Why Your Loved One Can't Call You Back from Benton County Jail (and What to Do)

The Benton County Sheriff's inmate correspondence page is clear on one point: inmates can only make outgoing calls. No incoming calls are allowed. You can't call the jail and get patched through, and you can't leave a number expecting a callback.

That same page says inmates can only make collect calls. There's another catch: inmates aren't given the opportunity to look up phone numbers. If your loved one doesn't already have your number memorized or written down, they may not be able to reach you at all.

But here's where it gets confusing. On the Sheriff's "fund an inmate's account" page, the guidance shifts. It says, "All inmate calls are prepaid," and tells families to add money to a phone account by contacting Correct Solutions at 877.618.3516. You can also visit the Sheriff's office lobby between 7:00am and 11:00pm (excluding holidays) to add funds in person.

So which is it - collect or prepaid? These are two different payment systems. Collect calls charge the person who answers. Prepaid calls draw from an account funded ahead of time. Benton County's website uses both terms, leaving families unsure whether they need to accept charges, fund an account, or somehow do both.

1. Call Correct Solutions at 877.618.3516 - Ask them to confirm how Benton County Jail phone calls are funded right now and what you need to do to add money to the phone account.
2. Use the lobby option if you need an in-person route - The Sheriff’s site says you can come to the Sheriff’s office lobby during the hours of 7:00am to 11:00pm (excluding holidays) to add money to a phone account.

• ✓ Be ready in case the call comes through as a collect call (the Sheriff’s site uses “collect” language).
• ✓ Check whether your phone service allows you to accept collect charges, especially if you use a mobile phone plan.
• ✓ Keep a payment method handy in case accepting the call requires it.
• ✓ If you see an unfamiliar number when they call, don’t assume it’s spam - save it and note the time, since calls may not show up as your loved one’s personal number.

1. Ask the jail to confirm the rule on incoming vs. outgoing calls - The Sheriff’s site says inmates can only make outgoing calls and that no incoming calls are allowed.
2. Ask which payment method actually applies - Tell them you’ve seen both “collect calls” language and “all inmate calls are prepaid,” and ask what families should do to make sure calls connect.
3. Request the phone system/provider details in plain language - If there’s a written handout or posted guidance that matches what they’re currently using, ask for that so you’re not guessing.

If something goes wrong - missed calls, surprise charges, or money added but no calls coming through - write down what happened. Note the date, time, the number that called, and any amounts charged or paid. Then call Correct Solutions at 877.618.3516 to sort out what went wrong and what to do next.