As technology is becoming a regular aspect of our lives, prisons and jails have begun to adopt new ways of communicating with family and friends. One of these innovations is federal inmate text messaging. Inmates can send messages to their loved ones via a special device, which looks like a dumbed down cellphone. It costs 10 cents for each message and has a 160-character limit. It is a simple device for loved ones who want contactmeasap.com to communicate with their incarcerated family members.

The devices, which are known as chirping devices, don't allow inmates to take photos or download apps call calls, or browse the web. They also can't use stickers or Emojis. The device does not require any phone minutes or pre-approvals.

On the ConnectNetwork website, users can buy credits to send messages. The prices for the messages vary by state and facility. Sign in to ConnectNetwork to see the current rates. Go to the message page of the person you would like to contact.

Prisoners can respond to messages by either sending back a handwritten response or by responding electronically. The device can be used to purchase books. Corbot has an Amazon feature that allows inmates to search for books by title or author, and then look-up an all-text version of the book.

While the capability to text is beneficial but it is important to keep in mind that federal inmates are subject to strict security measures. Users of the service are advised to remain aware of their surroundings at all times and not disclose any personal information, such as a phone number or address to an inmate. They should also stay clear of inmates who haven't been authorized to take part in this program.