What to Do If Inmate Messages Are Blocked: Complete Appeal Guide

The most common reason a message is blocked is content that violates facility rules. Every correctional facility has a list of prohibited content for incoming and outgoing messages. Messages that reference ongoing criminal activity, escape planning, threats, gang-related content, explicit material, or coded language that staff cannot interpret may be rejected during review.

Automated content screening is used by most messaging platforms to flag potential violations before messages reach a human reviewer. Automated systems use keyword filters that can flag messages based on specific words or phrases even when the message does not actually violate any rule. This can result in false positives where an innocent message is flagged and blocked.

A block may also be placed on your account rather than on a specific message. Account-level blocks can be placed by the facility if you are removed from the approved contact list, or by the provider company if your account is flagged for multiple content violations. Account blocks prevent all future messages from being sent or received.

Phone call blocks are separate from messaging blocks and can happen when you accidentally reject a call, when the provider flags your number, or when the inmate removes your number from their approved call list. Each type of block requires a different resolution process.

The first step is checking your messaging platform account for any notifications or alerts. Platforms like JPay and ConnectNetwork may send an email or display a message in your account dashboard when a specific message is rejected. The notification may include a general reason such as content violation but will usually not specify the exact trigger.

If you receive no notification and messages simply stop being delivered, log in to your account and check the sent message status. Some platforms show a delivered or pending status for each message. A message stuck in pending status may indicate it is held in review or has been blocked without a formal notification being sent.

Contact the messaging platform customer service directly. Explain that you are not receiving confirmation of message delivery and ask them to check the status of your account and recent messages. Have your account information, the inmate name and ID, and the facility name ready before calling or submitting a support ticket.

Contact the facility directly. The facility mailroom or communication coordinator can tell you whether a block has been placed from the facility side and whether you have been removed from the approved contact list. Call the facility main number and ask to speak with the person responsible for inmate communication or the mailroom supervisor.

For individual messages blocked by the platform, start by reviewing the message content yourself. Remove any language that could be interpreted as violating facility rules and resend the message. Avoid triggering keywords, abbreviations that could be misread as codes, references to legal cases or investigations, and any content that discusses what is happening outside the facility in detail that could be misread.

If the platform blocked a message you believe was completely compliant, contact platform customer service and formally request a review. Provide the message ID or timestamp, explain why you believe the content does not violate rules, and ask for a specific explanation of what triggered the block. Keep records of all communication with customer service.

For blocks placed by the facility rather than the platform, the appeal process goes through the facility. Write a formal letter addressed to the Warden or Communication Coordinator at the facility. Explain who you are, your relationship to the inmate, what communication was blocked, and why you believe the block was applied in error. Request a written response.

Most facilities require appeals to be submitted in writing within a specific timeframe after the rejection - often ten business days. Check with the facility for their specific appeal deadline and submit your appeal before it expires.

If your entire account has been blocked rather than a single message, the process is more complex. An account block from the platform typically requires contacting platform customer service and requesting a formal review of your account status. Ask specifically whether the block is temporary or permanent and what the reason for the block is.

An account block from the facility - meaning you have been removed from the approved visitor or contact list - must be appealed through the facility. The inmate must also typically be involved in the appeal, as they may need to resubmit your information for contact approval.

If you believe the block was placed in error or without a valid reason, document everything. Save copies of all previous messages, all notifications you received, and all communication with the facility and platform. This documentation is essential if you need to escalate the appeal.

If standard appeals are unsuccessful, consider contacting the state Department of Corrections directly rather than the individual facility. State DOC offices sometimes have family services units or ombudsman programs that can review individual cases where communication has been cut off without clear justification.

If you accidentally blocked a call from an inmate, contact the phone provider customer service as soon as possible. For GTL ConnectNetwork, call their customer service line. For Securus, use their customer service number. Explain that you accidentally rejected or blocked a call and ask them to remove the block from your number. Most providers can resolve accidental call blocks quickly.

If calls are being blocked because the inmate removed your number from their approved call list, only the inmate can restore it. They must contact the facility phone provider or request the number be re-added through the facility process. You cannot add yourself back to an approved call list from outside.

