Inmates can send messages to their friends and family members and receive messages from them as well by using CorrLinks in their facilities. So, they can keep in touch with their family members or friends even though they are incarcerated. When a message is sent through CorrLinks, the message may be monitored. Before inmates and their family members or friends can send and receive messages to each other, the family or friends need to approve the request from the inmate first. So, how is the process of message approval in CorrLinks?
Before inmates can send a message to their family members or friends, first they have to enter the information of the friend or the family member such as name, mailing address, and email address so that they can be one of the inmate’s contacts. And then, the system will notify them through email that a message from an inmate is waiting at CorrLinks. They are also asked to be an approved messaging contact and there is a code to activate an account. If the code has been activated, then the inmate and the friend or family member can send and receive electronic messages.
If friends or family members who have been in the inmate’s contact have created an account on CorrLinks, they need to log in every time they want to send messages to the inmate and receive messages from the inmates. It is important for you to note that CorrLinks electronic message is not like traditional email such as Gmail or Yahoo, but it is a personal message board. So, when you send email to an inmate, it is not sent to their personal email inbox, but to their CorrLinks.
For a more detailed explanation, here is the process of message approval before an inmate and their friends or family can send or receive messages in CorrLinks each other.
- First, an inmate needs to enter the email address of a friend or family member to the CorrLinks system.
- And then, the person will receive a request in their email from CorrLinks.
- In the email, there are two important pieces of information namely the link to the CorrLinks website and the Inmate Identification Code. The thing that they have to do here is to click on the link to the CorrLinks website for creating an account.
- They will be taken to the Login/Registration page and there they have to click on the Register button.
- And then, enter the required information such as their first name, last name, password and identification code. The identification code can be copied from the email and paste it in the field. Click in the box saying that they are over 18 years old and then hit the Next button.
- When they are prompted, they have to click the Enable Email Alert check box and then click Accept. So, they will be notified through their inbox when there is a message from an inmate in CorrLinks. If they do not click on it, they will not know when they receive a message so that they have to check CorrLinks often.
- And then, they will get a verification email from CorrLinks and they have to click on the link in the email.
- Then, they will be taken to the Sign Up/ Account Details page of CorrLinks. They have to enter all of the required fields and then click on the Next button.
- And now, they will be taken to their CorrLinks account page.
- Now, their account is set up and if they want to send an email to the inmate, they can click on the Mailbox icon and then click on the New Message.
Every message which is sent and received through CorrLinks may be monitored. Since there may be monitoring, the delivery message may be a little bit slow. Inmates may need to wait around an hour to be able to receive messages. If inmates send messages, it may take around 20 minutes for the message to be received by the contact.
If in the email there is something which threatens the security, good order or discipline of the institution, or threatens the public and staff, then the email will be hindered. The system of Trulincs will deny anything that will be denied by the prison mailroom staff. If the email is not denied when it contains prohibited things, the inmate may get an incident report because they are involved in a prohibited discussion. As a result, the inmate may be punished such as being prohibited from using the service.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
