How to Contact an Inmate at USP POLLOCK (LA)

If you want to visit, approval comes first. You can only visit an inmate at USP Pollock if they've placed you on their approved visiting list and the BOP has cleared you. Not on the list yet? The inmate has to start that process from inside.

For phone contact, assume the call is not private. All telephone calls are monitored, and a notice is posted next to each phone letting inmates know. The inmate typically pays for calls, so call time depends on their available funds.

Mail falls into clear categories. Written correspondence is classified as either general or special mail. General correspondence gets opened and inspected by staff. If you're sending something that needs special handling, confirm it qualifies as special mail under BOP rules before mailing it.

Electronic messages go through the BOP's TRULINCS system. The inmate has to be approved to use TRULINCS, and each person they want to message must give permission. That means you may need to be added and approved before any messaging can happen.

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• ✓ Confirm the inmate has placed you on their approved visiting list, and you have been cleared by the BOP before you try to visit.
• ✓ Plan for search procedures. Entering or attempting to enter USP Pollock grounds is treated as consent to be searched, and refusing a search can result in being denied entry.

• ✓ If you are expecting phone calls, assume monitoring. Calls are monitored and notices are posted by each phone. Ordinarily the inmate pays for calls.
• ✓ If you want to use TRULINCS (BOP e-messaging), make sure the inmate is approved to use it and that you have given permission to communicate.

• ✓ Decide whether what you are sending is general mail or special mail. General correspondence is opened and inspected by staff.

• ✓ If you are sending money, MoneyGram’s bill-pay service lists the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a supported corrections biller. Before you send funds, confirm the currently approved payment options and any required details for the inmate’s account.

Before you make the trip or start planning around a visit, verify your approval status. You need to be on the inmate's approved visiting list and cleared by the BOP. For messaging, confirm the inmate is approved for TRULINCS and that you've given permission to communicate through the system.

For calls, give family members who might answer the phone a heads-up. Calls are monitored, and the monitoring notice is posted next to each phone. For mail, double-check whether your letter counts as general or special mail. General correspondence is opened and inspected by staff.

Payment vendors and procedures can change. Confirm the current, approved ways to send money before you submit anything, even though MoneyGram bill pay lists the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a supported corrections biller. If you have an issue that needs Bureau-level attention (not facility-specific), you can reach the BOP Central Office at Federal Bureau of Prisons, 320 First St., NW Washington, DC 20534, phone (202) 307-3198. The BOP processes emails like written correspondence, and a response may take about 20 to 30 working days.