Blount County Adult Detention Facility Emailing An Inmate

Blount County Adult Detention Facility

Address:
920 East Lamar Alexander Parkway
Maryville, TN 37804

Phone:

865-273-5245

Secure Messaging Using City Telecoin App

Blount County Adult Detention Facility contracts with City Telecoin for phone and remote video visitation, and has added secure messaging, a form of delayed email.


City Telecoin also has a secure messaging service that allows you and your inmate to send and receive messages electronically (after being read by the jail).

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 Blount County Adult Detention Facility 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 Blount County Adult Detention Facility?

The electronic messaging system used by Blount County Adult Detention Facility, 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 865-273-5245 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.

Blount County Bail Bond Information

Because Blount County and Tennessee can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Blount County Adult Detention Facility at 865-273-5245, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, and do this right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Blount County Adult Detention Facility or the Blount County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.


 

Blount County Adult Detention Facility Allows your Inmate to Receive and Send Text and Email Messages

The Blount County Adult Detention Facility contracts with City Tele Coin, the same company that offers Phone and Video Calling, to allow inmates to send and receive digital text messages from friends and loved ones.

You may have to provide them the funds to rent a tablet for a small monthly fee to do this, and of course there is a fee to send and receive messages.

To register for text and email digital message with your inmate go to City Tele Coin and sign up.

Customer Service Contact information:
[email protected]
318-746-1114


 

Blount County Adult Detention Facility now offers City Tele Coin Tablets to their inmates.

City Tele Coin is the same company that handles the inmate phone system, video visitations, email and texting and digital letters.

The tablets can be rented or used on a monthly basis and while not directly connected to the internet, the inmates can use them for the following activities:

  • Phone Calls - Inmates may make calls directly from their tablet allowing for more privacy. The rates are the same as the phones in the unit, and the calls are still recorded and monitored.
  • eMessaging - Communicate via a text based message or picture. Fee based system.
  • Education - Free educational platform and course catalog that provides thousands of educational resources.
  • Self Help -Inmates have daily access to mental health and addiction recovery programming.
  • Music - Top-40, Hip-Hop, Country, Rock, Gospel, and more.
  • Law Library -  Legal research with up-to-date case information.
  • eBooks - Thousands of available titles.
  • Religion - Religious resources for spiritual guidance.
  • Games - Inmates can play their favorite games. Available through monthly subscriptions
  • Facility Services - Digital access to submitted forms, requests, facility documents, and notifications from staff.

Here's how it works:

  • Register here.  It is recommended you use Chrome or Firefox.
  • You get charged a full month even if it's only used for a partial month.
  • No activation or early termination fees.
  • Your inmate will recieve their tablet in 3-5 business days, after you pay.

Questions:


 

How to Have Remote Video Visits and Email Communication with an Inmate in Blount County

To register and sign up for a remote visitation account with City Tele Coin to communicate with your Blount County Adult Detention Facility inmate, follow the instructions below:

  • Register and create an account with City Tele Coin.
  • City Tele Coin has excellent quality video visits between your home device and a video terminal in the inmate's housing area.
  • You can also send and receive secure messages and use them to make and receive phone calls with your Blount County inmate.
  • This is a fee based service.
  • For more information, you can call City Telecoin from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM CST by dialing 318-746-1114, or email them: [email protected].
  • Visit Inmate 'at the jail' information.

For all the information you need to know, including instructions, policies, tips and solutions to possible issues regarding visiting with an inmate (both at the jail and remotely) in Blount County, visit our full page guide

NOTE: All video visits are recorded and stored. Whatever you talk about, can and will be used against your inmate in court. Never discuss their pending criminal case!
Also, be warned that some video visits providers are collecting voice prints for a database which law enforcement agencies are building.


 

How to Make and Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in Blount County

To register and sign up for a phone account with City Tele Coin to communicate with your Blount County Adult Detention Facility inmate, follow the instructions below:

  • Register and create an account with City Tele Coin.
  • City Tele Coin Phone Services include Prepaid Accounts and Calling Cards for your inmate in Blount County Adult Detention Facility to call you and others.
  • You can also send and receive secure messages with your inmate.
  • This is a fee based service, but regular calls are capped at $0.21 per minute and collect calls capped at $0.25 per minute.

For all the information you need to know, including instructions, policies, tips and solutions to possible issues regarding making phone calls with an inmate in Blount County, visit our full page guide

NOTE: All phone conversations and messages are recorded and stored. Whatever you talk about, can and will be used against your inmate in court. Never discuss their pending criminal case!
Also, be warned that some phone providers are collecting voice prints for a database which law enforcement agencies are building.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Blount County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Blount County Adult Detention Facility follow these steps:

  • Register with correctpay by creating an account.
  • Select Tennessee, then select Blount County Adult Detention Facility, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.
  • You can deposit money four ways:
  • Deposit online at correctpay.com.
  • Deposit at the VendEngine kiosk in the Blount County Adult Detention Facility lobby.
  • Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 855-836-3364
  • Deposit through their iOS or Android app.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account, what the fees are, how long it takes to hit their account and more, check out our full money and commissary guide for Blount County Adult Detention Facility.


 

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