Pros
- Widely deployed across state & county facilities
- Supports messaging, photo attachments and e-cards
- Integrates with other Securus services (phone, video)
Reviews · Securus eMessaging · Our rating 6.1/10 for federal use
Securus eMessaging review: does it work for federal inmates?
Securus eMessaging is one of the most widely deployed inmate-messaging products in the country — text, photo attachments and e-cards. But like GettingOut, it lives mostly in the state and county world, and it rarely reaches federal (BOP) inmates. For a federal loved one, this usually isn't the right channel.
What Securus eMessaging is
Securus eMessaging is the electronic-messaging product from Securus Technologies, one of the two giants of correctional communications. It handles text messages, photo attachments and e-cards, and it sits alongside the company's phone and video-visit services. Where it's available, it's a familiar, feature-rich way for families to stay in touch.
How it works
Securus eMessaging runs only at facilities contracted with Securus. At a participating facility, the flow is:
- You create a Securus account and connect to your person's facility.
- You buy message credits — often sold as "stamps."
- You compose messages and attach photos or e-cards, which are reviewed and delivered under that facility's rules.
As with other vendors, the exact features and prices are defined by each facility's contract, so experiences differ from place to place.
Cost
Securus eMessaging is credit-based, usually priced in "stamps." A plain message consumes a stamp or two; photo attachments and e-cards cost extra. Because every attachment draws down credits, the cost adds up quickly for families who message often or like to send pictures — and the per-facility pricing makes it hard to predict up front.
Federal availability
Rarely. This is the point that matters most here. Federal (BOP) inmates correspond through TRULINCS, which families access via CorrLinks — not Securus. Securus eMessaging's footprint is overwhelmingly state and county. So for a loved one in a federal facility, Securus usually isn't the right channel and often can't reach them at all. Confirm against your specific facility, but for federal the honest answer is typically no.
Pros and cons
Cons
- Rarely available for federal (BOP) inmates — usually the wrong channel
- Credit / "stamp" pricing adds up, especially with photos and e-cards
- Features and costs vary by facility contract
Who it's for
Securus eMessaging makes sense for families with a loved one at a state or county facility served by Securus — check that it's offered and watch the stamp math. For a federal inmate it's generally not the answer. You'll want CorrLinks for the official channel, and a relay service if you want the convenience of texting and sending photos from your phone.
Federal inmate? Use the channel that reaches them
For a BOP inmate, the easiest path is almost always a relay service on top of the official CorrLinks/TRULINCS system. Our top-rated pick, ContactMeAsap, lets you text and send photos from your phone and relays them through the federal channel that actually reaches your person — the one Securus generally can't.
Reach a federal inmate the right wayOur verdict
Capable, but not for federal
Securus eMessaging
Securus eMessaging is a mature, widely used product with real features — messaging, photos and e-cards. Our 6.1 rating is for federal use specifically, where it struggles because it rarely reaches BOP inmates and the credit pricing adds up. At a state or county facility that uses it, it deserves a higher mark; for a federal inmate, it's the wrong channel.
Credit / "stamp" pricing · varies by facility · state & county focused.
6.1/10
Our editorial assessment (federal use)
Is your person in a federal facility?
Then Securus eMessaging usually won't reach them. The reliable way to text and send photos to a federal inmate is a relay service on the official CorrLinks/TRULINCS system.
Start texting your inmate