Orange County Jail Intake Release Center Inmate Phone & Email

Orange County Jail Intake Release Center

Address:
550 N. Flower Street
Santa Ana, CA 92703

Phone:

714-647-6085

Receiving Phone Calls from an Inmate in Orange County Jail Intake Release Center

There are three Ways to Communicate with an Inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center by Phone

To get started you must first open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Orange County Jail Intake Release Center, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

How to deposit money for Inmate Communications:

  • Online
  • By phone by calling 877-650-4249
  • Deposit by cash, visa or mc debit and credit cards in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center lobby kiosk
  • By mail... Check or Money Order made out to:
    AdvancePay Service Department
    P.O. Box 911722
    Denver, CO 80291-1722
  • Cash deposits to ConnectNetwork are also available at 26,000 retail locations nationwide including Walmart, ACE, Kmart, Kroger, and more. You’ll start the payment process online in your ConnectNetwork account, then complete your transaction with cash at a participating local retail store. Plus, many of these stores are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Find a retail store near you.

Inmate Phone Calling Services - Third Party Vendors that work with Jails

There are dozens of third-party for profit companies working with Orange County Jail Intake Release Center and other jails in California to provide a way for inmates to phone friends and families at rates that are much less than what jails have been known to charge in the past.

The lower rates come at a cost to inmates though, as most of the profit from these calls pay for other benefits such as television and both indoor and outdoor recreational services from board games to sports and workout equipment.

To find out what phone service is being used for inmates housed in Orange County, call 714-647-6085, or if the phone service is not noted above, click on one of these companies below, each of which provide service for jails in the state of California:



 

How to get phone Calls from your inmate at Orange County Jail Intake Release Center

** REMINDER: You cannot call your inmate. They have to phone you.

PRE-PAYING

Using GTL you have the option of either:
- pre-paying directly into your inmate's account where they decide who to call, or
- pre-paying, where you control all phone costs and all calls come only to you.

Prepaid Option #1
If you deposit money online in the INMATE ACCOUNT, than they have the freedom to spend the money on phone calls to anyone, or any other communications services available at Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

Prepaid Option #2
With the FRIENDS & FAMILY ACCOUNT, you control all communication services such as phone calls, video visits and messaging. Your inmate can only call the phone number you want.

Can I call an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

No, you cannot call an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center. You can however call 714-647-6085, or search online to see if your inmate is in custody.

When an offender is first arrested and is being booked into jail, they are allowed one or two free phone calls to notify friends or family of their situation. If they are unable to notify someone at that point, they can try again, this time it will be a collect call that you will have to pay for if your phone service allows you to receive collect calls, once they are classified, processed, dressed and brought to their unit.

However, if the phone they call is a cell phone, which normally do not allow the receipt of collect calls, or your phone service does not allow for collect calls, then you will not be able to receive any phone calls from them until you purchase phone credits from the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center’s inmate calling system. 

The information for this is located above, at the top of this page. If that information is missing, it is because the facility recently changed companies and you can get the details by calling 714-647-6085.

Can I leave a message for an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

It is rare that a jail (or prison) will accept messages for an inmate.  Of all the thousands of jails in the United States there are probably less than one hundred that have a message line.
There are two exceptions to this rule:

1.    Orange County Jail Intake Release Center will accept a message if there is a family emergency such as a death in the family. In a case like this the message will be conveyed by a jail chaplain or someone that is very high ranking in leadership. Inmates are already under a lot of stress and emotion, and the staff realizes this. It is for this reason they will be very careful how they pass the message along and being watchful afterwards.

2.    Many of the inmate phone systems used by jails allow for messages to be left for a small fee, usually less than $1.00 for a minute. It is done in the form of a voicemail from you. To see if Orange County Jail Intake Release Center offers that service call the phone company at the top of this page or call the jail at 714-647-6085.

Can an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center call me?

