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Part of Correctional services

Contact an inmate

Visit, call, message or mail an inmate in a correctional or remand centre.

Inmate information

There are 8 adult correctional and remand centres in Alberta.

Correctional and remand centres cannot answer questions about:

  • whether or not someone is in custody
  • an inmate’s criminal record

An inmate may:

  • send you mail
  • call you from a centre’s phone
  • message you from a centre’s tablet

Charges, sentences and court appearances

Call Court and Justice Services at 1-855-738-4747, about:

  • charges
  • sentences
  • court appearances

Inmate phone calls

You cannot directly call an inmate.

You can leave a voice mail for an inmate:

  • learn about phone calls and messages at Synergy inmate phones
  • non-privileged voice mail messages are recorded

An inmate can call you from a correctional or remand centre:

  • non-privileged phone calls are recorded

Message an inmate

You can connect with an inmate by:

  • sending and receiving messages
  • sending a photo

You will not be able to send a message if the person is not incarcerated at one of the 8 adult correctional and remand centres.

Step 1: Set up an account

You will need to set up your own account:

Step 2: Put money in your account

Step 3: Give the inmate your email address

  • wait for an email invitation from the inmate

Messages and pictures

Messages and pictures are not private. All messages and pictures are:

  • monitored and recorded
  • subject to review and approval and
    • will be rejected if they contain inappropriate material

Learn what photos are allowed at the Synergy website.

Mail an inmate

There are 8 adult correctional and remand centres in Alberta.

If you think a person is incarcerated at a particular centre:

  • you may write the person a letter
  • your letter will be forwarded if they are at another centre
  • your letter will be returned to its sending address if the person is not incarcerated in one of the 8 adult correctional and remand centres

Sending a letter

All incoming mail is searched. If anything illegal is found – like drugs – the mail is given to the police.

The letter cannot contain:

  • perfumes or liquids
  • contraband

A letter sent to an inmate must be:

  • written in normal blue or black ink
  • sealed in a basic white envelope
  • clearly addressed
  • unmarked by stickers, crayon, paint, or marker

Sending money or a package

There are rules about sending money or a package to an inmate:

Get money to an inmate

You can deposit money to an inmate’s:

  • trust account – money in a trust account can be moved to a phone account
  • phone account – money in a phone account cannot be moved to a trust account

The quickest ways to deposit money:

  • online or by phone
  • at the facility
  • at a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) – call your local branch and ask about forwarding money to offenders in custody

Online or by phone

This deposit service is provided by Synergy and there are service charges.

Find out how to make a deposit on the Synergy website with:

At the correctional facility

Lobby front desk

Staff working at the front desk can put money directly into an inmate’s accounts – there are no service charges. You can make a deposit with:

  • cash

Lobby kiosk

You need to know the inmate’s Offender Records and Correctional Administration (ORCA) number to make a kiosk deposit.

Lobby kiosks are provided by Synergy and there are service charges. You can make a deposit with:

  • cash, or
  • credit card

Learn more about Synergy kiosks

Sending a cheque or money order

There are rules about sending money to an inmate:

Visit an inmate

In-person visits are not possible at the Edmonton Remand Centre – see the ‘Edmonton Remand Centre video visit' section, below.

For the other 7 centres, arrange a visit by calling the appropriate centre.

All visitors must have one piece of government issued photo ID such as a valid provincial driver's licence.

Visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Edmonton Remand Centre video visit

Step 1. Register a user account

New users

Create a visitor account:

  1. Click the big blue ‘Register Today’ button at visitcorrections.alberta.ca.
  2. Follow the instructions.

You will get rules about video visits when you create your account – make sure you understand them.

Returning users

Go to step 2 if you have registered a visitor account at visitcorrections.alberta.ca.

Step 2. Book your video visit

  1. Log in at visitcorrections.alberta.ca.
  2. Book your video visit.

Step 3. Your video visit

  • You need to log in 15 minutes before your visit.
  • You will get rules about video visits when you log in for your visit – make sure you understand them.

Edmonton Remand Centre video visiting hours:

9 am to 11 am, 1 pm to 4 pm, 6 pm to 9 pm (7 days a week)