Patent ID: 8255300

Claim:
A method for use in controlling communications with respect to an incarceration facility; said method comprising: performing, by a computer system, accepting inbound calling connections directed to incarcerated users; and processing an accepted inbound calling connection when said inbound calling connection is directed to an incarcerated user who is unavailable to accept said inbound calling connection in real time, said processing comprising: determining at least one auxiliary service desired by said inbound calling connection; and determining a credit eligibility of said inbound calling connection based upon said determined desired inbound calling connection; and wherein said auxiliary services are selected from the group consisting of: leaving a voice mail message, leaving an e-mail message, creating message copies, hand delivery of a message, private messages, retrieving a voicemail message, leaving a reply voicemail message in response to a retrieved voicemail message, and retrieving an e-mail message.