We recognise that it can be very difficult to be separated from your loved one, and supporting positive relationships is one of our key priorities. There are a number of ways available for you to keep in touch with your loved one.
Letters
You can write to your loved one or relative as often as you like and there is not usually any restriction on the number of letters they can receive.
When writing to your loved one/relative include their prison number, name and address of establishment (these can be found on establishments individual page).
For example:
090000, J BLOGGS
HMP Low Moss
190 Crosshill Road
Glasgow
G64 2QB
FAQs
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Yes, they will be able to write one free letter per week. They can write more by purchasing stamps through their prison canteen.
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Instead, write their name and date of birth. For example:
J BLOGGS, 01/01/1991
HMP Low Moss
190 Crosshill Road
Glasgow
G64 2QB -
Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, we are unable to confirm whether an individual is currently in our custody.
If you wish to try and contact them, you can write to them c/o the address below and if we can locate them, and they are in our custody, we will pass that letter on to them.
You should write the letter, sealing the envelope and addressing it to them, with their name, date of birth and any other details which will help us in identifying the correct person (prisoner number, last known address, aliases, sentence information etc.).
You should then put that sealed envelope inside another envelope and send it to the address below. If we can identify the correct person and they are in our custody, we will pass that letter to them.
Please be aware, if they are not in our custody or we cannot identify them from the details you have provided, this letter will be destroyed, unopened. We therefore advise against sending anything of value within these letters.
The address to send your letter to is:
Legal Services
Scottish Prison Service Headquarters
One Lochside Avenue
Edinburgh
EH12 9DJ -
Prison officers and staff are not routinely able to read correspondence as per Prison Rules and Directions.
As of December 2021, legislation provided prison officers/employees with the power to photocopy correspondence.
The person in custody can be provided with the photocopy and the original correspondence which is kept and either returned to them on release or destroyed with their consent.
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These are considered as general correspondence, Governors in charge of the prison will have discretion to decide how these are managed.
It is likely these will be tested using a Rapiscan Itemiser (Drug detection machine) and issuing the original copies.
Phone contact
Each establishment has in cell telephony which enables those in custody to call family, friends, and agencies. This includes but not limited to Samaritans, Independent Prison Monitors, Childline, Women’s Aid and Breathing Space.
Upon arriving in custody your loved one will provide a list of phone numbers (family, friends, or legal support) to be added to their approved call list. They will only be allowed to call those on the list. They are provided with a PIN number to call outside the prison.
We provide 200 free call minutes to those in custody to assist in maintaining contact with loved ones .
Phones work on a credit basis where payment comes from a Prisoner Personal Cash account (PPC) collected through wages or savings. This is used to access additional minutes.
FAQs
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Your loved one will be issued with a PIN number to access an outside line. Soon after being admitted to prison, they are asked to submit a list of telephone numbers of family, friends, and legal contacts. They will only be allowed to call numbers on their list.
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No, it is not possible for those in custody to receive incoming calls.
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The phone system works on a credit basis and payment comes from prisoner’s personal cash account (PPC), wages or savings.
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We understand that you may wish to not receive any contact from someone in custody, if this is the case, you can request for your number to be removed from a person in custody call list.
To do this please write to the Governor of the establishment requesting the name and number you would like removed and the name of the person in custody.
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If a person in custody needs to make contact urgently, or for strong compassionate reasons and has no phone funds, they can discuss this with a prison officer or a family contact officer.
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If you need to share urgent news, for example serious illness or a death in the family, please call the main telephone number for the establishment where your family member resides. You should ask for a Family Contact Officer or the Hall Manager where your loved is located.
Please note that prison staff can listen to calls coming into establishments and out.
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The cost for calling international numbers from prison PIN phones varies by country, and the type of number dialled.
You can download a full breakdown of international call charges (PDF, 82.9KB).
Prison Voicemail Scheme
Prison voicemail enables family or friends to exchange voicemail messages with a prisoner at any time, and speak directly through live calls. Users are assigned a unique landline phone number which the prisoner calls to listen to messages, leave replies, and do live calls.
This service is available in all establishments. For further information how to set this up and any further information you may need, please visit Prison Voicemail - Your voice matters, or call 01603 340588.
Email a prisoner
You can access the Email a Prisoner website via the link below. The steps for using the service are:
- Emails are sent through the Email a Prisoner website; it takes a few moments to sign up and the message is sent quickly.
- Messages cost £0.42 per message
- The email is then printed within the establishment where your family member resides and delivered to them.
Please note: Legally sensitive material/communications sent via this website are not subject to the usual privileged handling arrangements afforded to privileged mail. We recommend sending sensitive materials through the traditional channels.