How to Contact an Inmate at Pinellas County Jail (FL)

Pinellas County Jail uses Smart Communications kiosks and tablets for inmate communication. Your first step is creating a Smart Communications account. That single account lets you schedule video visits, send electronic messages, and share photos, so it's worth setting up right away.

In-person visiting is not an option for most people at this facility. The jail states there are no face-to-face visits, except for professional or other visits specifically approved by jail command.

Phone calls here don't work like a typical call-in system. Inmates cannot receive incoming calls. Instead, they place outgoing calls using credits through Smart Communications on their assigned tablets or housing unit kiosks. If you want to make sure they have call time, you can add funds to the inmate's Smart Communications account through the SmartInmate funding site.

Personal mail also goes through Smart Communications. Letters, postcards, greeting cards, and pictures are scanned into the system, then made available for the inmate to view on a tablet or wall kiosk. To avoid having your letter returned, address it to Smart Communications for Pinellas County Jail and include the inmate's name and ID number.

Steps to Follow

• ✓ Create a Smart Communications account so you can schedule video visits and use messaging/photo features
• ✓ Schedule a pre-scheduled remote video visit (sessions are 30 minutes and start on the hour or half hour)
• ✓ Plan your visit within the posted hours: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week
• ✓ Track the weekly allotment: inmates are provided four 30-minute pre-scheduled remote or on-demand video sessions per week
• ✓ If you need more time, expect a charge for additional sessions ($0.16 per minute)

1. Plan for outgoing calls only - You cannot call an inmate directly at Pinellas County Jail.
2. Add money to the inmate’s Smart Communications account - Funds allow the inmate to purchase call credits and place outgoing calls using a tablet or housing unit kiosk.
3. Watch your timing - If you miss a call, the inmate will need to try again later once they have access and available credits.

1. Address it to Smart Communications for Pinellas County Jail - This is where the jail directs personal mail for inmates.
2. Include the inmate’s name and ID number - If either is missing, the mail can be returned to the sender.
3. Expect scanned delivery - Regular personal mail (letters, postcards, greeting cards, photos) is scanned into the Smart Communications system and then viewed by the inmate on a tablet or wall kiosk.

What to Verify

• ✓ That pre-scheduled remote video visits still run in 30-minute blocks and begin on the hour or half hour
• ✓ That visitation hours are still 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week
• ✓ That inmates still receive four 30-minute video sessions per week, and that the additional-session rate is still $0.16 per minute

• ✓ The current way to add funds for phone credits through Smart Communications (and whether any payment options have changed)
• ✓ Any account setup details that may affect call delivery, since inmates can only place outgoing calls

• ✓ The exact personal-mail addressing format Smart Communications requires for Pinellas County Jail
• ✓ Whether any exceptions apply to the scanning rule (for example, categories of mail handled differently)
• ✓ Current scanning and delivery turnaround times