Inmate Phone System (IPS)
The Inmate Phone System (IPS) module gives jail administrators complete control over inmate telecommunications — from approved contact lists and call monitoring to pre-paid account balances and private attorney messaging. Every call is logged, recorded (where legally permitted), and tied to the inmate’s booking record, giving investigators and administrators a full, searchable call history at their fingertips. IPS integrates directly with classification and housing data so communications restrictions follow inmates automatically as their custody level changes.
Approved Contact Management
Build and manage each inmate’s approved contact list with name, relationship, and phone number verification before calls are permitted.
Pre-Paid Account Balances
Inmate call accounts are pre-paid only — balances are loaded by family, commissary, or facility staff and debited per-minute at published rates.
Call Monitoring & Recording
All non-privileged calls are recorded and searchable by inmate, contact number, date, and keyword for investigative use.
Attorney Privileged Calls
Attorney numbers are flagged as privileged — calls to those numbers are excluded from recording, monitoring, and staff review in full compliance with attorney-client privilege.
Private Texting
Approved contacts can exchange monitored text messages with inmates via the Private Texting module, providing an alternative communication channel.
Usage Reports & Analytics
Track call volume, duration, blocked attempts, and account balance trends across individual inmates or the full population.
Step-by-Step: Managing Inmate Phone Accounts
Open the IPS Module
Click Inmate Phone System in the sidebar. The IPS dashboard loads showing total active accounts, call volume for the current day, blocked call attempts, and aggregate pre-paid balance across the facility.
Find an Inmate Account
Use the Search bar at the top of the inmate list to locate a specific inmate by name, booking number, or housing unit assignment. Click the inmate’s name to open their IPS account detail page.
Review and Edit Approved Contacts
On the account detail page, open the Approved Contacts tab. Each contact shows name, relationship, phone number, and status (Active / Blocked). Click + Add Contact to add a new number, or click a contact row to edit or block it. Flag attorney numbers with the Privileged toggle.
Check and Load Account Balance
The Account Balance card shows the current pre-paid balance and the per-minute rate tier the inmate is on. Click Add Funds to credit the account manually (facility-funded calls) or view the transaction log of all prior deposits and per-minute deductions.
Review Call History
Click the Call History tab to see a log of every completed, missed, and blocked call — including timestamp, duration, contacted number, call cost, and a play button to access the call recording for non-privileged calls.
Apply Communication Restrictions
To place an inmate on phone restriction, click the Restrictions tab and toggle Phone Suspended on. Enter a reason and optional expiration date. The restriction is logged in the audit trail and automatically lifted when the expiration date passes.
Export Call Records for Investigations
For investigative or court requests, use the Export Call Log button to generate a PDF or Excel report of all calls for a specified date range. The export includes metadata (duration, cost, recording reference) and can be attached directly to a case file or subpoena response.
💡 Pro Tips
- Always verify a new attorney number against the state bar directory before toggling it as Privileged — once set, calls to that number are never recorded, so mistakes cannot be corrected retroactively.
- Use the IPS Blocked Attempts dashboard widget to spot inmates repeatedly calling numbers not on their approved list — it is one of the earliest behavioral indicators before a disciplinary incident.
- Inmate call rates are pre-paid only — no all-you-can-call plans exist. Confirm the per-minute rate is posted on kiosk signage at each phone station so inmates and families have accurate billing expectations.
- Communication restrictions tied to classification level are automatic — if an inmate is moved to disciplinary segregation, their phone access adjusts immediately without a separate manual restriction entry.