How it works

How YardTalk works

YardTalk connects to the federal prison email system (TRULINCS). Your loved one writes to us; we answer their questions or pass their text along to you.

For families

Create an account with your email and a password.
Add the person you support using their 8-digit BOP register number (for example 12345-678).
Add credits. Payments are handled securely by Stripe. Each AI answer and each text uses a small amount of credit. If the balance runs out, YardTalk tells them instead of sending.
Want texts? When they text you the first time, you'll get one message asking you to reply YES. Or opt in yourself on our opt-in page.

For the person inside

Add contact@yardtalk.ai to your TRULINCS email contacts. Once YardTalk accepts, you can start writing. Put one word in the subject line:

AI	Ask a question. Type it in the message body; the answer comes back by email, in plain text, sized for TRULINCS.
A phone number	Text that person, for example `201-555-0123`. The first time, they're asked to opt in; your message goes out as soon as they reply YES.
HELP	Get instructions.
STOP	Stop getting messages from YardTalk.

What the assistant can help with

Prison programs and policies, First Step Act time credits, compassionate release and other processes in general terms, reentry and jobs, school and the GED, letters to family, and everyday questions. It explains what rules and documents say; it does not give legal advice for a specific case, and it tells you to confirm anything important in your facility's law library.

Staff read everything. Messages through TRULINCS are monitored and kept by prison staff. They are not private and not legally privileged.

Help them stay connected

Set up an account in a few minutes. You decide how much to add, and nothing reaches your phone until you say yes.

Create a family account Get texts from a loved one