Columbia County Prison Remote Inmate Video Visits

Columbia County Prison

Address:
721 Iron Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Phone:

570-784-4815

Columbia County Prison - Remote Video Visitation with your Inmate

Columbia County Prison uses IC Solutions for their Remote Video Visitation services.



In order to visit with your inmate online, you must first register with IC Solutions.
There are three ways to visit remotely with your inmate:
1.    Using your personal computer.
2.    Using the IC Solutions iphone or Android app.
3.    Using the IC Solutions visitation kiosk in the jail lobby.

How it Works
Register or Log in here. 

  • Once you are logged into your existing IC Solutions account or have created a new account and are logged in, you must select Register for Video and enter the facility name.
  • Select your Inmate.
  • Fund your account using either a Visa, Mastercard credit or debit card.
  • Schedule a Visit.

Registering and Scheduling Video Visits Instructions

'Understanding IC Solutions Video Visits' Instructions

Remote Visitation using the IC Solutions app
Download your phone app:
iphone
Android
Instruction for using the IC Solutions app 

Cost of a Remote Video Visit

  • The cost for a remote video visit ranges from $7-10 for 20-25 minute visit. Rates are subject to change.

Video Visitation Rules
Understanding the rules completely are the responsibility of both you and your inmate. Not knowing the rules will NOT be accepted as an excuse if you make a mistake and violate them. Disobeying them could result in being banned from have future visits.
•    Any inmate or visitor whose behavior is disruptive during a visit may have his/her visiting privileges suspended/terminated.
•    All visits are subject to monitoring and recording.
•    All visits must be scheduled 6 hours prior to the appointment or up to 13 days in advance.
•    You must check-in 15 minutes prior to the scheduled visit.
•    Valid picture identification (e.g., driver's license, State I.D., or Military I.D. with picture) is required of all visitors, with the exception of children under the age of 17.  
•    Visitors under the age of 17 must be accompanied and supervised by an authorized adult visitor.
•    Visitors who 'arrive' after the scheduled start time may not be allowed to visit.
•    Clothing must cover all private/sensitive body areas.
•    The visitation schedule may be canceled or altered on holidays or for safety/security reasons.
•    Columbia County Prison can disconnect, deny, change, or cancel a visit at any time.
•    Internet connectivity issues during offsite visits will NOT be refunded.
•    Each visitation session will show a timer to display elapsed time.
•    After your visit has ended your connection will be terminated automatically.

ON-SITE (FACE TO FACE) VISITATION SCHEDULE

Saturday Female - General Population 8:30AM - 9:30AM
Saturday Female - C Unit/TPVC 9:30AM - 10:30AM
Saturday Male - General Population 10:30AM - 3:30PM
Sunday Males - General Population 8:30AM - 10:30AM
Sunday Females - General Population

10:30AM - 3:30PM

 

ON-SITE VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE (Lobby Kiosk)

Day Housing Units Times
Tuesday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM and 1:30PM-3:30PM
Tuesday E 1:00PM-3:00PM
Thursday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM and 1:30PM-3:30PM
Thursday E 1:00PM-3:00PM

 

OFF-SITE REMOTE VIDEO VISITS FROM YOUR HOME

Monday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
Tuesday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
Wednesday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
Thursday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
Friday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
Saturday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
Sunday A, B, B-ISO, C, DN, DS, F, Gym, Medical 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
(Sunday only) E (RHU) and Gym 8:30AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-3:30PM, 4:30PM-9:00PM
  • Inmates Housed as Administrative Custody or Disciplinary Status are no longer permitted face to face visitation unless approved by Administration.
  • If the person you are visiting is in general population housing they can receive up to 3 three (3) Off-site virtual visits and one onsite virtual visit (Tuesday or Thursday).
  • Each Housing Unit has one (1) virtual visitation unit available for use.
  • Visits must be scheduled 24 hours prior to the appointment and up to 2 weeks in advance.
  • Due to facility space limitations, there is a limit of two (2) visitors per inmate:
    a. two (2) adults (over the age of 18)
    b. one (1) adult and one (1) child
  • Residents are permitted one (1) weekly on-site (face-to-face) visit.
  • Visits are limited to twenty (20) minute duration

What is a video visit?

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 Columbia County Prison 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.

What are the companies that work with the jails and prisons that allow 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.


TextBehind enables you to communicate with your incarcerated loved ones located inside the United States from anywhere in the world using text letters, kids' drawings, and custom greeting cards. Unlimited inmate reply letters are processed for electronic delivery to your smartphone and email at no extra charge.
The cost to send an electronic letter is approximately $1.00.

