Washington DC Central Detention Facility COVID-19 Coronavirus Visitation Policy

Washington DC Central Detention Facility

Address:
1901 D Street, SE
District of Columbia, DC 20003

Phone:

202-523-7060

New Visitation Policies in Washington DC Central Detention Facility Due to COVID-19 Coronavirus

Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Washington DC Central Detention Facility in District of Columbia, District of Columbia, contact visits of any type may be suspended. Even if they have visits, from time to time, face masks may be required.

Approved Non-contact visits with family, friends and the inmate’s lawyers may still be allowed when at-home or onsite video visitation is not available, however given that new guidelines are changing daily please check the visitation page or call 202-523-7060 for updates.

Video Visitation at Washington DC Central Detention Facility

At-home and onsite video visitation guidelines for Washington DC Central Detention Facility, when this service is available, can be found by going to the visitation information page.

We highly recommend that you call 202-523-7060 first for any changes due to staff shortages or other unforeseen circumstances, including whether your inmate has become ill and is unable to be in the general population where video kiosks are available.

How Long Will These Changes Last?

Experts in the study of the COVID-19 are anticipating that spread of the virus will be a ongoing concern for District of Columbia, the state of District of Columbia and the entire United States until well into 2024 and maybe even beyond. We are witnessing the virus becoming more contagious, but less deadly over time. Many people think that the 'more contagious, but less deadly' variants will infect so many people that a higher level of natural immunity for the majority of Americans will be the end result.

Will the Inmates in Washington DC Central Detention Facility Be Safe from Getting Sick With COVID-19 Coronavirus?

Whether the inmates are safe from contracting the coronavirus depends entirely on two things:

  1. The Virus being introduced into the facility by a staff member or inmate who is unaware that they have it.
  2. How easily it spreads.

At this stage most people who get the coronavirus show very few symptoms beyond what you might experience with a bad cold or a mild case of the common flu. Newer variants are turning out to be less deadly than the common flu we experience every year.

Studies that have been done are showing that the hardest hit are those 60 years of age and older, those with pre-existing medical issues like diabetes, leukemia or obese individuals. Young men and women rarely become very ill, and when they do, seem to recover quickly.

Given the close proximity of inmates and staff to each other in this lockup, it is going to be very difficult to prevent the spread of COVID-19 once it is introduced into the facility as the virus can spread via the microscopic vapor that we release every time we speak, cough or sneeze.

We will continuously update this page as the virus changes and new policies are instituted.

Washington DC Central Detention Facility Inmate Mail Policies and Address - What Can You Send, and Where?

For inmates receiving mail in the Washington DC Central Detention Facility there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.

All mail is to be shipped to the Washington DC Central Detention Facility:
Inmate's Full Name & DCDC Number (call 202-523-7060 to get this number)
Central Detention Facility
1901 D Street, SE
District of Columbia, DC 20003


For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.


 

How to Deposit Money in an Inmate's Trust Account in Order to Purchase Prepaid Calling Cards, Phone Calling Time or Commissary

To Deposit Money in an inmate's account follow these steps:

  • Create a ConnectNetwork account 
  • Select your inmate, and add to them to your account,
  • Deposit money into his or her commissary account.

**NOTE** GTL is in a transition merging into a new company called ViaPath Technologies.


Features:

  • Deposit options available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone 877-650-4249, and online.
  • Mobile-friendly deposit options are available via their app.
  • Deposits and payments made through automated channels (ConnectNetwork Website, Mobile App, Toll Free Phone, or Kiosk at the jail) are transmitted to the facility within one business day.
  • Deposits that are mailed are processed the next business day after they are received by GTL.
  • Inmate can choose how to spend the funds you deposit.

All the information you need to understand depositing money into an inmate's trust fund, specifically for phone calls, but also for Commissary, in District of Columbia, can be found on our Send Money Page.


 

How to Arrange Video Visitation with Washington DC Central Detention Facility Inmates

Follow these instructions to schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL.

  • Register yourself and all visitors.
  • Select Washington DC Central Detention Facility
  • Select your inmate.
  • Schedule your preferred time for the visit.

For all the information you need to know regarding scheduling, cost, rules, tips and guidelines of inmate visits at the Washington DC Central Detention Facility, check out our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Washington DC Central Detention Facility 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 Washington DC Central Detention Facility, 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 Washington DC Central Detention Facility 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.


 

Depositing Money for Communicating with an Inmate

How to Make a Deposit for Phone, Email or Visitation using GettingOut.com

Washington DC Central Detention Facility uses GettingOut for some or all of its communication services with an inmate.

If you want to deposit money using this company for your use or your inmate's account, there are four ways to do it:

  • Online - They accept all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
  • At the Washington DC Central Detention Facility using the kiosk in the jail lobby - (cash, debit or credit card) NOTE - Washington DC Central Detention Facility may require identity verification so bring your driver’s license or some other form of ID.
  • By phone by calling 866-516-0115 - They have bi-lingual operators are standing by 24 hours 7 days a week to assist you with your deposit. Major credit cards accepted are Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
  • By using their app, either Android or iphone. - All credit cards mentioned above are accepted.

For all the information you need to know, including tips, guidelines and warnings about depositing money in a Washington DC Central Detention Facility inmate's account for communication services, check out our Send Money page.


 

How Inmates Can Use a Tablet to Access Services at Washington DC Central Detention Facility

To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:

1.  First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL

2.  Purchase the services you want for your Washington DC Central Detention Facility inmate.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Communicate with an Washington DC Central Detention Facility Inmate by Mail and by Email

To mail or email an inmate in District of Columbia follow these steps:

When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:

  • All mail sent to an inmate at the Washington DC Central Detention Facility must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of the envelope or postcard.
  • All mail must include the facility's address, as well as the inmate's name and assigned number.
  • Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and your letter destroyed.
  • The Washington DC Central Detention Facility has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations. 
  • All the information you need to understand mail and email policies can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.

Emailing Messages & Photos

Facility_name_1} contracts with GTL GettingOut, the same service that handles iInmate Phone Systems and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
 
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.

Then use the Facility Finder to:
1.  Select Washington DC Central Detention Facility,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.

  • Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.  
  • After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message.  Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
  • You can also send your District of Columbia inmate photos and videos.

Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call   866-516-0115

Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.

All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for District of Columbia can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in District of Columbia

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Washington DC Central Detention Facility follow these steps:

  • Select District of Columbia, then select Washington DC Central Detention Facility, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for District of Columbia.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in District of Columbia at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Washington DC Central Detention Facility check out our Commissary Instructions Page for District of Columbia.


 

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