Yes, an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center can call you using any of the following three ways:

1.    The inmate can call you ‘collect’ if your phone service accepts collect calls.

2.    The inmate can call you using a prepaid calling card that they can purchase from the jail’s inmate commissary. 

3.    The inmate can call you using credits or money that you or someone else purchases from the jail’s inmate phone service. This information can be found at the top of this page.

If you can’t find the jail’s phone service, it means that they may have recently changed it. Call the jail at 714-647-6085 to get the information you need.

Also, it is becoming standard that when an inmate is booked in jail, they must make a list of a limited number of people that they will allow to visit them and/or make phone calls to. If the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center requires this, then you will have to be on their list to receive phone calls.

Can an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center call their friends?

Yes. If a person is on the inmate’s approved phone contact list and the person accepts a collect call or the inmate has funds on their prepaid card or phone account, there are no restrictions based on whether the person and inmate are related or not.

The only exception to that is if you, as the person who funds their inmate phone account, puts restrictions on the account, so that the account can only be used to communicate with you and not other people. This allows you and not the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center to control who the inmate can speak with.

How do I accept collect calls from an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

When you receive a collect call from a jail, you will first hear a recording that the call is a collect call and coming from a jail and the person’s spoken name. You will then be asked to respond with a prompt or by voicing “yes” that you agree to accept the call. At that point you can either accept it or refuse it.

If you continue to get calls from the jail and don’t want to receive them anymore, you can contact your phone service and request that that number be blocked.

How much am I charged for accepting a collect call from Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

The cost of a collect call is the most expensive call that you can make (or take). In fact, the cost (per minute) for a collect call can exceed the cost of an international call.

Expect to pay about $1.00 to 1.50 per minute for a collect call. Compared to the cost of a call going through the inmate phone service that the jail contracts with, ‘collect calls’ can be five to ten times more expensive.

Who should I contact if I’m having difficulty receiving collect calls from the jail or prison?

If you are having difficulties receiving collect calls from the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center contact your own phone service.  Keep in mind that your land line service provider is not the same as your sell service provider.

How much does it cost for an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center to call me?

The federal government limits the cost of a phone call from a jail in the United States to $0.21 per minute. This is true whether the inmate is using a prepaid card or one of their friends or family members have contracted with a phone service that the jail recommends.

In general, most of these companies are honest and trustworthy.  The complete list can be found by scrolling down this page further.

There are independent companies that you can find and purchase phone time from that have fees as low as $0.05 to $0.10 per minute.  They usually accomplish this by selling you blocks of time that you may never use, or they have exorbitant fees in other areas. Be a smart consumer and study these offers carefully.

What times are inmates in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center allowed to make phone calls?

In general, inmates in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center can make phone calls between the time when breakfast ends until ‘lights out’ at the end of the evening. 

They will not allow phone calls to be made during meals, head counts or during shift changes.

Inmates who are workers (trustees), are on work release or have other responsibilities are also limited to when they can make phone calls, as their schedules take priority over personal time.

In general, other than during the scheduled events noted above, you can communicate by phone between the hours of 7:30AM and 10:00PM.

How often can inmates in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center make phone calls?

There is no limit to how often an inmate can make phone calls. They are limited only by how much money you are willing to give them to add phone time.

When and if there are limits, the limits never apply to phone time with their lawyer or legal matters related to their criminal court case.

There are some jails and prisons that limit how much an inmate can spend on phone calls, specifically inmates in the United States Bureau of Prisons, which limits federal prisoners to a $300 spend every month.

What is the inmate telephone service for the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

The inmate telephone service for this facility can be found at the top of this page. If the information is missing that means that the facility recently changed carriers and has not updated the information. In that case, call the jail at 714-647-6085 to get the answers to your questions.

What are the phone companies that facilitate phone calls with jails and prisons? 

Each of these phone companies provide similar services, and each cannot charge more than $0.021 per minute for domestic calls, however it is a very competitive industry due to the size of the market in which their customers are literally ‘captive’ in every sense of the word.

