Question 1

How do I set up an account to receive phone calls or video visits from my loved one?

Accepted Answer

If your loved one’s facility uses ConnectNetwork/GettingOut, you’ll generally create an account and fund it, then link it to the incarcerated person. GettingOut’s guidance says you need to create and fund an AdvancePay account with ConnectNetwork to receive phone calls, and video visitation/messages also require registering and funding accounts. For NDCS deposits and related services, GettingOut also notes TouchPay/GTL Financial Services is involved, so you’ll want to confirm which product your facility uses before you add funds.

Question 2

Where should I address mail and photos for someone at Sarpy County Correctional Center?

Accepted Answer

Sarpy County Correctional Center says you can address mail to: (Inmate’s Name), Sarpy County Correctional Center, 1206 Golden Gate Drive, Papillion, NE 68046. If the person is in an NDCS facility instead of Sarpy County, NDCS policy says personal correspondence must go to the scanning vendor address in Phoenix, Maryland, so double-check the facility type before you send anything.

Question 3

Can I send books or packages from online retailers?

Accepted Answer

For NDCS, start with the approved vendor list, not a random retailer shipment. NDCS policy says there are generally no restrictions on the source of mail or publications unless a limitation is reasonably necessary for safety or security, and NDCS’s approved book vendor list specifically notes that members of the public may order books from Barnes & Noble for delivery. The same vendor list shows a Barnes & Noble mailing address of 3333 Oakview Drive, Omaha, NE 68144, which you should use as directed by NDCS when ordering.

Question 4

How many people can visit at once and how far ahead can I schedule a visit?

Accepted Answer

NDCS allows up to four adult visitors and a reasonable number of children at each in-person or virtual visit, and one registration form can cover multiple people attending the same session. NDCS also says you must submit the request at least seven days before the visit date, and you may schedule up to four weeks in advance. NDCS assigns visits first-come, first-served and says you will receive email confirmation at least three days prior.

Question 5

What identification do I need to bring to a visit?

Accepted Answer

NDCS says to bring proper identification and refers visitors to the specific facility’s visiting policy for the acceptable forms of ID. Since county jails can set their own requirements, I recommend calling the facility’s main line to confirm what they accept before you drive over, Hall County, for example, lists its main number as (308) 385-5206.

Question 6

Are inmate phone calls or video sessions recorded or tracked?

Accepted Answer

They can be. ViaPath/Telmate says it records and stores communications made through its services with incarcerated individuals, and it may include your image and/or voice data. ViaPath/Telmate also says it collects the location of the phone you are using when you receive a phone call through the service for billing and safety/security purposes.

Question 7

What happens if mail violates NDCS or vendor policy?

Accepted Answer

NDCS says personal correspondence is scanned into a single PDF, and if any part violates NDCS policy or the vendor’s policy, the entire PDF will be rejected. That means one problem page or photo can cause the whole mailing to be refused, so keep your content simple and policy-compliant.

Question 8

Can I send money to an inmate who is working outside or on work release?

Accepted Answer

You can usually still add funds, but it must go to the inmate’s account, not handed to a worker or staff member. Hall County says all money must be placed on the inmate worker’s account and no money may be left with any employee or inmate workers. Hall County also says inmate workers will not receive visitors while working outside and will have no contact from family or friends while outside working.

Question 9

Who should I call if phone numbers are blocked after unpaid calling limits?

Accepted Answer

Hall County’s guidance says that when your phone bill is paid, you must call 1-800-844-6591 so the inmate phone company can verify and reset the number, and they may require an additional deposit before allowing the number again. If you need a mail contact for the sheriff’s office, a Hall County Sheriff’s Office complaint form lists a return address of 111 Public Safety Drive, Grand Island, NE 68801.

Question 10

If an inmate has no tablet, how will they receive scanned mail?

Accepted Answer

NDCS says staff will photocopy approved scanned correspondence and deliver it to the incarcerated individual normally within 24 hours of approval if the person does not have an assigned tablet. The scanning process still applies, it just changes how the person receives it at the facility.

Question 11

Are there limits on how much mail an indigent inmate can send?

Accepted Answer

At Hall County, indigent inmates (defined there as having less than $2.00 on account for a period of one week) can request stationery, and the jail limits indigent mail to a maximum of three non-legal letters per week mailed from the indigent account. Legal mail is handled differently, so if your loved one is trying to send legal paperwork, they should ask staff about the correct process.

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