What Happens to an Inmate’s Money at Release from Western Tidewater

At Western Tidewater, release money is normally given to the inmate on a debit card. The one exception is when the amount being released is under $25.00 - then it’s paid out in cash. (If the inmate is being transferred to another facility, the process is different - see the transfer section below.)

When picking up the debit card, staff will explain how it works and go over any fees. If you're helping from the outside, remind your loved one to pay attention to that explanation - it'll help them know what to expect once they start using the card.

Not every dollar in an inmate's account goes home with them. Any balance owed to the jail - medical co-pays, damaged property, or other charges from their time incarcerated - gets deducted at release. If money is owed back to the facility, that debt affects what's left when they walk out.

• ✓ Nurse sick call services: $10 co-payment
• ✓ Doctor sick call services (in jail): $25 co-payment
• ✓ Emergency Room visit: $100 co-payment
• ✓ In-patient hospitalization: $200 per day co-payment

If there's still a balance owed after release, Western Tidewater expects payment within 30 days unless other arrangements are made at release. Miss that window, and the account can go to collections. Other consequences may follow - like withheld tax refunds.

1. Go to the Administration Office - If the inmate can’t pay what’s owed within 30 days, they should go to Administration.
2. Work with staff on a repayment plan - Staff can help set up a plan that works for both the jail and the inmate.

When an inmate transfers from Western Tidewater to another facility, they don't get a debit card on-site. Instead, a check is mailed to the new facility.