How to Contact an Inmate at Pickaway Correctional Institution (OH)

Below, you'll find what you need to know about two ways to connect with an inmate at Pickaway Correctional Institution: scheduling an in-person visit and sending personal letters or cards. Visit reservations go through the ViaPath portal, and visiting hours can change without notice. Confirm the current schedule with the institution before you go.

You can't just show up at Pickaway and expect to be seated. All visit reservations go through the ViaPath portal, so that's your starting point when planning a trip.

Timing matters here. Don't arrive hours early; show up at the assigned processing time before visitation starts. Each session also has a hard arrival cut-off (10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.), and you must be there by the applicable cut-off to be admitted.

First time visiting? Plan around the required orientation. First-time visitors must attend an orientation session that begins promptly at noon for the first session (12:15 to 3:15 p.m.) or at 4:00 p.m. for the second session (4:30 to 7:30 p.m.).

Documents and Entry

• ✓ Custody paperwork (if applicable)
• ✓ Birth certificate (for a minor child)
• ✓ Authorization of minor child form (if applicable)

Personal letters and cards don't go directly to Pickaway. They're routed through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) mail processing system. Effective May 1, 2024, send personal letters and cards to: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Mail Processing Center (OMPC), 884 Coitsville-Hubbard Road, Youngstown, Ohio 44505. Mail sent to the old address will eventually get forwarded, but expect delays.

Planning to grab something from the vending machines during your visit? Bring a credit or debit card. The machines don't accept cash.

Steps to Follow

• ✓ Reserve the visit through the ViaPath portal.
• ✓ Call the institution to confirm the current visiting hours before you travel.
• ✓ Follow your assigned processing time and make sure you arrive by the session cut-off time (10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m.).
• ✓ If you are a first-time visitor, attend the required orientation that begins promptly at noon (12:15 to 3:15 p.m.) or 4:00 p.m. (4:30 to 7:30 p.m.).
• ✓ Bring any required documents for your situation (for example, custody paperwork, a birth certificate, or an authorization of minor child form), or you will not be permitted to enter.

Between visits, you can stay connected by sending personal letters and cards to the ODRC Mail Processing Center address in Youngstown (effective May 1, 2024). If you run into issues or aren't sure where to send something, use the mail processing center email or phone number listed above.

1. Confirm the current visiting hours by phone , hours can change without notice.
2. Ask whether the session cut-off times are still enforced , the cut-offs listed for arrival are 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

1. Verify the reservation method , confirm that ViaPath is still required for visit reservations and ask what the current reservation steps are.

1. Verify first-time orientation timing , confirm the orientation start times (noon for the 12:15 to 3:15 p.m. session, or 4:00 p.m. for the 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. session).
2. Confirm exactly which documents you need , examples listed include custody paperwork, a birth certificate, and an authorization of minor child form, and missing documents can prevent entry.

Mail routing rules can change, and this policy has a specific effective date. If you're unsure whether personal letters and cards are still being routed through the ODRC Mail Processing Center (effective May 1, 2024), confirm before sending. For mail-specific questions, use the contact information in the mail section above.