How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Call Johnston Unit before you visit to confirm the inmate is assigned there and has visitation privileges. A wasted trip is the last thing you need. Each inmate gets one scheduled visit per weekend. The TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler hides dates already booked and shows "Not Approved for Visits" if privileges have been removed. Visitors 18 and older need a current government-issued ID, and at least one ID must show a current physical address (exceptions exist for certified family-violence victims). Create your own scheduler account and use the emailed 7-digit validation code to complete setup. Cell phones are prohibited inside the secure perimeter. You can bring coins only, up to $35.
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Visiting the Johnston Unit starts with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Online Visitation Scheduler. A couple of details in the scheduler will tell you whether you can move forward or need to follow up with the unit.
Planning a Securus remote video visit with someone at TDCJ? The basics are straightforward: session length, price, and monthly limits are all set. The tricky part is availability. Confirm the inmate's location and the unit's current visitation status before you build your schedule around a video visit.
Before you make the drive to Johnston Unit, make one quick call. It's the easiest way to avoid showing up for a visit that can't happen.
Create your own account in the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler (staff cannot do this for you). After registering, you'll receive an email with a link and a 7-digit validation code. Enter phone numbers as "XXX XXX XXXX" and use the inmate's 8-digit TDCJ/SID number to add them. The scheduler hides dates already booked and may show "Not Approved for Visits" if privileges have been removed.
Leave your cell phone outside the secure perimeter. Cash isn't allowed except coins, and the limit is $35.
If an inmate loses visitation privileges, the scheduler may show "Not Approved for Visits." If you're removed from an inmate's Visitors List, you can submit a written appeal to the Director's Review Committee at PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX within 14 days of the removal notice. Call Johnston Unit to confirm visitation status before traveling.
Want to get phone calls from someone at the Johnston Unit? You'll need to register your phone number first. Here's how to do that, plus where to go if you run into problems with phone or other paid communication services.
At Johnston Unit, personal mail and photos go through TDCJ's Digital Mail Processing Center before being delivered digitally to the inmate's tablet. Here's how to send physical mail for scanning and JPay e-messages so everything arrives the way you expect.
Sending money to someone in prison should be straightforward, not a headache of returned payments or unexpected delays. Here's what you need to know about Johnston Unit trust fund rules: who can send funds, what payment types work, and when to expect a 14-day hold.
