What is SmartInmate?
SmartInmate is a communication platform provided by Smart Communications that allows friends and family members to stay connected with incarcerated individuals. Services include electronic messaging, video visitation, telephone service, and photos. SmartInmate supplements standard postal mail by providing faster, more convenient ways to communicate. Messages can be delivered instantly or within a few hours rather than days or weeks. Please note that Smart Communications provides communication services only. We are not a commissary vendor and do not handle commissary orders, deposits to commissary accounts, or any commissary-related services. For commissary questions, please contact the detention facility directly.
What services does Smart Communications provide?
Smart Communications offers multiple services for staying in touch with incarcerated individuals: Electronic Messaging allows you to send and receive messages instantly; Video Visitation enables remote visits from home or local on-site visits at the detention facility; Telephone Service provides both Prepaid Accounts (tied to your registered phone number, also used for video visit payments) and PIN Debit Accounts (owned by a specific incarcerated individual for their phone calls); and Photos allows you to send pictures to participating detention facilities.
How do I get started?
Getting started is simple: First, create a free account on SmartInmate.com by clicking Sign Up and providing your name, email address, and phone number. Your username must be unique and cannot contain special characters or symbols. Second, once your account is created, go to the "Contacts" section and select "Find an Incarcerated Individual" to search for the person you want to stay in touch with by their name, ID number, or detention facility. Send them a connection request. The incarcerated individual will need to accept your connection request before you can begin communicating. Third, once your connection is approved, choose which service you want to use, such as electronic messaging, video visitation, telephone service, or photos. You can then purchase service credits or deposit funds as needed for the services you select.
How do I contact customer support?
The best way to reach our Customer Care team is through the contact form on our website. Submit your question and our team will respond as quickly as possible. Phone support is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-727-349-1561.
Which web browsers are supported?
We recommend using Google Chrome for the best experience on both desktop and mobile devices. Chrome is required for video visitation. Please note that Safari is not compatible with SmartInmate and may cause issues with video visits, account access, and other features. If you are using an Apple device, please download and install Google Chrome from the App Store and use it to access SmartInmate.com. Other browsers such as Firefox and Microsoft Edge may work for basic account functions, but Chrome provides the most reliable experience across all services.
Does Smart Communications handle commissary?
No. Smart Communications provides communication services only, including electronic messaging, video visitation, telephone service, and photos. We do not provide commissary services and cannot assist with commissary orders, commissary deposits, or commissary account balances. For any commissary-related questions, please contact the detention facility directly.
Is SmartInmate available at my detention facility?
Smart Communications services are available at many detention facilities across the United States, but not all detention facilities use our services. To check if a specific detention facility participates, you can search for the detention facility on SmartInmate.com when setting up your account. You can also contact the detention facility directly to confirm which communication services they offer. Not all detention facilities offer all services. Some may have electronic messaging but not video visitation, for example.
What if the person I'm looking for transferred to a different detention facility?
If an incarcerated individual transfers to a different detention facility, your service credits remain on your account and can be used with that person at their new detention facility if Smart Communications services are available there. You will need to update your account to reflect their new location. Prepaid Account funds remain tied to your registered phone number and can be used at any participating detention facility. PIN Debit funds are owned by the incarcerated individual, and they may request release of those funds upon transfer or release. Contact our Customer Care team through the contact form if you need assistance locating your contact at their new detention facility.
Is there a mobile app?
SmartInmate does not have a dedicated mobile app, but the website is fully functional on mobile devices through your web browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best experience on phones and tablets. You can access all services including messaging, video visitation, telephone deposits, and photos directly from SmartInmate.com on your mobile device.
The website is not available in my language. What should I do?
SmartInmate currently has Spanish language support available through a translation service. If you need assistance in Spanish or another language, please use our contact form to submit your request and our Customer Care team will be happy to help you.
If you have a question that is not answered here, please use the contact form to submit your question to our Customer Care team and we will respond as quickly as possible.