Phone:
Inmates may not receive incoming calls, they may make outgoing calls to persons on their approved phone lists. If you would like an inmate to be able to call you, you can write to the inmate and provide them your phone number so they can add you to their approved phone list. Inmate phone calls are governed by Administrative Regulation 850-12, "Telephone Regulations for Offenders." These policies can be accessed on our department policies page. Further information regarding phone contact with inmates may be found below under the Phone Contact with Inmates section.
Mail:
Mail may be sent to inmates at their assigned correctional facility. Specific instructions for sending mail to inmates is outlined under the section on sending mail to inmates below. Please be sure you are abiding by all policies concerning sending mail to inmates to ensure proper delivery of mail. U.S. Mail and E-mail are governed by Administrative Regulations 300-38, "Offender Mail" and 300-26, "Publications." These policies can be accessed on our department policies page. Further information regarding sending mail to inmates may be found below under the Contact an inmate by U.S. Mail section.
If you wish to schedule a visit with an inmate, information regarding visitation may be found on our Visiting page.
NOTICE: MAIL RESTRICTION PER OIG
Per Administrative Regulation 300-38 Offender Mail, at facilities where the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has identified that inmates are using the mail to introduce dangerous contraband via correspondence to the correctional facility, the entire facility will be subject to having all incoming mail photocopied with the copy delivered to the inmate and the original correspondence destroyed in accordance with Administrative Regulation 300-06 Searches and Contraband Control. These policies can be accessed on our department policies page.
Individuals in our custody can receive commercially produced photos through an approved vendor as outlined in 300-26 Publications, section IV.B.1.a. If the photos are received directly from the approved vendor they should be processed like any other publication and not require them to be photocopied.
The following correctional facilities are currently subject to this mail restriction: Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, Arrowhead Correctional Center, Bent County Correctional Facility, Buena Vista Correctional Complex, Centennial Correctional Facility, Colorado State Penitentiary, Crowley County Correctional Facility, Fremont Correctional Facility, Four Mile Correctional Center, La Vista Correctional Facility, Limon Correctional Facility, San Carlos Correctional Facility, Sterling Correctional Facility, Trinidad Correctional Facility, and Youthful Offender System.
- Contact an inmate by U.S. Mail
To send mail to an inmate please ensure that your envelope includes the following information:
Inmate Name - Please use the inmate's commitment name. Inmates may receive mail that identifies them by a legally changed name IF the inmate's commitment name is listed first followed by the legally changed name.
Inmate Number (DOC#) and Facility - You can locate an inmate's DOC# and current facility assignment through our inmate locator
Facility mailing address - mailing addresses for each facility may be found on the specific facility's page under the Facilities menu
A valid return address - mail sent without a return address may be rejected.
- Contact an inmate by E-mail
Securus eMessaging allows a person to send an electronic message to an inmate housed in one of our facilities. The e-mail will be reviewed by staff and delivered eMessages directly to the inmate's tablet. To send an e-mail to an inmate please visit Securus eMessaging to create an account. Before you can send an e-mail you will need the inmate's DOC number. Please note that eMessaging is one way and the inmate will not be able to respond to you electronically.
- Phone Contact with Inmates
Colorado Inmate Phone System ( CIPS ) is the phone system used in Colorado correctional facilities.
Colorado Department of Corrections has transitioned our communications system provider from Global Tel Link (GTL) to Securus. We appreciate your patience with this transition; additional information regarding the transition may be found on our GTL to Securus FAQ page and Securus Facility Go-Live Dates page. All other questions may be directed to cdoc@state.co.us.
The below calls rates will be updated with Securus information only/removal of GTL information once the transition is completed. If you are having issues with set up or payment for a Securus account, we encourage you to contact their customer service. Contact information may be found on the Securus Customer Service page.
Securus Call Rates:
The Securus contracted rate is $0.019 per minute for both debit and collect phone calls including local, intrastate, and international calls. Due to the implementation of HB23-1133, the actual call rate will be $0.014 per minute.
Implementation of HB23-1133: In September 2023, all eligible CDOC incarcerated individuals received a one-time allocation of funds to their Securus phone account. Beginning in October 2023, Securus will reduce telephone calling rates by 25% for CDOC incarcerated individuals and their friends and family to comply with HB23-1133. The CDOC will collaborate with Securus to ensure the intent of this legislation is achieved and maintained. Beginning in October 2023, the telephone rates of $0.019 per minute will be discounted by 25% to achieve a new rate of $0.01425.
Friends and family may set up a Securus account through the Securus Technologies account login page. CDOC inmates will purchase communication credits through Canteen (commissary)as they did with the previous phone provider. Please note that an inmate will not have a Securus phone account set up to place funds into until their facility has transitioned to the Securus phone system. - Emergency Notification
The Colorado Department of Corrections has a specific process which staff are required to abide by for handling emergency notifications. The process is outlined in Administrative Regulation 850-10 Emergency Notifications, which is available for review on our department policies page. Please note, staff are required to independently verify the emergency prior to conducting the notification. You can help expedite this process by providing the name and contact information for a doctor, hospital, law enforcement agency/agent, coroner's office, funeral home, or other official who can provide verification to staff of the emergency.
- Escorted/Funeral Leave
The Colorado Department of Corrections does not have funeral furloughs or leave, but does have a policy on escorted leave. This policy is outlined in Administrative Regulation 300-17 Escorted Leave, which is available for review on our department policies page. Escorted leave allows offenders who meet the criteria outlined in the policy to request and be approved for an escorted leave of absence from a correctional facility in order to participate in a final visit with a terminally ill loved one or private viewing for a deceased loved one within the state of Colorado. Escorted leave is subject to approval by the facility administrative head and Office of the Director of Prisons. The offender and/or their loved ones are responsible to cover all costs associated with the escorted leave. If an offender wishes to request escorted leave, the request may be initiated through the assigned case manager at the correctional facility.
- Visitation
Information regarding visiting an inmate may be found on our Visitation page. All visitors must have a current visiting application on file. Visiting applications and directions on how applications must be submitted may be found on our Visiting Applications page.
Each facility has its own webpage on our website under the Facilities page. On the facility specific page, directions for submitting a completed visiting application can be found under the expandable section "Where/how to submit visiting applications".
- Video Visits
Video visitation is available at our correctional facilities. You are required to be an approved visitor on the inmate's visiting list in order to schedule video visits; visiting applications may be obtained on our Visiting Applications page and must be submitted per the instructions specific to the facility you are applying to visit.
Each facility has its own webpage on our website under the Facilities page. On the facility specific page, directions for submitting a completed visiting application can be found under the expandable section "Where/how to submit visiting applications".
Once you are approved as a visitor on the inmate's visiting list, video visiting accounts may be set up and video visits scheduled online, through Securus, the provider of our inmate communications system. Accounts may be set up through the Securus website.
- Tablets
The department is in the process of rolling out the tablet program, which is facilitated by Securus. The estimated date for full implementation is July 30, 2024. Tablets will be available to inmates at all facilities for recreational, educational, and communication purposes. Information regarding Securus tablets may be found through the Securus Tablets website.