Amtel Phones
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Correct Solutions Group
Correct Pay
Ctel
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
ICSolutions
Inmate Canteen
Inmate Sales
Lattice (nexus telephone)
NCIC
Paytel
Prodigy Solutions
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tiger

Can an inmate text me from the phones in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center

No. Inmates in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center cannot text from the phones, but more and more jails are bringing in a text service for inmates that can work from kiosks and tablets in their units. For more information, check out this jail’s email and text page.

Can an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center buy calling cards?

Almost every jail gives inmates and their contacts to either purchase calling cards from commissary or buy phone credits and time online from a phone service. There remain a few jails that still only allow collect calls which is an unfair financial burden on inmates and their families.

To see if Orange County Jail Intake Release Center allows the purchase of phone cards, check the information at the top of this page or call the jail at 714-647-6085.

What is the most that an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center can spend on phone calls?

There is no limit to how often an inmate can make phone calls. They are limited only by how much money you are willing to give them to add phone time.

There are some jails and prisons that limit how much an inmate can spend on phone calls, specifically inmates in the United States Bureau of Prisons, which limits federal prisoners to a $300 spend every month, however during the holiday months that number is increased to $400 per month.

Do I need a credit card to purchase phone credits for an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

Of the dozens of phone companies listed above that do business with the jails and prisons, there are only a few that have a way for you to use cash to purchase phone credits or phone time from them, usually in an ATM machine at check cashing outlets, and only a couple that have a way for you to fund an inmate phone account by mailing them a money order or cashier check.

If you don’t have a credit or debit card from a bank, you can always get a prepaid one at thousands of check cashing locations across the country.

Most jails also have a way for inmates to purchase prepaid phone cards from their commissary. These jails usually allow the inmate’s trust account to be funded with postal money orders, negating the need for having a credit or debit card altogether. 

Call 714-647-6085 to see if your Orange County Jail Intake Release Center’s commissary has prepaid phone cards.

What is the difference between a phone call and a video call?

A video call is no different than a video visit. It allows both the inmate and their approved contacts to see each other during the conversation. This is becoming the preferred method for inmates and their friends and family members to communicate, as visual contact communicates on a different level than just the voice.

Jails and prisons that have the option of video calls and video visits also most likely have handheld tablets for inmate use. This gives the inmate the ability to communicate from their cell or a remote corner of the unit, which adds a level of privacy that a kiosk on the wall does not offer.

To see if Orange County Jail Intake Release Center offers video calls, go to the top of this page or the Visitation page for information. If you can’t find it there, it may be because this facility recently changed companies, so you can call them at 714-647-6085 for details on how to arrange video calls.

Can inmates in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center use their cell phone?

No, they cannot use their cell phone. 

Inmates have their cell phones taken from them when they are initially booked into jail and will not get them back until they are released, provided the phone is/was not kept by the arresting agency as evidence in a criminal investigation.

Is it illegal for an inmate to use a cell phone in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

Cell phones are considered contraband and a security risk to a jail or prison. All communication: Written, spoken or video, other than an inmate’s communication with their lawyer, are monitored by the facility.

If an inmate is caught with a cell phone that has somehow been smuggled into a jail, the inmate will be charged with a crime. It is considered more serious than being caught with drugs, as a cell phone can be used to intimidate potential witnesses, arrange an escape or run a criminal enterprise outside of the jail’s walls.

Can I get in trouble for accepting a call from an inmate using a cell phone in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?

It is unlikely that you can get charged with a crime for communicating with an inmate using a cell phone while incarcerated in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

That said, if it is found that you knowingly were doing it, you could have your visitation or phone privileges suspended, or even permanently terminated by the jail.

If you were involved in the smuggling of the phone, that is a criminal offense, as it may be if you were adding ‘minutes’ onto a prepaid phone that you knew was smuggled into the jail and was being used for illegal purposes.

