InmateGuide exists to make the first weeks of having an incarcerated loved one less disorienting. The U.S. holds roughly 1.9 million people across federal prisons, state prisons, and county jails — and every one of those facilities operates under a slightly different set of rules for visiting, mailing letters, sending money, and making phone calls. Sheriff websites are inconsistent. State DOC pages are sprawling and full of outdated PDFs. Federal Bureau of Prisons pages assume readers already know what TRULINCS, BP-A0629, or "modified operations" mean.
We translate those rules into plain English, organize them by state and by facility, and present them in the same format everywhere so they can be compared at a glance. We are not affiliated with any federal, state, or county corrections agency. We are not a paid service for inmates or families.
Our sources
Facility names, jurisdictions, and types are compiled from publicly available sources, primarily the Wikipedia category structure ("Prisons in <State>", "Jails in <State>", and the U.S. federal-prison categories), supplemented by the U.S. Census list of counties so that every county jail can be located. Visiting and communication rules are summarized from the published policy of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (Program Statement 5267.09 and related directives), each state's Department of Corrections visiting handbook, and the booking-information page of each county sheriff's office. Where we cannot find facility-specific guidance, we publish the agency-wide default and clearly mark it as such.
Why we built it
The first 48 hours after a loved one is taken into custody are the worst. Trying to figure out which jail they're in, when you can visit, how to put $50 on their books, and whether they're allowed to call you — all while someone is missing from your life — is a punishing experience. The information exists, but it is scattered across 3,000+ websites and almost never in plain language.
Our hope is that one well-organized resource removes some of that noise so families can focus on the harder parts: showing up, staying connected, and planning for the future.
Always verify before you travel
Visiting policies at correctional facilities change constantly — for lockdowns, weather, staffing, contraband searches, and new directives from leadership. Use InmateGuide to plan, then call the facility 24 hours before your visit to confirm. If you ever find that a page on this site is out of date, please email us at our contact page.