InmateTextingAppsofferalifelinetothosebehindbars,helpingthemmaintaincontactwiththeirfamilyandfriends. Thisnewmethodofcommunicationislessexpensiveandmoreefficientthansendinglettersortelephonecalls.Inmates canalsofeelmoreconnectedwiththeworldbestinmatetextingappoutside.Thismayhelpthemintheirrehabilitation orreturn.
Whileprisonsandjailsdonotallowinmatestousepersonalphoneswhiletheyareincarcerated,manyhavesecure messagingsystemsusainmatethatinmatescanaccessfromdesignatedkiosksinsidethefacility.Thesemessagesaresent viaaclosednetworkwhichismonitoredbystaff.Dependingontheinstitution,aninmatecanpurchasecreditstosend andreceiverepliesfromtheirapprovedcontacts.
Theseservicesaresimilarinnaturetoemail,andallowpenpalsandfamilymemberstoconnectwithprisonersacross thenation.Itiseasytouse,andalotcheaperthantraditionalmail.Inmatesareabletoreceiveunlimitedelectronic responsesfromtheirfamiliesandfriends.Noneedtobuyenvelopes,paperorstamps.Inmatescansaveonphonebillsas wellastripstothemoneyordershopandphotoprintshops.
Althoughinmatetextingseemslikeaneffectivemethodtokeepintouch,itcouldbeharmfulfortherecipient.Inmates arelikelytousethesemessagingplatformstomanipulatetheircontactsintoengaginginillegalactivities. These conversationscouldbeinspectedbycorrectionalfacilities,whichcouldpotentiallyleadtoarrestorrevocationof privileges.Inmatesstillprefertotextinsteadofcalling.Itiscrucialtostayclearofthesemessagesandinsteadfocuson otherformsofcommunicationlikecallingorwritingaletter.