Phone Calls at SCI Smithfield

How the Phone System Works

PA DOC uses Securus statewide for inmate phone calls, including at SCI Smithfield. To receive calls, set up an account with Securus instead of paying per call without one.

Setting Up a Securus Account

Create an account at securustech.net or by calling 800-844-6591. Once set up, add funds to receive calls from SCI Smithfield. Securus can walk you through current rate details when you set up your account, since PA DOC’s own pages don’t publish a specific per-minute rate publicly.

Email Uses a Different System

If you want to email someone at SCI Smithfield, that goes through ViaPath Technologies/ConnectNetwork, not Securus. Contact ViaPath at 877-650-4249 to set up an account. Keep in mind this is a separate service from your phone account, funding one doesn’t fund the other.

Calls Are Monitored and Recorded

As at virtually every state prison, calls placed through Securus at SCI Smithfield are monitored and recorded, with the standard exception of properly registered attorney-client calls. Assume any call is being recorded unless you’re told otherwise.

Rates and Call Limits

PA DOC’s public contact page doesn’t list a specific per-minute rate or call-length limit. Ask Securus directly when setting up your account, or call SCI Smithfield at (814) 643-6520 to ask about any facility-specific call policies.

If You Want to Stop Receiving Calls

You can close or restrict your Securus account at any time by contacting Securus directly, PA DOC doesn’t manage this on your end. If you’re getting calls you no longer want, ask Securus how to block the account rather than just ignoring the calls, since the inmate can otherwise keep trying.

If a Call Doesn’t Go Through

Check your Securus account balance first. If it’s funded and calls still aren’t connecting, make sure call-forwarding, VoIP calling, and three-way calling are all turned off on your line, Securus can’t always complete calls through those features. If you ever selected a “private” or “block” option on a past call, that number gets blocked inside Securus’s own system rather than on your phone, and needs to be fixed through Securus support, not your carrier.

Calls Getting Flagged as Spam

Correctional-facility numbers often get flagged as spam or “scam likely” on cell phones. Save the number in your contacts so it always rings through, or call your carrier and tell them it’s an authorized number you want to receive.

International Calls

International call availability and rates vary and aren’t published on PA DOC’s public pages. Ask Securus directly when you set up your account whether the country you need is supported and what it costs.

Blocking or Unblocking a Number

If you need to block or unblock a number on the account, that’s handled through Securus directly, either online through your account or by calling their support line. This is separate from PA DOC and the facility, they don’t manage call-blocking on your end.

Alternatives to Phone Calls

If phone contact isn’t working out, mail is a reliable fallback, see the mail and photos guide below. Video visitation is also available through the online IVS scheduling system if you want to see the person face to face without an in-person trip. For anything Securus can’t resolve, PA DOC’s Central Office can be reached at (717) 728-2573.