How to Contact an Inmate at Allegan County Jail (MI)

Anytime you enter Allegan County Jail, you are subject to audio and video recording. Keep that in mind from the start, especially if you're bringing a child or visiting for the first time. Cell phones are not allowed during a visit. If a phone is seen, your visit may be terminated. Leave it secured in your vehicle or otherwise completely out of the visitation area.

All visits are done by video, either locally at the jail or remotely from your own device. Local visits take place in the video visitation room in the main lobby. Remote visits use any internet device with a camera. Each visitation station allows only two visitors at a time, and children over age 2 count toward that total. Any minors you bring must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times while in the visitation area.

You need to schedule visits at least 24 hours in advance. That lead time gives the inmate time to confirm. The lobby video visitation room is open Monday through Friday, 7:50am to 4:00pm, excluding major holidays. Visits can be scheduled starting at 8:00am, with the last slot at 4:00pm.

Allegan County Jail uses GettingOut.com for communication and account services. Through that system, you can create an account, add money to an inmate's telephone/visitation account, send messages, share photos, and schedule video visits. For commissary deposits, Sheriff's Office staff no longer accept money directly. Use the kiosk in the Visitation Lobby instead. Note: do not use the Visiting kiosk for commissary money.

1. Decide whether you’re visiting locally or remotely: Local visits are in the video visitation room in the main lobby. Remote visits are done on an internet device with a camera.
2. Pick a time that fits the lobby room hours (for local visits): The local video visitation room is open Monday through Friday, 7:50am to 4:00pm, excluding major holidays. Visits can be scheduled beginning at 8:00am, with the last at 4:00pm.
3. Schedule at least 24 hours ahead: The jail requires visits to be scheduled 24 hours in advance so the inmate has time to confirm.

• ✓ Use GettingOut.com to create an account, add money to an inmate’s telephone/visitation account, send messages, share photos, and schedule video visits.
• ✓ If you’re depositing commissary funds in person, use the kiosk in the Visitation Lobby (not the kiosk for Visiting).
• ✓ Do not try to give money to Sheriff’s Office staff. Money is no longer taken by staff for this purpose.

• ✓ Expect audio and video recording when you enter the facility.
• ✓ Leave your cell phone out of the visitation area. If a phone is seen, the visit may be terminated.
• ✓ Keep your group to two visitors per visitation station. Children over age 2 count toward the two-person limit.
• ✓ If you bring minors, an adult must accompany and supervise them at all times.

What to Verify

• ✓ Confirm the current schedule for the lobby video visitation room (Monday through Friday, 7:50am to 4:00pm) and whether appointment start times and the last available slot are still the same.
• ✓ Ask which dates count as “major holidays” for visitation closures.
• ✓ Reconfirm that visits still must be scheduled 24 hours in advance.

• ✓ Confirm GettingOut.com is still the system used for accounts, deposits to telephone/visitation accounts, messages, photo sharing, and video visit scheduling.
• ✓ Verify which kiosk in the Visitation Lobby is used for commissary deposits, so you do not use the kiosk for Visiting by mistake.
• ✓ Double-check that Sheriff’s Office staff still do not accept money directly.

• ✓ Ask whether the facility’s audio and video recording policy applies to all visitors and all visit types.
• ✓ Confirm how strictly the no-cell-phone rule is enforced and whether a visible phone will end your visit.
• ✓ Reconfirm the two-visitor limit per station, including that children over age 2 count toward the total.
• ✓ Confirm that local visits are still held in the main-lobby video visitation room.

Planning a remote visit? Make sure your device has internet access and a working camera before your first call. Also check whether creating a GettingOut.com account requires any identity verification steps, since that can affect how quickly you're able to schedule visits or send messages.