West County Detention Facility Remote Inmate Video Visits

West County Detention Facility

Address:
5555 Giant Highway
Richmond, CA 94806
Phone:
510-262-4200

Schedule a Video Visit with an Inmate at the West County Detention Facility

At West County Detention Facility, maintaining close ties between inmates and their families is highly encouraged. These relationships can play a significant role in an inmate's successful transition back into society and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

To facilitate this, West County Detention Facility provides (or will soon provide) remote video visitation. Loved ones can use their phones or computers to connect with their inmate through video kiosks or tablets provided by a third-party service.

Benefits of video visitation include:

• Boosts inmate morale.
• Keeps inmates in touch with their family, friends, and children.
• Reduces staff involvement in managing in-person visits.
• Generates revenue for the facility.
• Prevents the spread of illnesses during visits.
• Prevents contraband from entering through in-person visits.

For more information, call West County Detention Facility at 510-262-4200, or scroll down for Frequently Asked Questions.

West County Detention Facility INMATE VISITATION SCHEDULE & GUIDELINES

5555 Giant Highway
Richmond, CA 94806
510-262-4200

• Confirm that your inmate is in the jail and able to receive visits.
• If possible, call 510-262-4200 at least 24 hours before the day you want to visit to schedule a visit, however you can schedule a visit same day, but it may take some time to process your request.
• Up to three visitors may visit an inmate at one time, and all visitors must be scheduled and at the facility no later than 30 minutes prior to the end of any visiting block.
• Each visit will be for 45 minutes.
• Each inmate is allowed two visits per week. This is subject to change. 
• Each adult visitor will complete a visitors form before registering for the visit.
• The registration must be complete, legible and include the following:
  Visitor’s name
  Visitor’s address
  Visitor’s date of birth
  Driver’s license number
  Inmate Name and Booking Number
  Visitor’s relationship to inmate
• Parents and/or guardians of minor children will be required to provide a birth certificate or proof of guardianship of minor children during processing of the initial visit.

Frequently Asked Questions about Remote Video Visits

What is a video visit, and how do they work?

Who are the companies that facilitate video visits?

What is a video visit, and how do they work?

Video visitation, also known as remote visitation, is quickly becoming the preferred method for visiting an inmate in jail or prison for the following reasons:

•    It requires little to no staff, versus the staff required to move inmates to and from the visit and watch over the visit. It saves the West County Detention Facility money.
•    It removes any opportunity for contraband (drugs) to enter the facility.
•    It can become a profit center for the facility, given that the revenue generated by visits is shared with the jail.
•    While inmates prefer to see family and friends in person, video visitation allows them to visit with them more often, and on a whim.
•    Video visitation gives the inmates and their visitors the feeling of more privacy.

Video visitation from the perspective of the visitor allows them to visit from their home, their car, at work, and even allows them to take their device to a family or religious gathering. It allows them to give their inmate the feeling of belonging and not being forgotten.

Video visitation can take place on a computer, a tablet or a phone. 

Video visitation saves time. Instead of spending hours driving to the jail, checking in, filling out paperwork, potentially being searched, waiting, and then having a 15–30-minute visit, if it isn’t cancelled at the last minute, the visit can be done from anywhere during a short break in the visitor’s day.

If the visitor does not have access to a phone or computer, they can make an appointment ahead of time and use terminals in the lobby of the jail.

You must also be on the inmate's approved list, even for a video visit.

Who are the companies that facilitate video visits?

There are several different companies that contract with all the jails and prisons that allow video visitation:

These are the companies in alphabetical order:

CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Correct Solutions Group
Correct Pay
Ctel
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
IC Solutions
Inmate Canteen
Inmate Sales
iwebvisits
JailATM
Jpay
Gettingintouch (netvisit)
NCIC
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tiger Services
Visitel
In addition, some jails use Microsoft Meeting and Zoom.