Mail, photos, messaging, and phone/call options for staying in touch.
At USP Thomson, all personal phone calls go through the Bureau's Inmate Telephone System (ITS). Third-party or alternative calling arrangements aren't allowed. Calls are monitored and recorded under ordinary circumstances, though attorney calls may be unmonitored in certain situations under Bureau rules. Each call is typically capped at 15 minutes, so plan for shorter conversations and confirm any unit-specific limits before counting on a set schedule. The approved telephone list is usually created during admission and orientation and generally holds up to 30 numbers. Recipients are acknowledged as agreeing to receive calls. For video visits, electronic messaging, and prepaid account management, register through the approved communications vendor and follow their instructions.
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Federal prison phone calls come with rules that can catch families off guard. Here's what BOP policy says about monitoring, time limits, who pays, and which call types aren't allowed.
Staying in touch matters, and this facility does allow phone contact. A few rules around call routing, monitoring, and time limits will shape what you're able to do.
Phone calls don't "just work" once someone arrives at a federal facility. Every call is tied to an official telephone list, which holds up to 30 numbers in most cases. The system doesn't allow workarounds like call forwarding or toll-free numbers.
If someone in federal custody adds you as a contact in TRULINCS, agreeing to communicate is also a decision about privacy. Participation is voluntary, but it comes with clear consent to monitoring and recordkeeping.
Inmates place personal calls through the Bureauâs Inmate Telephone System (ITS). They can call only numbers on their approved telephone list, and toll-free and credit-card numbers are prohibited.
Calls are monitored and recorded in ordinary circumstances. Attorney calls may be unmonitored in certain circumstances as permitted by Bureau rules.
Telephone lists are typically created during admission and orientation and usually hold up to 30 numbers. The inmate adds contacts during that process, and recipients are acknowledged as agreeing to receive calls.
First Step Act Time Creditsâusually called FTCsâlet someone earn credits they can use to move into prerelease custody sooner (like home confinement) or, in some cases, shorten the supervised-release portion of their sentence. There's one important cap: even when someone qualifies to apply FTCs toward supervised release, the maximum is 365 days.
Sending money is usually straightforward once you get the timing right. The biggest thing to plan around is when deposits actually post to the inmate's account.
Opt-in status keeps First Step Act incentives moving forward â including the ability to earn FSA Time Credits. If your loved one at USP Thomson slips into opt-out, those credits stop accruing until they get back in.
