Address:
906 S.W. 3rd Street
Aledo, IL 61231
Phone:
309-582-5020
The Mercer County Jail provides a service which allows secure electronic messaging for their inmates.
The email service they use is called Securus.
Securus is not directly connected to the internet like normal email, but instead each correspondence is first intercepted by the jail's servers. This gives the staff an opportunity to review the messages before delivering them to both inmates and the people that the inmates are communicating with.
Electronic messages received by the inmates are read either on kiosks within the inmate's unit, or or on tablets provided by the third party service that oversees the program.
Allowing inmates access to email has many upsides:
For a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about Securus inmate emailing and texting, scroll down for more information about it or call the jail at 309-582-5020.
Register here. (You are already registered if you signed up with Securus for 'Phone' or 'Remote Visitation').
Steps:
1. Sign up for eMessaging
2. Find your inmate.
3. Purchase a book of Securus ‘stamps’.
4. Type & Send message.
Things you CAN do:
1. You CAN ONLY send messages from the Securus website, or with the Securus app. (links below).
2. You CAN transfer ‘stamps’ to your inmate.
3. You CAN deposit money to your inmate, and they can purchase ‘stamps’ on their end.
4. Each time you send a message, you CAN pay for them to reply.
5. You CAN send photos. (Jail staff will review for appropriateness)
Things you CANNOT do:
1. You CANNOT use your own personal email to send messages.
2. You CANNOT send any message or photo that would normally be rejected by regular mail.
Other Things:
1. Photos must be .jpg, .jpeg or .png.
2. eMessages and photos must meet the jail’s standards for regular mail.
3. If your eMessage or Photo is rejected you will be notified of the reason, but you will NOT get a refund.
What is the cost of sending inmate messages?
What can your inmate do with digital 'stamps'?
Contact Information and Help:
eMessaging FAQ
eMessaging Signup & Helpful Information
Online Customer Service Support
Phone Support: 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591
iphone app
Android app
Mailing Check payments
Securus Correctional Billing Services
PO Box 650757
Dallas, Texas 75265-075
Can inmates send and receive texts and emails?
How much does it cost for an inmate to use a text or email service?
Can inmates send and receive photos through their messaging system?
Can I send an inmate a link to a video to watch?
What device does an inmate use for texting and emailing?
What is the inmate text and email system used in the Mercer County Jail?
What are the companies that provide electronic messaging services to jails and prisons?
How do I fund the inmate’s messaging system?
How often can an inmate text and email?
Can inmates text or email any time of the day or night?
Can an inmate email or text inmates in other jails or prisons?
Almost all jails and prisons have adopted or are adopting a messaging system which allows inmates to communicate with their friends and family using an electronic messaging system. It’s neither email nor text, it’s something in between.
The inmate and their contacts do not use their regular email accounts or phone numbers, but account numbers that are set up with the company providing the service.
All communication goes through them. Think of them as a middleman.
Once a contact of the inmate is approved, like the approval process a visitor goes through, an account is set up, using a credit or debit card to fund the account.
To start, the inmate’s contact can send a message that has a limit of so many characters, usually about one page of text.
The message is then reviewed by a computer that scans the message for certain keywords or phrases that are not allowed, almost like a censoring service. If the machine scanner finds problems with the message it sends the message to the Mercer County Jail staff to review, and if they find no issues, will then forward it to the inmate’s account so that they can read it.
If there are problems with the message, it is possible the message will not be sent. The sender will be notified of the decision and will not get a refund.
Once the inmate receives the message, should the account holder have funded the account allowing replies, the inmate can respond with a similar length message.
The cost to use the electronic messaging service, which is like texting or emailing, costs between $0.50 and $1.00 per page; a page being about 500 characters.
Photos can be sent by the inmate’s outside contact, but not by the inmate due to security concerns. There is an extra cost, usually about $0.50 for each photo attached.
The photos must go through a security screening where nudity, violence and other things are checked before the photo can be delivered. If the photo is rejected, the sender will be notified, but no refund will be given.
The inmate does not have the ability to print out the photos that make it past the screening, but the photos will stay in their account so that they can view them at their leisure.
No. Because this is a closed system, the Mercer County Jail inmate has no access to the internet, thus the inmate will have no access to any links that you send them.
Yes, just as you can send text and photos, you can send a video message, or if not a message, then a video of your children or yourself. Every company has a limit on the length of the video, usually no more than one minute, and at a cost of approximately $2.00 to $3.00 per video.
The video will first be screened for any nudity, excessive vulgarity, violence, etc. If it is rejected on any of the grounds the sender will not be given a refund.
As with the policy of photos, the inmate cannot reciprocate. They cannot send videos of themselves or anything in jail.
The jails that contract with the electronic messaging service is given a certain number of kiosks within each unit for inmate use. Inmates can log on as they might with a public computer terminal.
In addition to the public terminal kiosks, inmates are given (or can rent) access to individual tablets like a bulky, almost indestructible ipad. These allow an inmate to use them to access your messages, photos and videos in a more private manner.
Should the inmate damage the tablet, they will be responsible for replacing it. The money will be deducted from their commissary account.
The electronic messaging system used by Mercer County Jail, if there is one, can be found at the top of this page. If there is no information about the ability to text or email with an inmate, it is possible that this facility has recently changed companies or does not have this service available. Call 309-582-5020 to confirm.
