Other ways to keep in touch

Keeping in touch with a family member or friend in prison is very important. Aside from visiting, there are a number of other ways of keeping in touch:

Letters

If a prisoner is unconvicted, they are allowed to send out two free letters every week. If a prisoner is convicted, they can send out one free letter every week, the stamps paid for by the prison. Prisoners can send out as many letters as they like at their own expense. Normally, there is no limit to how many letters someone in prison can receive.

Telephone calls

Pinphones are now used in all prisons instead of phonecards. Prisoners are asked to complete a form to select telephone numbers for family, friends and legal contacts, and the list has to be approved. Outside the high security prisons and depending upon the category of a prisoner, it may be possible to make telephone calls to family, friends and legal contacts without having the number approved. The system works on a credit basis. Prisoners can purchase credit and the cost of phone calls made is deducted automatically from their PIN account.

Letters by email

As an alternative to postal mail, the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) are currently testing a new system in three prisons; HMYOI Aylesbury, HMP Downview and HMP Highdown, which will enable prisoners' families to write to prisoners using email. This new system is called PRIS-M.

Prisoners are not allowed to use the internet for personal mail and will not be able to receive the emails via a computer. The emails will be downloaded by mail room staff in each prison from a secure website and then sent directly to a printer which automatically prints and seals each letter for privacy. Each email will cost 20 pence. For further information please click here.