Navigating ms.gov: A practical guide for families of people incarcerated at Winston Choctaw Facility
If you're looking up information about Winston Choctaw Facility, ms.gov is likely one of the first sites you'll find. It's a useful starting point, but it also routes you out to other websites for specific details. Knowing what ms.gov actually does (and doesn't do) will save you time and frustration.
Ms.gov exists to help citizens and businesses access state government services, information, and online transactions. That's why pages connected to Winston Choctaw Facility on ms.gov often include links that send you to other sites for details or next steps.
Those outbound links aren't random. Ms.gov decides, at its sole discretion, whether an external site fits the portal's purpose, then adds a link if it helps people get where they need to go. The practical takeaway for families: ms.gov is often the doorway, but the information you actually need may live on another organization's website.
When you click from a Winston Choctaw Facility page on ms.gov to an outside website, that link is not an endorsement. Ms.gov isn't vouching for the products, services, organizations, or viewpoints on the other site. It's also not responsible for external content, because those sites aren't controlled, maintained, or regulated by ms.gov or any affiliated organization.
Note: If a linked page looks outdated, confusing, or contradicts what you expected, remember that the external organization maintains that content, not ms.gov. A link on ms.gov helps you find it. It doesn't vouch for it.
Ms.gov's own guidance says that using information from linked external websites is voluntary, and you should independently verify its accuracy before relying on it. For families trying to plan visits, send money, or follow facility-related instructions, that extra verification step really matters. Acting on wrong or outdated information can cost you time, money, and a lot of stress.
- ✓ Treat anything you read on a linked external site as “to be confirmed” until you verify it independently.
- ✓ Check who is responsible for the linked website, because ms.gov is not responsible for content on external sites.
- ✓ Look for dates (last updated notices, posted policies, recent announcements) and be cautious with pages that do not show timeliness.
- ✓ Corroborate key details by checking them against other official sources before you act.
- ✓ If you see problems with an external site (accuracy, completeness, timeliness, formatting), contact the organization responsible for that website.
Spot an error or missing info on a linked website? Direct your question or correction request to the organization that runs that site. They're responsible for the format, accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of what you're seeing. Ms.gov doesn't control or take responsibility for external content.
One more thing that catches families off guard: links aren't permanent. Ms.gov may remove or replace hypertext links to external websites and pages at any time without notice. And while ms.gov adds links when it believes they fit the portal's purpose, it retains sole discretion over which links appear and when they change.
Note: If a page you used last month suddenly disappears or redirects somewhere new, the external link may have been removed or replaced. Save what you need while you have it.
Practical Checklist
- ✓ Save the page details you relied on (for example, a screenshot or a copy of the text) so you can reference it later if the link changes.
- ✓ Write down the date you accessed the information, then re-check before you act, since reliance should follow an independent review of accuracy.
- ✓ Keep a short log of what you tried (which pages you used and what they said) so you can explain the issue clearly if you need to follow up.
- ✓ Identify whether you are still on ms.gov or whether you have been routed to an external website.
- ✓ Look for the external site’s “About,” “Contact,” or footer information to see which organization is responsible for the content.
- ✓ Keep in mind that ms.gov is not responsible for the content of external websites it links to, so responsibility for errors or updates sits with the outside organization.
- Find the right contact point. Use the linked website’s contact page or the organization’s listed support channel.
- Document what you saw. Note the page name, what looks wrong (format, accuracy, timeliness, or completeness), and the date you accessed it.
- Send a clear message. Include your question or concern and paste the relevant text you are referencing so they can locate it quickly.
- Follow up with your notes. If you do not get a response, reach back out and include the same details so you do not have to start over.
- ✓ Use ms.gov as a starting point, especially when it is helping expand access to government services or pointing you toward an online transaction.
- ✓ Cross-check critical details using official state government sources whenever possible, instead of relying on a single linked page.
- ✓ If a linked site conflicts with what you are told elsewhere, pause and independently verify before you spend money, travel, or make plans.
Find an Inmate at Winston Choctaw Facility, MS
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
