Powledge Unit, TX

Powledge Unit follows TDCJ's one-visit-per-weekend rule. Visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and each regular visit lasts two hours, starting once both you and the inmate are present. Visits are contact visits with limited physical contact: one hug and kiss at the beginning and end, plus holding hands on the table in staff view. Most non-attorney visits may be electronically monitored. If you're 18 or older, bring an acceptable government-issued photo ID. Cell phones aren't allowed inside the secure perimeter, and the only cash you can bring is coins (up to $35). Each inmate can have up to 10 people on their Visitors List. Special visits or accommodations need to be arranged with the unit ahead of time. To request a visit, use the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. You'll create your own account and enter the inmate's 8-digit TDCJ/SID number.

Staying in touch with someone at Powledge Unit typically involves a mix of video visits and vendor-based communication services. There are two separate paths for video visitation. Remote kiosk video visits are scheduled through the approved vendor and limited to once per month for up to 60 minutes. Powledge also offers tablet-based video visits, which must be scheduled online through the TDCJ visitation portal following that portal's booking and access rules. Phone service, electronic messaging, and tablet features generally run through the state Inmate Technology program and third-party vendors, so you'll register and make payments through those vendors. Service availability and features can vary by unit, so check the inmate's Powledge facility page before scheduling or purchasing anything.

To put money on an account at Powledge Unit, you must be on the inmate's Approved Visitation List or Inmate Telephone List. Cash and personal checks mailed to the Inmate Trust Fund are not accepted and will be returned. Deposits carry a $2.50 fee plus 2.25% of the amount. eCommDirect purchase transactions have a $3.75 fee. Spending through eCommDirect is capped by calendar quarter: $70 for Jan to Mar, Apr to Jun, and Jul to Sep, and $95 for Oct to Dec. Online eCommDirect purchases typically arrive within five business days after TDCJ receives the transaction details. One thing to know: if the inmate was newly received, they can't get eCommDirect purchases until the next calendar quarter.