How to send messages, photos, and packages
Communication at Dolph Briscoe Unit runs through TDCJ Inmate Technology Services, which manages the phone system, e-messaging, inmate tablets, and Securus video visitation. For remote video visits, schedule through Securus online. Each visit runs 60 minutes, costs $10.00, and inmates are limited to one remote video visit per month. Phone calls can be collect, Friends & Family prepaid, or paid from an inmate prepaid debit account. Before receiving calls, register your phone number and provide the inmate's TDCJ ID. All calls are monitored and recorded unless they're to the inmate's attorney of record—no forwarding calls, three-way calling, or speakerphone. For help or vendor complaints, use the TDCJ ITS contact options during posted business hours.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Schedule remote video visits through the Securus website after registering, following TDCJ's instructions. Check that Dolph Briscoe Unit appears on TDCJ's remote visitation list for facilities that allow remote visits.
A remote Securus video visit costs $10.00 and lasts 60 minutes. Inmates are limited to one remote video visit per month.
Register your phone number in the TDCJ system and provide the inmate’s TDCJ ID before you can receive calls. Make sure the name on your driver license or state ID matches your phone listing or bill, and don’t forward calls, place three-way calls, or use speakerphone.
Write the inmate’s full legal name and TDCJ number or SID on the envelope, along with the Dolph Briscoe Unit name and address. Include your full return address, too.
Most personal mail in Texas is typically routed through a centralized processing vendor where accepted pages are scanned and delivered electronically to inmates. Legal/privileged mail usually follows a separate handling process and may not be scanned.
Yes—TDCJ accepts money orders or cashier’s checks for inmate trust accounts when you include the required deposit slip. Use the Inmate Trust Fund mailing instructions for the correct PO Box and payee format.
Your first visit to Dolph Briscoe Unit goes smoother when you confirm a few things beforehand and pack only what's allowed. Use this checklist to avoid the most common reasons visits get delayed or denied.
Before planning a remote video visit—or traveling for any visit—confirm two things first: that your loved one is currently housed at the Dolph Briscoe Unit and that they have visitation privileges. This quick check can save you a lot of frustration. Unit assignment and visitation status determine whether a visit can happen at all.
Getting approved to visit someone at Dolph Briscoe Unit boils down to two things: confirming they're actually housed there with visiting privileges, and making sure your name is on their approved Visitors List before you make the trip.