If calls are being blocked for an unknown reason, contact both the phone provider and the facility. Ask the provider to check your number status and ask the facility to confirm your number is still on the inmate approved contact list. The block may be coming from either side and you need to identify the source before it can be resolved.

Review the content rules for the facility and the messaging platform before sending every message. Rules are published in the platform terms of service and on most facility websites. Reading them once thoroughly can prevent the majority of accidental blocks.

Avoid discussing anything related to ongoing legal cases, other people inside the facility, facility operations, or anything that could be interpreted as planning activity outside the rules. Keep messages focused on personal updates, family news, emotional support, and everyday topics.

If you receive a notification that a message was blocked, do not simply resend the same message repeatedly. Multiple attempts to send blocked content can escalate a temporary block to a permanent one. Instead, revise the message, remove any potential triggers, and send the revised version once.

Keep records of all messages you send. If a message is blocked and you later need to appeal, having a copy of the original message makes the appeal process faster and easier.

Not all blocks work the same way and understanding the type of block helps you take the right action. On JPay, a red lock icon on a sent message means the message was flagged during automated content screening and is held for review or has been blocked by facility staff. This is different from an account-level block where you cannot send messages at all. A red lock on a specific message does not mean your entire account is suspended.

An inmate being blocked on JPay when you try to add funds is a different type of restriction. This typically indicates an administrative hold placed on the inmate account by the facility or by JPay due to a disciplinary issue, an unresolved payment dispute, a chargeback on a previous card transaction, or unusual activity flagged by JPay systems. The facility and JPay both have authority to place this type of hold independently of each other.

On JPay, an inmate can request to have a specific outside contact blocked from messaging them. When this happens, the contact remains visible on your account and messages appear to go through on your end, but they are never delivered to the inmate. If you suspect you have been blocked by the inmate rather than by the facility or platform, sending a VideoGram is reported by users to be a useful test because the platform will not allow a VideoGram to be sent to an inmate who is on messaging restriction.

On CorrLinks, a red lock or a message that bounces back typically indicates the inmate is no longer at a facility served by CorrLinks, they have been transferred, or their TRULINCS access has been suspended due to a disciplinary action at the federal level. CorrLinks restrictions at the federal level are more formal and are documented through the BOP administrative process.

Prison communication providers including JPay and Securus, both owned by Aventiv Technologies, have the authority to block communication between families and incarcerated people without providing a reason or advance notice. A 2025 investigation found that families are often permanently blocked from contact with a loved one without any notification of what rule was violated or what remedies are available.

Reaching a live person at JPay customer service requires navigating an automated phone system. Users report that the only reliable way to reach a live agent is to continue pressing buttons through the automated tree for several minutes. Generic email addresses and 1-800 numbers are provided for all issues including being blocked, but responses are often automated and resolution can take days or weeks.

The lack of transparency in blocking decisions is a recognized problem in the prison communication reform space. Advocates argue that families and incarcerated people should receive written notice with a specific reason when communication is blocked, along with clear instructions for appeal. Until such reforms are implemented, families are left to navigate a system that provides minimal information and limited recourse.

New Jersey completed a significant transition in 2025 and 2026, moving from JPay to ViaPath for both money transfers and messaging services. JPay payment services for New Jersey ended on August 1, 2026. Families who had funds in JPay accounts linked to New Jersey facilities needed to transition to ViaPath through ConnectNetwork before that date to avoid service interruption.

During provider transitions, some families reported that previously functioning accounts appeared blocked or inaccessible. In many cases this was not an actual block but rather a system issue during the transition period. If your account appears blocked during or after a facility provider transition, contact both the old provider and the new provider to confirm which platform is now active and whether your account needs to be recreated on the new system.

New Jersey also announced a 22 percent reduction in domestic phone call rates as of May 2025, bringing the rate to $0.034 per minute. This rate is significantly below the current federal FCC cap of $0.11 per minute, making New Jersey one of the most affordable states for prison phone calls. If you are a New Jersey family experiencing communication problems during the transition period, the NJDOC family information page at nj.gov/corrections is updated with current provider instructions.