Here’s how it works for Columbia County Prison:
1.    All offender mail (paper and electronic) is addressed and delivered to TextBehind. Electronic mail is sent through the apps (iphone, Google Play). Paper mail is sent to the address below:
Inmate Name and Inmate Number
Columbia County Prison Pennsylvania
(note: please do not abbreviate the name)
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

2.    If it was sent via TextBehind's app (iphone, Google Play), TextBehind can process it within one business day.
3.    An additional step is involved in processing mail that is sent using the U.S. Postal Service. TextBehind will  use a scanner to make digital files of the contents of the mailing—including cards, photos or artwork.
4.    All digital files are then forwarded to the offender’s assigned prison.
5.    Columbia County Prison mailroom prints approved pages and delivers them to the inmate.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • TextBehind does not deliver any mail to the inmate directly, nor do they guarantee delivery of your letters to the inmates by the courier, jail or prison staff. Once they process your mail and ship them out on your behalf, they are out of the loop entirely. However, at times they may offer to resend your letters under certain strict conditions as a courtesy. 
  • Inmates do not receive any invites when you add them, and neither do they need to accept the use of TextBehind service. Once you add the inmate, you can create letters for them. 

Here’s what happens when TextBehind receives a letter from an inmate:

  • Upon receiving, TextBehind staff open their letters, scan, and upload high-quality images to your TextBehind account as a complimentary service. You are not required to have any money or credits balance in your TextBehind account to receive inmate letters.
  • Next, you will receive a text and email alert to notify you of any new incoming reply letters. At that time, you can log into the TextBehind website or mobile app and view letters in your CONTACTS >> Click on Conversation Icon. 

YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS...

  • Inmates do require a stamp to send out their letters to TextBehind using Postal Service.
  • The cash or credit balance from your TextBehind account will not be shared with inmates as a substitute for the stamps. 
  • All letters printed and shipped by TextBehind nationwide to virtually any jail or prison facility are delivered to the jails/prisons by couriers such as the USPS or FedEx as their standard process.
  • After the shipments, TextBehind has no control over the process.
  • The delivery of your letters depends on couriers and prison staff taking necessary action on time.

IMPORTANT TextBehind LINKS:
Register / Log in with TextBehind
Contact TextBehind with Questions
Add an Inmate to your list of Contacts

** Address to Mail letters using TextBehind **
Inmate Name and Inmate Number
Columbia County Prison Pennsylvania (
note: please do not abbreviate the name)
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

Why is TextBehind used by Lockups?
Due to the problem of letters and postcards containing, or soaked in contraband (drugs), TextBehind electronic and physical letters is replacing the former policy of allowing mail to be sent directly from inmate’s friends and family members, and vice versa.


 

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

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

  • Select Pennsylvania, then select Columbia County Prison, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Columbia County.
  • 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 Columbia County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Columbia County Prison check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Columbia County.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Columbia County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Columbia County Prison follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Pennsylvania, then select Columbia County Prison, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account check out our full money and commissary guide for Columbia County Prison.


 

How to Send a Secure Email Message to an Inmate in Columbia County

To send a secure email message to an inmate in Columbia County Prison follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Pennsylvania, then select Columbia County Prison, and then the inmate you want to send your message to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to spend, and input your payment method. The funds can also be used by the inmate to send a message back to you.
  • NOTE: All messages between you and your inmate will be permanently recorded and seen by the staff and could be used against your inmate in court.

For all information on how to Text/Email an Inmate in Columbia County Prison check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Columbia County.


 

How Do Inmates in Columbia County Prison Make Phone Calls?

To receive phone calls from inmates in Columbia County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:

  • Columbia County Prison uses the services of IC Solutions.
  • Register with them online or call them at 888-506-8407
  • Agents are available 24 hours a day, and speak both English & Spanish.
  • Services for Columbia County inmates and their families and friends include Collect Calling, PIN Debits, Purchasing Calling Cards, Voicemail & Prepaid calls.  In addition, IC Solutions provides secure messaging, sending photos, video phone calls and online deposits for inmates and their families in Columbia County.
  • Although rates are subject to change, they generally run about $0.21 per minute for phone calls.

Note: All your calls with an inmate are recorded, stored and shared with law enforcement if the conversation deals with your case or any criminal activity. Anything communicated can be used against you or your inmate in court.

For all the information regarding phone calls with Columbia County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

How to visit an inmate in Columbia County Pennsylvania using Video Visitation or visiting an inmate at the jail

To visit an inmate in Columbia County follow these steps:

  • In addition to visiting inmates at the jail, Columbia County Prison uses a video visitation service called IC Solutions.
  • In order to visit with your inmate online or at the Columbia County Jail Video Kiosk, you must first register with IC Solutions.
  • Once you are logged into your existing IC Solutions account or have created a new account and are logged in, you must select Register for Video and enter Columbia County Prison.
  • Then select your Columbia County Inmate.
  • Then fund your account using either a Visa, Mastercard credit or debit card.
  • Lastly, schedule a visit.
  • The cost for a remote video visit ranges from $7-10 for 20-25 minute visit. Rates are subject to change.

For full instructions on all the benefits of using IC Solutions to visit a Columbia County inmate, visiting an inmate at the jail itself, rates, policies, rules, dress codes, bringing children, attorney and clergy visits and more, go to our official Visit Inmate Page. 


 

Photos of this facility
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4