Sarasota County Jail Remote Inmate Video Visits

Sarasota County Jail

Address:
2020 Main St.
Sarasota, FL 34237
Phone:
941-861-4165

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Schedule a Video Visit with an Inmate at the Sarasota County Jail - Remotely or at the Jail

The Sarasota County Jail believes in the importance of their inmates having an opportunity to have visits from family and friends. When an inmate is released he or she needs to return home, and closeness to their family is one of the strongest reasons that keeps them from getting in trouble again.

One way that Sarasota County Jail is able to accomplish this is with GTL/Viapath remote video visitation. Remote visiting allows loved ones to use their phone or computer to connect directly with their inmate via a video kiosk in the jail or using tablets, all in a joint effort between the facility and GTL.

The benefits of video visitation are:

• It keeps inmates happy.
• Allows the inmates to stay in touch with friends, family and children.
• It saves on staff time, thus money.
• Allows the jail to partake in a revenue share.
• Keeps viruses from spreading.
• Keeps contraband from entering the facility.

For more information on GTL/Viapath video visits and video messages, call the facility at 941-861-4165 or scroll down for a complete section of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.

Remote Visitation with an Inmate at the Sarasota County Jail

Sarasota County Jail offers Video Visitation for Inmates using the Services of GTL, aka ViaPath Techologies

In order to schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL you need to first register with GTL.

Next Steps:

• Register yourself and all visitors.
• Select Sarasota County Jail
• Select your inmate.
• Schedule your preferred time for the visit.

For at-home video visits: Sign in to the visitation scheduling site 15 minutes prior to your scheduled visit. Test your connection, and follow the steps to start your visit.
For on-site video visits: Arrive at the facility at least 15 minutes prior to check-in. A valid photo ID is required. 

All your questions can be answered after you register, at the Frequently Asked Questions page, or call 855-208-7349 during the following hours:
6AM – 4PM MST Monday – Friday, or 
7AM – 4PM MST Saturday – Sunday

Costs for Visits are subject to change but generally run less than $10.00 for a 30 minute visit.
Payment can be made with Visa, Mastercard debit, credit or gift cards.

Sarasota County Jail Inmate Video Visitation Schedule & Registration

2020 Main St.
Sarasota, FL 34237
941-861-4165

• First, you must register online or in the jail lobby with GTL / Viapath.
  
• On-site visits are free.
• Remote visits are $12.00 for a 25 minute visit.
• Inmates are allowed three (3) fifty-minute visitations per week.
• The maximum number of visitors allowed at each visit is three (3), including children.
• Visits may be scheduled two weeks in advance and up to 24 hours prior to your desired visit. Visits may be canceled up to 48 hours prior to visit.
• Dress professionally and NON seductively.
• You will need a valid government issued photo ID.
• If you have any questions call the jail at 941-861-4692.

* Remote Visits begin at 8:30AM

Remote Video Visiting an Inmate who is in the Sarasota County Jail

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 Sarasota County Jail 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.

Visitation Options, Hours, Schedules & Rules

Visitation times and schedules for remote visitation with an inmate at Sarasota County Jail with GTL are available to you after logging in and selecting the inmate you wish to visit with.

* Visitation schedules are subject to change.
* The actual visiting hours vary depending on the following factors:

• Whether or not there are restrictions in place due to COVID or other factors such as security issues.
• The day of the week.
• Where the inmate is housed.
• The inmate's sex.
• Whether or not it is a Holiday.

* Each inmate is allowed one or two visits (or unlimited visits!), ranging from 15 minutes to one hour in length each week.
* Inmates with special privileges may be allowed additional visits.
* If you are visiting from another state or traveling a great distance, Sarasota County Jail may allow you an extended visitation. Call 941-861-4165 to ask for special consideration.
* Call 941-861-4165 to ask about normal visiting hours at the jail, and procedures for scheduling a visit other than video visitation.