How to Contact an Inmate at Facility
If you need to reach someone at Wallens Ridge State Prison, start by using the right channel for the situation. The two big things to know: how after-hours contact works, and how to request interpretation if language is a barrier.
If the inmate has limited English proficiency, the facility is required to provide interpretation services. Options include in-person interpreters, telephone, video conferencing, or DOC-approved electronic communication devices. When you're dealing with something time-sensitive or complicated, ask for interpretation directly and specify the method you need (telephone, video, etc.) so staff can set it up properly.
Outside normal business hours, a Special Agent is assigned as the on-call Duty Agent. The Operations and Logistics Unit (OLU) keeps the Duty Agent schedule and phone numbers on file. If you need to reach the Duty Agent, call the OLU and they'll connect you or route you to the right person.
Steps to Follow
- ✓ If you need help outside normal business hours, contact the facility’s Operations and Logistics Unit (OLU) and ask to reach the on-call Duty Agent.
- ✓ Use the facility’s official contact information for OLU (do not rely on old posts, forwarded messages, or unofficial directories).
- ✓ Be ready to share the inmate’s full name and any identifying details the facility asks for, so staff can route your request quickly.
- ✓ If language is a barrier, request interpretation services and explain that the inmate has limited English proficiency.
- ✓ Ask for the interpretation method that fits your situation: in-person/on-site, telephone, video conferencing, or a DOC-approved electronic communication device.
- ✓ If you are not sure which method is available right then, ask staff what they can provide immediately and what requires scheduling.
Interpretation services are required, but the exact process can shift depending on staffing and where the inmate is housed. Before you make a trip or schedule a conversation, confirm which interpretation options are actually available on-site at that time (in-person, phone, video, or DOC-approved electronic devices). Also ask whether you need to give advance notice so staff can arrange it.
For after-hours issues, confirm the correct way to reach OLU and what happens once you call. Ask staff to walk you through the procedure for contacting the on-call Duty Agent outside normal business hours, including any limits on when or how the Duty Agent can be reached.
Note: Don't assume specific hours, response times, or immediate access to an on-site interpreter. When you call, write down who you spoke with, the date and time, and exactly what you were told.
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