BATEN UNIT, TX

Visiting at the Baten Unit starts online. You must create your own TDCJ visitation scheduler account—staff can only assist after it exists. Once you submit your email, the scheduler sends a message with a 7-digit validation code and a link to finish registration. Complete every question in the Background Questionnaire, and enter phone numbers as XXX XXX XXXX (spaces, no dashes). The scheduler may show Regular, Contact, and Video/Tablet visit types (separate from the Securus Video program). Some dates or visit types may be hidden if they're unavailable for a particular inmate. Visiting normally runs Saturday–Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Regular visits are two hours and start when both you and the inmate are present. Most non-attorney visits may be electronically monitored. Contact visits allow only limited physical contact. You may bring a small wallet or clear plastic bag and up to $35 in coins; paper money and most electronics are prohibited.

Staying in touch with someone at the Baten Unit starts with phone setup. To receive calls, register your telephone number at texasprisonphone.com and enter the inmate's TDCJ ID number. Calls run through the vendor system, so payment and monitoring details are handled there. The unit's online scheduler lists Video/Tablet as a visit type, meaning video or tablet-based visit options may be available through the scheduling portal. When you create a scheduler or messaging account, watch for a validation email with a 7-digit code—some systems won't let you delete or change the original email address after registration. Mail is routed through TDCJ's digital mail processing center, which scans and uploads mail to a secure tablet when available and allowed.

Since September 6, 2023, most incoming mail for people at the Baten Unit is routed through TDCJ’s centralized digital mail processing center, where letters are sorted and scanned. The scanned pages are then uploaded for the inmate to review on a secure tablet. If the inmate doesn’t have a tablet, the unit provides black-and-white printed copies of the scanned correspondence. To send personal mail through this digital system, address the envelope with the inmate’s full name and TDCJ number and mail it to PO Box 660400, Dallas, TX 75266-0400. Some items should not go to the processing center: legal mail, media mail, and books or magazine subscriptions from verified publishers should be sent directly to the unit instead.

At the Baten Unit, only people on an inmate's Approved Visitation List or Inmate Telephone List can deposit money (a policy in effect since September 1, 2020). Commissary purchases run through eCommDirect, with quarterly limits of $70 for Jan–Mar, Apr–Jun, and Jul–Sep, and $95 for Oct–Dec during the Holiday Spend period. Fees add up, so budget accordingly: eCommDirect charges a $3.75 purchase fee, and deposits cost $2.50 plus 2.25% of the amount you send. Before depositing, confirm with the inmate that you're on the correct approved list and follow the vendor's instructions—processing steps can vary. The Inmate Trust Fund office can confirm receipt of a payment but usually won't share balances or transaction details with anyone except the inmate.