Hillsdale County Jail Emailing An Inmate

Hillsdale County Jail

Address:
165 W. Fayette Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242

Phone:

517-437-7317

Can inmates send and receive texts and emails?

Almost all jails and prisons have adopted 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 Hillsdale 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.

How much does it cost for an inmate to use a text or email service?

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.

Can inmates send and receive photos through their messaging system?

Photos can be sent by the inmate’s contact that is not incarcerated, 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. 

Can I send an inmate a link to a video to watch?

No.  Because this is a closed system, the inmate has no access to the internet, thus the inmate will have no access to any links that you send them.

Can I send the inmate a video?

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.

What device does an inmate use for texting and emailing?

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.

What is the inmate text and email system in Hillsdale County Jail?

The electronic messaging system used by Hillsdale 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 the facility has recently changed companies or does not have this service available. Call 517-437-7317 to confirm.

What are the companies that provide inmate electronic messaging services?

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

How do I fund the inmate’s messaging system?

You fund the messaging service with credit and debit cards. All of them take Visa and MasterCard, most also take Discover, and just some take America Express.

How often can an inmate text and email?

There is no limit to the amount of texting and email that an inmate can have with their family and friends.

Can inmates’ text any time of the day or night?

If an inmate has their own tablet, then they can text any time of the day or night, however if the must use the wall mounted kiosk terminal in their unit, they are limited to using it only during the hours they are allowed off their bunks; usually 7:00AM to 10:00PM, excluding meals, head counts and shift changes.

Can inmates email other inmates in other jails or prisons?

No, inmates are not allowed to communicate with each other, nor 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.

Hillsdale County Jail uses a third party service called Express Account, affiliated with TIGGS Canteen Service to deposit money in an inmate's commissary account.

By creating an account with Express Account you can send money and purchase commissary to an inmate: 

  • Online 24/7
  • By calling 866-422-6833 24/7
  • By using the Hillsdale County Jail Kiosk which takes cash, debit and credit cards.

Express Account and TIGGS Canteen Service allows friends and family to purchase commissary items for them and having them shipped directly to the facility. Items such as snacks (healthy or non-healthy, clothes, hygeine products, etc.)


 

Hillsdale County Jail uses a third party service called Express Account, affiliated with TIGGS Canteen Service to deposit money in an inmate's account.

By creating an account with Express Account you can send money: 

  • Online 24/7
  • By calling 866-422-6833 24/7
  • By using the Hillsdale County Jail Kiosk which takes cash, debit and credit cards.

Express Account also serves Hillsdale County Jail inmates by allowing friends and family to purchase commissary items for them and having them shipped directly to the facility.


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Hillsdale County Jail by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Hillsdale County Jail, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Hillsdale County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

How Do Inmates in Hillsdale County Jail Make Phone Calls?

To receive phone calls from inmates in Hillsdale County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:

  • Hillsdale County Jail uses the services of a company named Inmate Sales.
  • Register with them online or call them at 877-998-5678
  • Agents are available M-F from 8:00 AM - 12:00 midnight EST, Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, and speak both English & Spanish.
  • Services for Hillsdale County inmates and their families and friends include: Collect Calling, PIN Debit, Purchasing Calling Cards, Deposits, Messaging & Video Visitation.

iphone app
Google Play app

For all the information regarding phone calls with Hillsdale County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

How Do You Visit an Inmate in Hillsdale County Jail?

Other than 'at the jail' visits between you and your inmate at Hillsdale County Jail, which is explained and outlined in detail on our Visit Inmate Page, Hillsdale County remote video inmate visitation can be done using the services of Inmate Sales utilizing the following instructions:

In order to have a successful video visit with an inmate in Hillsdale County, these are the steps to follow:

  • Make sure you have a device a speaker, a camera and a connection to the internet.
  • Register with Inmate Sales.
  • Find Hillsdale County Jail
  • Select 'New Purchase'
  • Choose Hillsdale County Jail and a product (either 'Remote' or 'Onsite' Visit)
  • Enter your personal information and purchase minutes.
  • Schedule a visit.
  • Call 877-998-5678 if you have any questions.

* All the information you need to have complete knowledge about inmate visitation; policies, rules, fees, schedules, tips, dress codes, and children, lawyers and clergy visitation in Hillsdale County, can be found on our Visit Inmate Page.

Hillsdale County Jail Phone: 517-437-7317