Butte County Jail Inmate Phone & Email

Butte County Jail

Address:
256 W. Grand Ave
PO Box 130
Arco, ID 83213
Phone:
208-527-8553

Butte County Jail Inmate Phone Announcement - January 4, 2023

Staff at the Butte County Jail is making it easier to connect with inmates by using a third-party service for phone communication. Using this service, explained below, allows you to purchase phone time for your inmate to either call you or to call other people in their network. If you have any questions call the facility at 208-527-8553.

Butte County Jail inmates are allowed to use the phones for personal use at any time, except during scheduled meals and during evening lockdown which begins after 10:00 PM.

Rules, guidelines and schedules on phone use are listed on this page. Failure to adhere to them will result in your inmate and you losing your phone privileges.

Butte County Jail - Inmate Phone Services

Butte County Jail uses the services of NCIC for inmate phone calling. It is called a ‘friends & family account”.

In order to receive phone calls from your inmate, you need to do the following:

• Register here, or by phone 800-943-2189
• Choose Idaho.
• Choose Butte County Jail
• Select your Inmate.
• Enter the phone number your Inmate will be calling.
• Fund your Account. ($10-$100 at a time)

NOTE:
1.   You cannot receive any calls to your phone number from your inmate until both you and your phone number are registered.
2.  When you do receive a call, the number you will view on your phone from the incoming call is: 800-943-2189.
3.  When allowed by Butte County Jail, families can also leave secure voicemails for inmates to listen to.

Fees

• Adding funds to your account - $3.00 
• Cost of phone call of a Prepaid Collect Account - $0.21 per minute
• Cost of an interstate (ex. Idaho to a different state) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
• Cost of an intrastate (ex. Idaho to Idaho) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
• Cost if you set up your account (or fund it) by phone using a live agent, you will be charged a one-time fee of $5.95.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
Full list of participating jails.

How does an Inmate make a phone call from Butte County Jail?

To make a phone call to you from Butte County Jail, your inmate will phone you direct from the jail.

If you haven't set yourself (and your phone number) up in the NCIC system, the call will not go through, however you will receive a notice that someone using the phone number 800-943-2189 attempted to phone you.

Once you register yourself (and your phone number), AND prefund the account with NCIC you will have the option of accepting, denying or blocking any phone call coming from 800-943-2189.

When you accept the call, you will be billed at a rate of $0.21 per minute.

Can I Communicate By Email With An Inmate?

• A growing number of jails now offer email services to inmates and their families.
• This can save you time by letting you view your email from your smart phone, computer, or tablet, whenever you wish.
• You don't have to deal with envelopes, stamps or the post office.
• Inmates like it because the emails typically eliminate delayed mail runs so they can get your correspondence quickly and send responses immediately.
• Jail staffs like it as it eliminates concerns about contraband entering the facility in envelopes and on paper. It also allows the jail to have an electronic record that can be called upon at any time.
• Anything you or your inmate writes in an email service is put through a filtering program that looks for certain words related to criminal and/or gang activities.
• There have been multiple cases in which emails between inmates and their friends or loved ones have been used as evidence in criminal court cases to convict them or to file new charges.
• Call 208-527-8553 to see if email services are being offered at the Butte County Jail and if so, how to sign up you and your inmate.

Important Tips About Jail Phone Calls

Many jails and prisons 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.

Jails 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.

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 you talk about, can and will be used against your inmate in court. Never discuss their pending criminal case!

Also, be warned that some phone providers are collecting voice prints for a database which law enforcement agencies are building.

Sign up with NCIC to connect with your inmate at Butte County Jail by clicking the banner below.