This is a list of all the companies in the United States that work with jails and prisons, providing text and email messaging between inmates and their friends and families:
Access Corrections
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Correct Pay
Corrlinks
Ctel
Edevo
Express Account
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
IC Solutions
Inmate Canteen
Inmate Sales
JailATM
J Pay
NCIC
Paytel
Pigeonly
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
TBE
Visitel
You fund the messaging service with credit and debit cards. All of them take Visa and MasterCard, most also take Discover, but only a few of them take America Express.
When available, there is no limit to the amount of texting and email that an inmate can have with their family and friends.
If an inmate has their own tablet, then they can text any time of the day or night. However if they are limited to the use of a wall mounted kiosk terminal in their unit, they can only use it during the hours they are allowed off their bunks or out of their cells; usually 7:00AM to 10:00PM, excluding meals, head counts and shift changes.
No, inmates in jail are not allowed to communicate with inmates in other institutions. There is always a way to get around it, for example if one of the inmates has access to a phone with an internet connection, but this would be the only way.
Can I send an inmate in the Mercer County Jail email?
Yes. Mercer County Jail uses the services of Securus eMessaging that facilitates sending email to your inmate, and from your inmate to you. You cannot use your personal account though. You have to first register with Securus eMessaging and send the email through their website. Learn more about how to text/email an inmate in the Mercer County Jail.
Are my email messages to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail private?
No. When you send an email to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail using a third-party service called Securus eMessaging, your message is first screened by their filters to make sure the message is appropriate and follows their rules and guidelines. It is then forwarded to the jail staff who also review the message, similar to how they review regular mail to an inmate. After that it is forwarded to your inmate. But be careful what you write, as all messages become permanent property of the jail and any indiscrete information can and will be used by the prosecutor trying your inmate's criminal case. Learn more about emailing an inmate in the Mercer County Jail.
How do I communicate with an inmate at the Mercer County Jail using email?
To communicate by email with an inmate in the Mercer County Jail, a free Securus online account is required. After registering, sign up for eMessaging, find your inmate, purchase a book of ‘stamps’ and then type your message. Securus 'stamps' are used to purchase messages and send photos, eCards and video greetings. Learn more about how to text/email an inmate in the Mercer County Jail.
Can I send an email or text to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail for free?
No. In order to send an email or text to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail, what they refer to as Securus eMessaging, you need to first purchase a book of digital 'stamps' from their website. The cost of each stamp is subject to change, but in general, they are $1.00 or less, and the cost to send a message, either from you to your inmate or from your inmate to you, is one 'stamp'. You can also use a 'stamp' to send photos. Video messages usually cost about three 'stamps'. Learn more about the cost to text/email an inmate in the Mercer County Jail.
How can my inmate in the Mercer County Jail reply to an email I send them?
After you send an email to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail using Securus eMessaging, you are given an option for your inmate to use one of the digital 'stamps' you purchased, for them to reply to your email. If you choose, you can transfer some of your 'stamps' to them so that they can send you and/or others emails as well. In addition, if you fund their account, they can purchase their own stamps. Learn more about how and inmate can email you and others in the Mercer County Jail.
If my email to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail is not approved, do I get a refund?
No, just like as if you send a regular letter to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail that is rejected, and the post office does not give you a refund, Securus eMessaging will not give refunds for rejected email messages, photos or videos. Learn more about what is acceptable when emailing an inmate in the Mercer County Jail.
What type of attachments can I email an inmate in the Mercer County Jail?
When emailing an inmate an inmate in the Mercer County Jail using Securus eMessaging, you can send text, photos and videos. Videos can be up to 30 seconds in length and cost 3 'stamps'. You can also send eGreeting Cards for the same price as a text email. Text, photos and cards all cost one 'stamp'. Learn more about sending attachments to an inmate by texting or emailing in the Mercer County Jail.
What type of emailing is allowed to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail?
Using Securus eMessaging for emailing an inmate in the Mercer County Jail, you CAN do the following: (1)You CAN ONLY send messages from the Securus website, or with the Securus app (2)You CAN transfer ‘stamps’ to your inmate. (3) You CAN deposit money to your inmate, and they CAN purchase ‘stamps’ on their end. (4)Each time you send a message, you CAN pay for them to reply. (5)You CAN send photos, eGreeting Cards and videos. (Jail staff will review for appropriateness). Learn more about what you can and cannot send an inmate by text or email in the Mercer County Jail.
How will I know if my email to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail was approved?
When you send an inmate in the Mercer County Jail an email using Securus eMessaging, you will receive a message if your email was NOT approved, and you will be given the reason. All emails you send, whether it be text, photos, videos or ecards, will incur a fee. There are no refunds for emails or attachments not approved. Learn more about the approval rules when texting or emailing an inmate in the Mercer County Jail.
Can I send a photo in my 'gallery' to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail, or does it have to be a snapshot taken within the Securus app?
You can send any type of photo (jpg, jpeg and png) or video (30 seconds or less) to an inmate in the Mercer County Jail when using Securus eMessaging. It can either be direct from your gallery or one taken from within the Securus app. Learn more about emailing an inmate a photo in the Mercer County Jail.