Phone calls and electronic messaging: what families should know
Phone and message rules in Ohio depend on whether your loved one is in a county jail, an ODRC prison, or a federal facility. Calls may be monitored, and facilities can restrict calling privileges for safety and security reasons. Assume calls are not private unless you're specifically told otherwise (unmonitored attorney calls may be allowed in certain circumstances). For federal facilities, electronic messages through TRULINCS are text-only, limited in size, and both the incarcerated person and their contacts must consent to monitoring. Before you open an account or add money, confirm the exact vendor and the facility's monitoring rules. Otherwise, you might pay into the wrong system or expect privacy that doesn't exist.
Tip: Some jails won't pass messages to incarcerated people. If you have a verifiable emergency, ask the facility what number to call and what they consider "verifiable."
Warning: Vendor accounts carry real privacy risk. ViaPath/ConnectNetwork warned that Telmate user information was exposed in a 2020 data breach. Treat any communications or payment account like a financial account: use a strong password and avoid reusing logins.
Common Questions
Q
Are there alternatives to in-person visits, and do they cost anything?
Yes, some Ohio facilities use vendor portals to schedule and manage visits, including video options. One county example (Miami County) states on-site video visitation is provided at no cost to the visitor or the inmate, and ODRC facilities may use portals like ViaPath to manage visits. Check the facility’s posted visiting/video hours and the portal’s terms for your specific location.
Q
Are messages and mail screened or monitored?
Often, yes. The federal system publishes that phone calls are monitored and that electronic messages require consent to monitoring and are screened for content that could affect safety or security. For written mail in the federal system, general correspondence is opened and inspected by staff, while specially marked special mail is opened only in the inmate’s presence and still inspected for physical contraband.
Q
Should I worry about vendor account security or data breaches?
It is worth taking seriously. ViaPath/ConnectNetwork has warned that in August 2020, personal information of Telmate users was exposed in a data breach. Use a strong password, avoid reusing passwords, and pay attention to what personal information you share when creating vendor accounts.
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