Finding facility phone numbers, mailing addresses, and office hours
Start with the facility's official page and gather the basics before you do anything else: phone number, fax (if listed), the correct mailing address for inmate mail, and any posted office hours. County sheriff and jail sites often publish this directly. Gallia County Jail, for example, lists its main phone and fax along with an inmate mail address. Miami County's Sheriff's Office lists an office address, phone and fax, plus weekday office hours. For ODRC prisons, the ODRC visitation page may list the facility address, phone number, and video visiting hours (the Correctional Reception Center is one example).
- ✓ Facility name (exact wording)
- ✓ Main phone number and any visitation line
- ✓ Fax number (if you need to send forms)
- ✓ Inmate mail address and required ID number format
- ✓ Visiting and video visiting hours (and whether you must schedule in advance)
- ✓ Administrative office hours (if posted)
If you need to reach a federal agency office (not a specific institution), the Federal Bureau of Prisons publishes a Central Office mailing address and phone number for questions that aren't about a facility website. This can help when you can't get routed to the right office through a local number.
Common Questions
Q
How do I address mail so it gets delivered electronically or accepted by the facility?
Use the facility’s exact addressing rules, and do not abbreviate the facility name if the instructions say not to. One Ohio jail example says to include the complete facility name and state, the incarcerated person’s full name and identifier, and the sender’s full name and physical address. Other facilities may require the inmate’s ID number and the jail’s full mailing address, so match what your specific facility publishes.
Q
Are there alternatives to in-person visits, and do they cost anything?
Yes, some Ohio facilities use vendor portals to schedule and manage visits, including video options. One county example (Miami County) states on-site video visitation is provided at no cost to the visitor or the inmate, and ODRC facilities may use portals like ViaPath to manage visits. Check the facility’s posted visiting/video hours and the portal’s terms for your specific location.
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