FDC Houston Phone Calls & TRULINCS Email

Phone Calls. What to Expect

FDC Houston inmates can make outgoing calls to approved contacts during scheduled hours. Here’s how it works:

They call you. The inmate must have your number on their approved phone list. They dial from designated phones inside the housing unit. You’ll see the call coming in: either as a collect call or through a prepaid account: and you accept it.

15 minutes per call. A tone sounds before the call ends. You can’t extend it. They can call back after the timer resets if time allows.

300 minutes per month. That’s the standard BOP allotment. Depending on disciplinary status, the limit may be lower.

All calls monitored. With the exception of attorney-client calls, every call is recorded and may be reviewed by staff. This is standard BOP policy, not specific to FDC Houston.

Reducing Call Costs

Setting up a prepaid phone account through BOP’s approved telephone provider reduces per-minute costs. The inmate uses their commissary account to pay, but prepaid arrangements can lower rates for the family. Contact BOP’s telephone provider to establish an account using the inmate’s register number before the first call.

If Calls Aren’t Connecting

A few common reasons:

• Your number isn’t on their approved phone list yet
• Their phone privileges have been restricted due to disciplinary action
• Monthly minute allotment is exhausted
• Facility lockdown or restricted movement

Call FDC Houston at (713) 221-5400 if you’ve confirmed you’re on the list and calls still aren’t coming through.

TRULINCS Email via CorrLinks

TRULINCS (Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System) is the BOP’s messaging platform. External users access it through CorrLinks at corrlinks.com.

How the Connection Gets Set Up

1. The inmate initiates. From inside, they request to add you as a contact using your email address. You cannot start this process from outside.
2. You receive an invitation. CorrLinks sends you an email with a link to create a free account and accept the contact request.
3. You accept. Once accepted, you can exchange messages through the CorrLinks platform.

Both sides must agree to communicate: this is BOP’s “mutual consent to monitoring” requirement. You’re acknowledging that messages will be read by staff.

Message Format and Limits

• Text only: no attachments, no photos, no formatted text
• Maximum 13,000 characters per message
• No images embedded in the message body
• Messages may be delayed during facility lockdowns or system maintenance

Who Pays for TRULINCS

The inmate pays per minute of usage (~$0.05/min) from their commissary account: this covers both composing and reading messages. Incoming messages are free for the inmate to receive, but reading and replying costs minutes.

For sending photos, see the mail and photos guide. For detailed CorrLinks account setup steps, see the CorrLinks setup guide.