How to Email an Inmate — JPay, CorrLinks & ViaPath (2026)

How Inmate “Email” Actually Works

Correctional messaging is a closed loop. The person inside composes or reads messages on a kiosk or tablet that has no open internet. You compose on a website or app. Facility staff (or automated review plus staff) screen content before either side sees it.

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• You cannot CC a personal Gmail address into a cell
• Delivery follows the facility’s review schedule — often same day to 48 hours
• Rejected messages may consume stamps/credits with no refund (common on Securus and similar stamp systems)
• Each facility locks you into one contracted platform — content does not transfer if the inmate moves to a different provider

Which Provider Do You Need?

You cannot shop for a cheaper email vendor. Use whichever company holds the facility contract — or CorrLinks for BOP-operated federal institutions.

JPay Email — Step by Step

According to JPay’s official help pages, friends and family need a JPay.com account, the incarcerated individual’s ID, internet access, and virtual stamps. Emails are subject to the same screening and delivery rules as traditional mail. JPay states most emails arrive within 24 to 48 hours and are delivered in one or two business days — not on weekends or holidays.

1. Create a free JPay account at jpay.com or in the JPay mobile app (iOS/Android). Use accurate profile and payment details.
2. Add the incarcerated person by selecting their state and entering their inmate ID. Confirm you selected the correct person from the list — wrong selection is a common reason messages never arrive.
3. Purchase virtual stamps. Like postage, longer emails and attachments (photos, VideoGrams) cost additional stamps. Check Availability and Pricing for that facility.
4. Open the Email tab → Compose. Write your message. Optionally attach an image, video, or record a VideoGram. You can include a pre-paid reply stamp so they can answer without buying their own.
5. Preview stamp count and send. If the Send button is missing, you do not have enough stamps. After sending, check Sent mail in your account; replies appear as notifications in JPay.

CorrLinks / TRULINCS (Federal)

All BOP-operated federal facilities run TRULINCS (Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System). Contract/private facilities do not. Outside contacts use CorrLinks. Per the official BOP TRULINCS Topics page, correspondence always starts on the inmate’s side.

Official setup flow

1. Inmate adds you on their TRULINCS contact list (name, address, email). Staff must approve the contact.
2. CorrLinks emails you an automated invitation asking you to accept or block messaging. Check spam/junk folders — misspelled emails are the top failure point.
3. Create a CorrLinks account with the same email address that received the invite. Enter the identification code from the message.
4. Act within 10 days. BOP notes the invitation code expires after 10 days; after that the inmate must re-add you to generate a new invite.
5. Log in to CorrLinks to read and reply. Your personal inbox only gets notifications — the message body lives inside CorrLinks. Messages are plain text; no photos or file attachments.

ViaPath GettingOut Messaging

ViaPath’s GettingOut app is built for text-style messages, photos, videos, and eCards with incarcerated contacts at participating facilities. Official GettingOut guidance:

1. Download GettingOut from the App Store or Google Play, or use gettingout.com.
2. Create an account (or log in if you already have one).
3. Add / connect the inmate as a contact for their facility.
4. Deposit funds to your friends-and-family account so messages can send.
5. Open Message → Send new message, compose, confirm the cost, and send. Not every facility enables messaging; the inmate must already be a contact, and you need a sufficient balance.

ViaPath also overlaps with ConnectNetwork phone accounts — if you already fund calls there, check whether the same facility’s messaging lives in GettingOut, JPay, or another ViaPath product before opening duplicate accounts. For phone setup, see how to call an inmate in prison.

Securus eMessaging (When It Applies)

Many county jails and some state systems use Securus eMessaging instead of (or after migrating from) ViaPath/JPay. Per Securus’s consumer materials:

• Create a Securus Online account and add the incarcerated contact
• Buy a book of digital stamps (price varies by facility)
• Send/receive messages; attach photos or eCards where allowed; VideoGram and Snap n’ Send on the app where offered
• You typically must message first before the incarcerated person can message you
• Rejected messages/photos usually do not refund stamps

Costs, Photos, and Delivery Times

Always verify live pricing on the provider’s Availability/Pricing or checkout screen for that facility — rates change and are contract-specific.

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Electronic messages are usually faster than USPS inmate mail, but paper letters remain useful when tablets are down, stamps run out, or you want something physical the person can keep. Pair messaging with visitation and phone contact for a full communication plan.

Screening Rules and Privacy

• Assume every message is read by staff and may be retained
• Do not discuss illegal activity, escape, threats, or coded plans
• Do not use messaging for confidential legal strategy — use properly marked legal mail with counsel
• Keep photos appropriate: no nudity, gang signs, or other prohibited content
• If the inmate is transferred, update or re-link the contact; old routes often fail silently

Frequently Asked Questions About Inmate Email