Phone calls, messaging, and attorney call exceptions
Phone and messaging options depend on the facility and its contracted system. Converse County Detention Center uses NCIC Inmate Communications for prepaid calling. No incoming calls are allowed except voicemail messages to approved inmates. Calls are billed at a per-minute rate with no connection fees, and three-way calls are prohibited. For messaging, some detention centers offer secure e-mail and SMS through kiosks and tablets. Families can start by creating an account on JailATM.com. Attorney calls work differently: one detention center publishes an Attorney Enrollment Form that lets licensed attorneys register phone numbers so inmate calls to those numbers cannot be recorded or monitored. The Sheriff's Office may verify the attorney's licensing status.
Tip: For urgent mental health or safety concerns about someone in a WDOC prison, call the Inmate Crisis Line at 855-602-0772. This line is not for people housed in county jails. Provide the on-call staff with the inmate's location, name, number, and your observations. For the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline, call or text 988.
Common Questions
Q
Are inmate phone calls billed, and can inmates receive incoming calls?
At Converse County Detention Center, the published rules state calls are billed at a per-minute rate with no connection fees. That facility also states inmates cannot receive incoming calls, except voicemail messages to approved inmates.
Q
How can a licensed attorney make sure inmate calls to them are not recorded?
One detention center publishes an Attorney Enrollment Form that allows a licensed attorney to register phone numbers so inmate calls to that number cannot be recorded or monitored. The same form states the Sheriff’s Office can verify the information submitted, including confirming the person is an actively licensed attorney.
Q
Who do I call if I am worried about an inmate's immediate safety or mental health?
For someone in a WDOC prison, WDOC lists an Inmate Crisis Line at 855-602-0772 and says to provide the inmate’s location, name, number, and observations. WDOC also states the crisis line is not intended for inmates housed in county jails, and concerns about county jail inmates should be referred directly to the jail. For immediate crisis support, WDOC lists the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline as 988 (call or text 988).
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