What are the most important things to know about phone calls with Inmates

If you were unable to find the information you were looking for on this page, call GTL Connect Network at 877-650-4249 and ask their policies on getting phone calls from your inmate at Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

You can contact GTL online by using this online form to ask a question.

  • The Orange County Jail Intake Release Center will sometimes restrict the amount of time that an inmate can use the phone by placing daily and monthly limits, so try to pace yourself and not use up all your time at the beginning of the month.
  • Often a unit will limit an inmate's phone time to certain hours of the day, so it is important you keep a regular schedule that works for both you and your inmate.
  • If your inmate does not call you during the time you both have scheduled, don't panic. There are often long lines for phone use. When a jail is on lockdown due to a fight or other security issue they do not allow the phones to be used.

Things you need to understand about Inmate Phone Calling

  • Phones are the only way for an inmate to hear your voice and temporarily 'escape' the loneliness of incarceration, so use your time well. Arguing about anything will leave you both feeling empty and guilty, so avoid it at all costs.
  • All phone conversations are recorded. Whatever either of you say can and will be used against your inmate in court.
  • Never discuss their pending criminal case! Even if you and your inmate believe that your 'coded' coversation will not be understood, or if you speak in another language thinking the jail staff will not understand, don't do it. The staff that monitors your recorded calls has heard it all... you are not fooling them... and you may find your conversation being used as evidence in their case... or even yours!
  • Also, be warned that some phone providers are collecting voice prints for a database which law enforcement agencies are building.

Orange County Jail Intake Release Center INMATE VISITATION SCHEDULE 
550 N. Flower Street
Santa Ana, CA 92703

  • Look up which facility your inmate is in. Retrieve their booking number.
  • Call 714-647-6085, or more specifically the Visitation Scheduling line to schedule an appointment Monday-Friday between 8:00AM and 5:00PM.
  • Visits are 30 minutes.
  • Visiting days are Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
  • Visiting is limited to two (2) visits for each inmate each week.
DAY TIME
FRIDAY 8:00AM - 5:00PM
SATURDAY 8:00AM - 5:00PM
SUNDAY 8:00AM - 5:00PM
MONDAY 8:00AM - 5:00PM

To find out court dates, court locations or an inmate's bail amount, call 714-935-6940.

To find out all the information; exact inmate visitation scheduling, policies, rules & guidelines, including how many people can come each visit, of the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center, check out our Inmate Visitation page.


 

How to Deposit Money in an Inmate's Commissary Account at Orange County Jail Intake Release Center

Inmates are allowed to have an account at the facility in order to purchase commissary items such as snacks, hygeine products, phone cards and stationary. These are the instructions on how to deposit money with them, pick up money they had with them when they were arrested, and how much money they need.


For complete information on inmate money and commissary issues, specifically where to drop or send deposits, what form the deposits must be in, maximum amounts the inmate can have, and more, check out our Inmate Money page.


 

Orange County Jail Intake Release Center Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The Orange County Jail Intake Release Center allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.

Envelopes
The Orange County Jail Intake Release Center also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate name and booking number (required information)
Orange County Sheriff's Department
550 N. Flower St.
Santa Ana, CA 92703



Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate name and booking number (required information)
Orange County Sheriff's Department
550 N. Flower St.
Santa Ana, CA 92703



Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.

Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.

Books
The Orange County Jail Intake Release Center allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.


All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate name and booking number (required information)
Orange County Sheriff's Department
550 N. Flower St.
Santa Ana, CA 92703


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Orange County Jail Intake Release Center, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I open an inmate phone account at the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?
The Orange County Jail Intake Release Center uses a third-party phone service called GTL Connect Network. If you want to communicate by phone with your inmate, you have to first open an account with GTL. They have three different types of accounts: (1)AdvancePay - which is a prepaid collect calling service which allows an inmate to call your phone number using funds that you deposit. (2)PIN Debit - which allows an inmate to call direct to anyone they choose using money that you have deposited for them, or they can use money from their commissary or trust account to purchase prepaid phone credits. (3)Inmate Voicemail - In order to leave a voicemail for your inmate you must have an active AdvancePay Account. To leave a voicemail message you will call a local number that Orange County Jail Intake Release Center has set up, select their Inmate ID, then record the message you want to leave them. To find out the phone number you call to leave a message, call Orange County Jail Intake Release Center at 714-647-6085 or call GTL Connect Network at 877-650-4249. Learn more about how to get phone calls from an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

