Polk County Jail & Sheriff COVID-19 Coronavirus Visitation Policy

Polk County Jail & Sheriff

Address:
164 Industrial Access Circle
Benton, TN 37307

Phone:

423-338-4543

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

Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Polk County Jail & Sheriff in Benton, 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 423-338-4543 for updates.

Video Visitation at Polk County Jail & Sheriff

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

We highly recommend that you call 423-338-4543 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 Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County

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

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


 

How an Inmate Makes a Phone Call to You or Others from Polk County Jail & Sheriff

To set up a phone account so that your inmate can call you from Polk County do the following:

1. Enroll in an account with Securus Technologies.

2. Choose one of three account types, Securus Debit, Advance Connect or Direct Bill.
3. Choose [facility_name_1}, then connect with your inmate.
4. If you have any questions, call Securus: 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591.

To find out fees, how to's, calling times, limits on phone calls and other systems Securus has do that you can communicate with your Polk County inmate, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your inmate's phone calls are recorded and stored. It is advised not to discuss their pending case.


 

How to Schedule and Visit an Inmate in Polk County Jail & Sheriff

To schedule and set up a visit, either at-the-jail or remotely from your home, follow these instructions:

  • Register and/or log in.
  • Select Polk County Jail & Sheriff, then your inmate.
  • Review the days, available hours and the cost of remote and on-site visits in Polk County.
  • Schedule your visit.

To get more complete instructions, and understand visit lengths, times, locations, fees and all the other rules including children, dress codes and more, check out or Visit Inmate Page.
NOTE: All visits are recorded and whatever you say and do will be monitored. It is best to never discuss sensitive information regarding your inmate's pending case.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Polk County

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

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