Free online prison visitation app
Screenshots
Cidnet is a free video visitation app for Android developed by Encartele. This app allows you to send messages and make video calls with incarcerated persons you know, friends or family. The app is an improved version of the Cidnet website, offering similar services to inmates and their loved ones.
If you need to communicate, you can also try Text Free: Call Text Now for Free or Microsoft Teams for professional purposes. But in the end, it depends on how much access the prisoners have to such apps if you’ll be able to communicate with them in these methods.
Video visitations
Cidnet allows you to schedule video visitation with someone in jail and send text messages. It’s essential to specify that Cidnet is a US-based service, so it will not be available everywhere, and even in the US, some facilities don’t provide the service.
You’ll need to create an account with a photo ID, as some correctional facilities require it. You can then purchase credits to send messages and schedule your video visitations. When you schedule a video visit, it’s pending until the facility approves it, and you will see the date, time, and duration of the next scheduled visit.
Searching for an inmate
If you don’t know what the inmate’s serial number is, for instance, you can search in the app. You can search by name to find the person you’re looking for and get in contact with them.
Credit system
When you use Cidnet, every message or video call you will make must be paid for. You can pay by using credits, which you can acquire by buying directly within the app. You’ll see your remaining credit at the top of your dashboard, as well as data usage. Furthermore, you can also see your transaction history and usage. As it is a system used by jails, your communications with inmates can be monitored.
Stay in touch with incarcerated loved ones
Cidnet is a convenient app if you know someone currently serving time in a US facility that you can’t visit in person. It lets you send text messages and schedule video visitation calls.
However, while the app is free, you will need to purchase credits in the app to use it.