Pros
- Official, direct BOP / TRULINCS channel — the system of record
- Free for families to register and hold an account
- Works at essentially all federal facilities
- Cheapest electronic way to correspond with a federal inmate
Reviews · CorrLinks · Our rating 7.6/10
CorrLinks review: the official federal inmate email system
CorrLinks is the public face of TRULINCS, the Bureau of Prisons' own electronic messaging system. It's free for families and it's the real, direct channel to a federal inmate — but it's built for compliance, not comfort. Here's exactly how it works and where it falls short.
What CorrLinks is
CorrLinks is the public-facing website and app for TRULINCS (the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System), the Federal Bureau of Prisons' official electronic messaging system. When people talk about "emailing" someone in federal custody, this is almost always what they mean. It is not a third-party add-on — it is the BOP's own system of record for electronic correspondence between inmates and the outside world.
Because it is the official channel, a CorrLinks relationship is something nearly every federal family ends up needing, whether or not they ever open the app themselves.
How it works
The process is driven by the inmate, not by you:
- The inmate adds you as an approved contact inside TRULINCS at a facility terminal.
- You receive an invitation with a code, create a free CorrLinks account, and accept the request.
- You compose a message in CorrLinks. It is held in the system until the inmate next logs in at a shared facility computer to read and reply.
There is no real-time delivery. Messages are reviewed and monitored under BOP rules, and the inmate only sees yours — and you only see theirs — on their next log-in, which can be hours or a full day later depending on terminal access at the facility.
Cost
Holding a CorrLinks account is free for families — there's no subscription and no per-message fee on your side. The cost sits with the inmate: TRULINCS charges them for computer time, roughly $0.05 per minute, for the minutes they spend reading your messages and composing replies. For most families this is the cheapest electronic option available, which is a genuine strength.
Federal availability
Yes — it is the federal system. Unlike state- and county-oriented apps such as GettingOut or Securus, CorrLinks works at effectively every federal facility that runs TRULINCS, which is to say nearly all of them. If your person is in BOP custody, CorrLinks is the channel that reaches them. The question is never "does it work for federal" but "is it enough on its own."
Pros and cons
Cons
- Dated, utilitarian interface that feels a decade behind
- No real-time delivery — the inmate only sees messages at a shared terminal
- Limited to no photo support; it is built around plain text
- Setup depends entirely on the inmate adding you first
Who it's for
Everyone with a loved one in federal custody needs a CorrLinks relationship — there's no way around the official system. It's best suited to people who are comfortable with a plain, text-only experience, don't mind waiting for the inmate's next log-in, and want the lowest-cost option. If you want photos, faster back-and-forth, or the convenience of texting from your phone, you'll likely want something layered on top of it.
The easiest path for most federal families
CorrLinks is required and worth setting up — but because it's slow and text-only, many families pair it with a relay service that rides on the same CorrLinks/TRULINCS system. Our top-rated pick, ContactMeAsap, lets you text and send photos from your phone and relays them through the official channel, with real support when a message won't go through. It doesn't replace CorrLinks; it makes using it bearable.
Text through the official system from your phoneOur verdict
Essential, but bare-bones
CorrLinks
CorrLinks earns its place as the official, free, direct line to a federal inmate — nothing else is the system of record. It loses points for a dated interface, no real-time delivery, and little room for photos. For most families it's a necessary foundation rather than a complete solution, which is why we pair it with a relay service for texting and photos.
Free for families · inmate pays TRULINCS time (about $0.05/min).
7.6/10
Our editorial assessment
Already on CorrLinks? Make it easier.
Keep the official account for the record, and add a relay service so you can text and send photos from your phone — delivered through the same CorrLinks/TRULINCS system, within BOP rules.
Start texting your inmate