How much does it cost for an inmate to make a phone call from the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?
Phone call rates from your inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center to you vary and are subject to change, but in general the costs are as follows: AdvancePay Phone Calls - $0.21 per minute. PIN Debit Phone Calls - $0.21 per minute. Traditional Collect Phone Calls - $0.25 per minute. VOICEMAIL Message (one minute max) - $1.00 per minute. Learn more about how much phone calls cost in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center, or call GTL Connect Network at 877-650-4249.

Can inmate phone calls from the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center connect to my mobile phone number?
Yes. When an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center calls you using a GTL Connect Network phone service's AdvancePay or PIN Debit account, the calls can connect to your cell phone. Learn more about how to set up a phone account for an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

Why is my Orange County Jail Intake Release Center phone status blocked?
If your phone status at the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center is showing being BLOCKED, there could be several reasons for this: (1)There are not enough funds on your AdvancePay or PIN Debit Account, (2)You have a new telephone number, and a restriction could be on your line, (3)You may have accidentally pressed the incorrect number when attempting to accept the incoming call and you may have blocked your line, (4)In the past you may have requested to have a block placed on your phone and you never had it removed. On any of these issues of your phone being blocked, you can resolve them by calling GTL Connect Network at 877-650-4249. Learn more about how to unblock a phone in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

Are phone calls with an inmate at the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center recorded?
Yes. All phone calls with an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center are recorded. All calls except those with their lawyer. Everything you say and do are going to be heard and recorded by the jail staff. If you discuss your inmate's pending criminal case or any criminal activity, you can be assured that the conversation will end up being sent to the prosecutor and/or other law enforcement. Learn more about inmate phone calling privacy tips with an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

How do I control all phone calls with an inmate in Orange County Jail Intake Release Center?
In order to have full control over the phone expenses and who your inmate can call while in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center, you need to open a GTL AdvancePay phone account. With this type of account, when you deposit money, your inmate can only call your phone number. However, since your inmate can also purchase prepaid phone time through commissary, they can use the prepaid account to phone whoever they choose, as long as the person or number is not blocked by Orange County Jail Intake Release Center. Learn more about how to control your inmate's phone calls in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

How do I make a deposit into a Orange County Jail Intake Release Center inmate's phone account?
GTL Connect network has five different options for making deposits for your inmate's phone account: (1) Online, at the GTL Connect network website. (2) By phone - Call - 877-650-4249. (3) At the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center lobby kiosk. (4) By mailing a check or money order to: AdvancePay Service Department - P.O. Box 911722 - Denver, CO 80291-1722. (5) Walk-in retail locations such as Western Union Quick Collect [Blue Form], Walmart, ACE, Kmart, Kroger,  and more. Learn more about how to deposit money for an inmate's phone account in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.

Who is ViaPath Technologies?
GTL Connect Network and their sister company GTL gettingout are currently undergoing a merger and rebranding into a single entity called ViaPath Technologies. During this transition, all of the current services, links and prices will remain the same. Orange County Jail Intake Release Center, and family members and friends of inmates will not see any changes during the transition, as it will be a slow, measured, seamless process. The end result will be a more responsive company with even better services for you and your inmates.

Do inmates in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center have access to tablets?
Yes. Orange County Jail Intake Release Center is transitioning to having free tablets available to all inmates for basic services. In addition, you will be able to purchase tablet subscriptions which will include, music, movie streaming, educational programming, legal research and more. Learn more about how to rent a tablet for an inmate in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center.