Lyon County Jail COVID-19 Coronavirus Visitation Policy

Lyon County Jail

Address:
410 South Boone Street
Rock Rapids, IA 51246

Phone:

712-472-8300

New Visitation Policies in Lyon County Jail Due to COVID-19 Coronavirus

Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Lyon County Jail in Rock Rapids, Iowa, 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 712-472-8300 for updates.

Video Visitation at Lyon County Jail

At-home and onsite video visitation guidelines for Lyon County Jail, when this service is available, can be found by going to the visitation information page.

We highly recommend that you call 712-472-8300 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 Lyon County, the state of Iowa 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 Lyon County Jail 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.

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Lyon County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Lyon County Jail follow these steps:

  • Register to create an account, or Log in to your account at Inmate Canteen if you already have one.
  • Select Iowa, then Lyon County Jail, and then the inmate you wish to purchase commissary items for.
  • Select the "Purchase Commissary Items" option.
  • Follow the prompts on screen to purchase items for an inmate.
  • Maximum spend is $125.00.
  • NOTE: Lyon County Jail may at times only allow online deposits for your inmate to purchase their own commissary locally. 

For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Lyon County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Lyon County.


 

How Do You Schedule and Visit an Inmate in Lyon County Jail?

To set up an account to schedule and visit your Lyon County inmate, follow these instructions:

  • Register and set up a new account with RELIANCE, or log in if you already have an account.
  • Select Lyon County Jail, then select your inmate who you will be visiting.
  • Your identity will have to investigated and approved by the Lyon County staff.
  • Once approved, you can schedule a visit.

For all the information you need in order to schedule and visit your Lyon County inmate, or to assist them in visiting with others, including instructions, fees, cost of each visit, requirements for free visits, tablet rentals that can be used for visits, payment methods and times that your inmate can have a visit, check out our Visit Inmate Page.
NOTE: All of your visits with your inmate will be monitored and recorded. Use discretion when discussing sensitive information about their pending case.


 

How Do Inmates in Lyon County Jail Make Phone Calls?

To set up your Lyon County inmate to make to make phone calls to you and others, follow these instructions:

For all the information you need in order to receive phone calls from your Lyon County inmate, or to assist them in making calls to others, including instructions, fees, cost of calls, payment methods and times that your inmate can use the phone, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your communication with your inmate will be monitored and recorded. Use discretion when discussing sensitive information about their pending case.


 

How Do Inmates in Lyon County Jail Send and Receive Texts and Emails?

To set up your Lyon County inmate to make to send and receive texts and emails to you and others, follow these instructions:

For all the information you need in order to send and receive texts and emails from your Lyon County inmate, or to assist them in sending and receiving secure messages to and from others, including instructions, fees, cost of each message, tablet rentals, payment methods and times that your inmate can send messages, check out our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
NOTE: All of your communication with your inmate will be monitored and recorded. Use discretion when communicating sensitive information about their pending case.