Allegany County Detention Center, MD

Allegany County Detention Center doesn't offer in-person visitation—all visits happen virtually through paytel.com. The facility's onsite video kiosks are free to use, but video visits from your personal phone or computer require a paid account with fees. For personal-device visits, create an account at paytel.com to schedule and connect. Lobby kiosk visits must be scheduled directly from the kiosk, and available time slots vary by day. Attorneys, social workers, and other approved professionals may be able to arrange Zoom visits. Before visiting, make sure you're on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list, have the required ID ready, and follow the facility's scheduling instructions.

Inmates at Allegany County Detention Center can't receive incoming phone calls. All calls are outgoing through PayTel—either collect or prepaid/debit—and you'll need to accept and pay for them. Set up and fund your phone account through PayTel's portal at paytel.com. For technical issues, call PayTel support at 1-800-729-8355. Detainees have access to free tablets that include education courses, a legal library, messaging, and phone call stations for reaching approved contacts. Through PayTel's Pathway to Achieve program, inmates can earn money credits by completing coursework, then use those credits toward calls or purchases like movies. As with most Maryland facilities, expect calls and video communications to be monitored or recorded.

Mail at Allegany County Detention Center works differently than most jails. All personal mail goes to an off-site processing center, where it's searched and scanned, then delivered electronically for inmates to view on facility tablets. The jail won't accept money, checks, packages, magazines, or newspapers through the mail or at the facility. Legal and other authorized mail also needs the facility's required off-site scanning address format to route correctly. Need to add money to an inmate's account? Don't mail it—use jailatm.com or the Jail ATM kiosk in the facility vestibule instead. To avoid delays, address everything exactly as required, include the inmate's full name and ID, add your return address, and stick to plain paper and envelopes.

You can add money for an inmate at Allegany County Detention Center online through jailatm.com or in person at the Jail ATM kiosk in the facility vestibule. Don't mail cash or money orders—the facility won't accept funds by mail. Families can also deposit to commissary accounts using the commissary kiosk, and holiday gifts can be ordered through allegamd.jailcanteen.com. Processing times vary by deposit method, and vendor fees may apply—check the vendor site for current details. Use the inmate's ID number or full name when depositing so funds post to the right account. Commissary money covers items like clothing, hygiene supplies, stationery, and snacks.