How to send messages, photos, and packages
McDowell Detention Facility uses NCIC for phone service and video visitation. To set up a video visit, call 1-800-943-2189 or book online at videovisit.ncic.com—you'll need to complete the vendor's approval steps first. For written communication, text and email messaging goes through the Inmate Canteen website, which advertises rates cheaper than a postage stamp. Phone calls work differently: inmates place outgoing calls to approved family and friends, but the facility doesn't accept incoming calls. Three-way calls are prohibited. Calls are billed per minute with no connection fees, and rates vary by call type.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
McDowell County Detention allows inmates to receive text and email messages from friends and family through the team3 Inmate Canteen website. Want to get a message through faster than regular mail? This is your option.
Schedule a video visit through NCIC by calling 1-800-943-2189 or booking online at videovisit.ncic.com.
No. McDowell Detention Facility states it does not accept incoming phone calls.
No. Three-way calls are prohibited at McDowell Detention Facility.
In most North Carolina jails, non-legal mail is screened and scanned by an offsite vendor and delivered to inmates as a digital copy. This is often faster than traditional physical handling, though timing can vary by facility and vendor.
Yes, but packages, books, and publications usually aren’t handled through mail scanning. They generally must be sent to the facility street address or through an approved vendor, so check the facility’s rules before you ship anything.
Often, yes—many vendors let you request the original within a short window, sometimes for a fee. If you miss that window, unclaimed originals are commonly destroyed.
Need to put money on someone's account at McDowell Detention Facility? You have two options: deposit online at team3.inmatecanteen.com (select "McDowell County Detention Center"), or use the kiosks in the McDowell County Sheriff's Office lobby—they're open 24 hours a day. Both methods charge a convenience fee.
Putting money on someone's account at McDowell Detention Facility is straightforward. You can deposit online through Inmate Canteen or use the kiosks in the Sheriff's Office lobby—they're available 24/7.
Phone calls are one of the main ways to stay connected with someone at McDowell Detention Facility—but the system has rules that can catch families off guard. Here's how calling works, how to set up prepaid service, what rates look like, and what to avoid so your calls don't get cut off.
