In-Person vs. Video Visits at Placer Jail: How They Work and What They Cost

Placer County jails (Auburn, Roseville, and South Placer) all offer on-site video visitation, and remote video visitation is available too. The county provides PDF instructions for enrolling and scheduling video visits. One thing to know right away: the Placer County Adult Correctional Facility in Roseville has suspended all contact visitation with inmates. Your only options there are non-contact formats like video.

Wondering if a contact visit is possible? Auburn is the facility where that's most likely to come up. Professional contact visits at Auburn can be approved on a case-by-case basis, but the inmate also has to agree. If a contact visit isn't approved, or the inmate declines, non-contact visiting is offered instead.

Roseville (Placer County Adult Correctional Facility) has suspended all contact visitation with inmates. Auburn works differently: professional contact visits can be approved case-by-case, and only if the inmate agrees. Before making plans, confirm which facility and housing situation applies to your person. That determines whether you're looking at video-only options or whether a contact visit is even on the table.

For South Placer remote video visits, you need to do two things at least 24 hours ahead: register and schedule. The same 24-hour rule applies to on-site video visitation at South Placer. Those on-site sessions are free, but you still have to schedule in advance, then travel to South Placer Jail and use a video visiting terminal in the visiting lobby. New to the system? Start with the county's PDF enrollment and scheduling instructions. They walk you through setting up access and booking a visit time. Video visits can be scheduled in advance, but you still have to meet that 24-hour window.

• ✓ Register your visitor account first (remote video requires registration).
• ✓ Pick a date and time at least 24 hours ahead (remote and on-site at South Placer both use the 24-hour scheduling rule).
• ✓ Confirm your scheduled slot before the day of your visit.
• ✓ If you are using an on-site video terminal, bring your photo ID and plan to complete check-in before your start time.

Cost is the simplest way to compare. On-site video visits at South Placer are free, but you need to schedule 24 hours ahead and travel to the jail to use a video visiting terminal in the visiting lobby. Remote video visits at South Placer aren't free for everyone: visitors for inmates in select housing areas can choose remote video visitation for $9.99 for 30 minutes. Visits are typically handled in 30-minute blocks. Auburn Jail and South Placer Minimum Security provide a 30-minute in-person visitation time, but that time is split between the adult visitors. Only one visitor is allowed at the visiting station at a time. If you're coming with another adult, plan ahead so you both know how you want to divide the time.

Placer County sets visitor group limits across facilities (Auburn, South Placer, Minimum Security, and remote video). For each inmate, per visit, the limit is no more than three visitors total: either two adults and one minor child, or one adult and two minor children. Build in extra time on the day of your visit. All personal visitors must check in a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the visit start time. Show up too close to your appointment and you risk missing your slot.

1. Decide whether you can travel If getting to the jail is hard, remote video (when available for the housing area) can save the trip, but at South Placer it costs $9.99 for 30 minutes.
2. Check whether contact visiting is even possible Roseville has suspended contact visits. In Auburn, professional contact visiting is case-by-case and must be agreed to by the inmate.
3. Schedule at least 24 hours ahead Remote video at South Placer requires registration and scheduling 24 hours in advance. On-site video at South Placer also must be scheduled 24 hours in advance.
4. Confirm the allowed visit type for the housing area before you go Remote video at South Placer is only for inmates in select housing areas, so verify that detail before you count on it.