Houston County Jail & Sheriff COVID-19 Coronavirus Visitation Policy

Houston County Jail & Sheriff

Address:
3330 State Route 149
Erin, TN 37061

Phone:

(931)289-4614

New Visitation Policies in Houston County Jail & Sheriff Due to COVID-19 Coronavirus

Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Houston County Jail & Sheriff in Erin, Tennessee, 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 (931)289-4614 for updates.

Video Visitation at Houston County Jail & Sheriff

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

We highly recommend that you call (931)289-4614 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 Houston County, the state of Tennessee 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 Houston County Jail & Sheriff 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 Secure Email Message to an Inmate in Houston County

To send a secure email message to an inmate in Houston County Jail & Sheriff follow these steps:

  • Register with Inmate Sales, the company that handles inmate messaging in Houston County, by creating an account.
  • Select Tennessee, then select Houston County Jail & Sheriff, 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.
  • If you want to pay by phone, call 877-998-5678.
  • 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.

-  Chirping is the product name for inmate texting.  
-  This product allows Houston County inmates to send chirps (texts) to friends and family members.
-  Inmates will be charged a monthly service fee of $4.00.
-  Inbound and Outbound Chirps are $0.10 each.

Inmate Sales Apps

iphone app
Google Play app

For all information on how to Text/Email an Inmate in Houston County Jail & Sheriff check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Houston County.


 

How Do Inmates in Houston County Jail & Sheriff Make Phone Calls?

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

  • Houston County Jail & Sheriff uses the services of a company named Inmate Sales.
  • Register with them online or call them at 877-998-5678
  • Agents are available M-F from 8:00 AM - 12:00 midnight EST, Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM, and speak both English & Spanish.
  • Services for Houston County inmates and their families and friends include: Collect Calling, PIN Debit, Purchasing Calling Cards, Deposits, Messaging & Video Visitation.

iphone app
Google Play app

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


 

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

To send a secure email message to an inmate in Houston County Jail & Sheriff follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Tennessee, then select Houston County Jail & Sheriff, 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 Houston County Jail & Sheriff check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Houston County.


 

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

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

  • Select Tennessee, then select Houston County Jail & Sheriff, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Houston 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 Houston County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Houston County Jail & Sheriff check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Houston County.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Houston County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Houston County Jail & Sheriff follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Tennessee, then select Houston County Jail & Sheriff, 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 Houston County Jail & Sheriff.