How to Contact an Inmate at Cortland County Correctional Facility (NY)

Jail communication rules vary widely from one facility to the next, and small details matter. For Cortland County Correctional Facility, no verified, facility-specific policies (visiting hours, approved phone providers, electronic messaging options, mail restrictions, or deposit methods) were available for this article. Don't assume any particular vendor, schedule, or process applies. Use the steps below to confirm the current rules with the facility first, then follow exactly what staff tells you for phone calls, mail, and visits.

Steps Checklist

• ✓ Confirm the person is currently housed at Cortland County Correctional Facility (not transferred, released, or in court).
• ✓ Get the inmate’s identifying details (full legal name, date of birth, and any booking/ID number you can find).
• ✓ Call the facility and ask what options are available right now (mail, phone calls, visitation, and any electronic messaging).
• ✓ Ask for the exact mailing format (name, ID number, housing, and any required return address details).
• ✓ Confirm what is allowed in mail (photos, letters, greeting cards) and what is not allowed (common restrictions include items like stickers, perfume, or altered paper).
• ✓ Ask whether packages are allowed at all, and if so, what source they must come from.
• ✓ Ask how phone calls work (who the phone provider is, how you set up an account if needed, and what it costs).
• ✓ Ask how to add money for commissary or phone (accepted methods, limits, processing times, and whether there are fees).
• ✓ If you plan to visit, confirm whether you must schedule ahead, what ID you must bring, and what the dress code is.
• ✓ Write down the date of the information you were given, plus the name or position of the staff member who provided it.

1. Gather identifying information , have the inmate’s full legal name, date of birth, and any booking or ID number ready.
2. Prepare your questions , ask specifically about mail addressing, approved items, phone setup, money deposits, and visitation scheduling.
3. Have valid photo ID ready , if you are trying to get on a visiting list or you plan to visit in person.
4. Document the details , record who you spoke with, the date and time, and any reference number or instruction they gave you.
5. Confirm the timing , before you send mail or travel, verify current hours, cutoff times, and whether appointments are required.

What to Verify Sources

• ✓ Visitation days and hours, and whether visits require an appointment
• ✓ How to get approved to visit (visitor list rules, number of visitors allowed, rules for minors)
• ✓ Required identification for visitors, and whether expired IDs are rejected
• ✓ Dress code expectations, including shoes, outerwear, and clothing with logos or graphics
• ✓ Mail rules: required envelope format, return address requirements, and whether photos are permitted
• ✓ Restrictions on mail content (for example, stickers, glitter, lipstick marks, perfume, or extra inserts)
• ✓ Whether any packages are allowed, and if they must come from an approved vendor
• ✓ Phone call rules: how the inmate places calls, who the phone provider is, and how you fund calling
• ✓ Electronic messaging or video visitation: whether offered, what platform is used, and how fees work
• ✓ Money and commissary: approved deposit methods, limits, holds, and processing timelines
• ✓ Whether medical or protective housing affects visiting or communication access
• ✓ How to confirm release or transfer status so you do not send mail or funds to the wrong place

Keep your own paper trail. Save any written policy you receive, screenshot any instructions you rely on, and note the date you last confirmed the rules. If something gets rejected (a letter returned, a deposit delayed, a visit denied), those notes make it much easier to figure out what changed and what to do next.