Video Visits from Home: Complete setup guide for Chatham County Detention Center
At-home video visits can save you a long trip—and they go much smoother when you're set up ahead of time. Here's how video visitation works at Chatham County Detention Center, what it costs, what you'll need, and who to call if something goes wrong.
Chatham County Detention Center offers video visitation from home through JailATM. Use a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone - whatever works best for you. Just make sure your device can handle video and connect to the internet.
Attorney/privileged visits: JailATM can register privileged-user (attorney) visits so those sessions are encrypted and not recorded or monitored.
At-home video visits cost $0.11 per minute. A 20-minute visit runs $2.20, which makes budgeting for regular calls pretty straightforward.
Adding money to an inmate's commissary account through JailATM? That's a separate transaction with a $2.50 fee each time.
Before scheduling, double-check your setup. You'll need an internet connection and a device with a webcam (or front-facing camera on a phone or tablet). A headset helps cut down on echo and makes it easier to hear each other.
- ✓ Stay in one location for the whole visit - moving around increases the chance of a signal drop that can cut the visit off
- ✓ If you can, use a strong, stable connection (Wi‑Fi is usually steadier than bouncing between cellular signals)
- ✓ Silence notifications and incoming calls so your phone doesn’t interrupt the video session
- ✓ Fully charge your device (or keep it plugged in) so you don’t lose the visit mid-call
Video visitation hours at Chatham County run Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm. If you're working around a job or school schedule, pick a time well inside that window so you're not rushing at the start.
Hit a tech problem? Can't connect, audio cutting out, or the visit won't load? Call the Chatham County Sheriff's Office at 912-644-5120 or 912-644-5121. There's also a dedicated video visitation support line: 1-855-534-2870.
- Create your JailATM account - This is the platform Chatham County uses for web-based video communication and for online account funding.
- Find and confirm the correct inmate profile - Use the same spelling and identifying details you have from booking paperwork so you don’t request a visit with the wrong person.
- Plan for the visitor cost - At-home video visits are $0.11 per minute (so 20 minutes is $2.20). Knowing the rate upfront helps you pick a visit length you can stick with.
- Test your camera, microphone, and headset - Do a quick check before your visit time so you’re not troubleshooting once the clock is running.
- Join from a stable spot a few minutes early - Especially on a phone, staying put reduces the risk of a signal drop that can end the visit.
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