwords.
- ✓ Be careful with personal medical or mental health details unless you’re comfortable with them being on a recording.
- ✓ Don’t discuss ongoing legal strategy or facts you have not shared with an attorney.
- ✓ Watch what you say about other people, including names, addresses, workplaces, and schedules.
- ✓ If you’re asked to confirm personal details on a call, pause and think before you share. Only share what you truly need to share.
Reminder: This is general privacy guidance. For the most accurate rules for your situation, check the official BOP guidance and any instructions provided by the facility.
Find an Inmate at USP LEWISBURG
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
