How to Visit Jackson County Jail , MI (MI)

If you're visiting in person, travel light. Jackson County Jail does not allow food or drink, bags or purses, cell phones, or other recording devices inside. General visitation hours run from 7:30 AM to 10:20 PM. That said, the jail blocks out certain times for security activities, so a slot that looks open on paper may not actually be available when you show up. For phone contact, inmates can make calls between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM. Calls go out as collect calls or through a SMART pre-paid inmate debit account. The jail does not accept incoming calls or messages for inmates, so all communication needs to come from the inmate's end.

For remote video visits, you'll need to create a Smart Online account through SmartJailMail and wait for approval. Watch your email for the approval message before trying to schedule anything. If you're enrolling on a computer, have a webcam ready. The enrollment process requires you to take a picture of a government-issued photo ID (a driver's license or passport, for example). When you schedule the video visit, you'll choose from times when the inmate is available. This is normal for the system. Don't assume any open slot will work if the inmate isn't available at that time.

Steps to Follow

• ✓ Create a Smart Online account through SmartJailMail, then wait for the approval email before scheduling (account approval is required).
• ✓ If enrolling on a computer, use a device with a webcam so you can take a picture of your government-issued photo ID.
• ✓ Schedule your video visit for a time when the inmate is available.
• ✓ On the day of the visit, log in to your account 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.

• ✓ Leave food or drink, bags or purses, cell phones, and any recording devices out of the jail.
• ✓ Plan your on-site visit within the general visitation window of 7:30 AM to 10:20 PM, and expect possible blocked-out times for jail security activities.
• ✓ If you are trying to reach someone by phone, know inmates can place calls between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM using outgoing collect calls or a SMART pre-paid inmate debit account.
• ✓ Do not count on calling messages in. The jail will not receive incoming telephone calls or messages for inmates.

Before you travel, confirm the current visitation hours and ask whether any parts of the day are blocked for security activities. Even though the general window is posted as 7:30 AM to 10:20 PM, day-to-day operations can affect what's actually available. For video visits, verify the current SmartJailMail process: how long account approval is taking, whether anything has changed in the setup, and whether the system still expects you to log in 15 minutes early on the day of your visit. A quick check can save you from missing your scheduled time.