FCI Butner Medium I Phone Calls. ViaPath, TRULINCS, and CorrLinks Email

How Phone Calls Work at FCI Butner Medium I

FCI Butner Medium I uses the BOP’s TRULINCS system, operated by ViaPath (formerly GTL). Here is what that means in practice:

• You cannot call in. All calls are outbound only. The inmate places calls from phones in their housing unit using a personal access code.
• The inmate adds your number first. Before they can call you, they go to a TRULINCS computer terminal inside and add your phone number to their approved contact list. Their unit team reviews the list. Once approved, your number is active and they can call.
• Calls cost $0.21 per minute. This rate applies to all BOP facilities under the FCC’s cap on inmate calling rates. The cost comes directly from the inmate’s commissary account. If the account runs low, calls will not connect.
• No app required on your end. You receive calls on your landline or cell phone just like any incoming call.

What to Expect When They Call

When the inmate calls, you will hear a brief automated greeting identifying the call as coming from a federal correctional facility. Accept the call and you are connected. The call will disconnect automatically at the per-call time limit.

You do not need to set up an account or pay anything on your side to receive calls. The costs are charged to the inmate’s account.

Monitoring and Privacy

All calls through TRULINCS are monitored and recorded by BOP staff. The only exception is calls to an attorney, which are designated as privileged and not recorded if properly set up through the unit team.

Do not discuss case-related matters, legal strategy, or sensitive personal information on regular calls. Three-way calls are prohibited. If the system detects a three-way call, it disconnects automatically and may result in disciplinary action for the inmate.

Call Access Hours

Phone access at FCI Butner Medium I runs daily. During weekday work hours, access is limited while inmates are at their work assignments. Full access resumes during evening hours. The specific hours at FCI Butner Medium I were not published in a format we could independently verify for this guide. Call (919) 575-4541 or ask the inmate to confirm current phone hours.

How to Fund Calls

Call credits come directly from the inmate’s BOP commissary account. There is no separate phone account to fund. To make sure the inmate can call, send money to their commissary using one of the three BOP-approved methods:

1. MoneyGram (Receive Code 7932)
2. Western Union (Code City FBOP DC)
3. USPS money order to the BOP National Lockbox in Des Moines, Iowa

At $0.21 per minute, $10 covers about 47 minutes of call time. $50 covers about 238 minutes. See the send money guide for full instructions.

CorrLinks Email

CorrLinks is the email system connected to TRULINCS. It lets inmates and approved contacts exchange text messages. Here is how it works:

For you:

1. Go to corrlinks.com and create a free account. There is no cost to set up an account or to receive messages.
2. You cannot search for the inmate yourself. Wait for them to initiate.
3. When the inmate adds your email address from inside, CorrLinks sends you an invitation email. Open it and accept the invitation.
4. Once connected, you can exchange messages.

Rules and limits:

• Messages are text-only. No attachments, no photos, no links.
• Message limit: approximately 13,000 characters per message.
• The inmate pays per minute of TRULINCS terminal time used for reading and writing messages. This comes from their commissary account.
• All messages are monitored.

CorrLinks is a good way to stay connected between calls. Written messages give both of you time to think through what you want to say and they create a record of correspondence.

If the Inmate Cannot Call

If calls stop coming, a few things might have happened:

• The commissary account is empty. Calls cannot connect if there are no funds. Send money using MoneyGram, Western Union, or a money order.
• Your number was removed from the approved list. This can happen if the unit team flags a number or if the inmate’s contact list was modified. Ask the inmate to resubmit your number from inside.
• The inmate is in a housing restriction. Disciplinary sanctions can include loss of phone privileges. Call (919) 575-4541 to ask about restrictions on phone access.
• The phone system is down. Maintenance and technical issues can interrupt service temporarily.

International Calls

International calls may be permitted at FCI Butner Medium I depending on the inmate’s security status and approved contact list. International calls cost more than domestic calls per minute. Contact the facility at (919) 575-4541 or ask the inmate to check with their unit team for specific international calling procedures.

Attorney and Legal Calls

Attorney calls are handled differently from personal calls. Calls to a designated attorney are not recorded. The inmate needs to work with their unit team to have attorney numbers flagged as privileged in the TRULINCS system. If you are an attorney trying to reach an inmate at FCI Butner Medium I, call the main number at (919) 575-4541 to coordinate.