Gaines County Jail COVID-19 Coronavirus Visitation Policy

Gaines County Jail

Address:
301 E. Avenue A
P.O. Box 847
Seminole, TX 79360

Phone:

(432) 758-4023

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

Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Gaines County Jail in Seminole, Texas, 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 (432) 758-4023 for updates.

Video Visitation at Gaines County Jail

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

We highly recommend that you call (432) 758-4023 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 Gaines County, the state of Texas 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 Gaines 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 Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Gaines County Jail by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Gaines County Jail, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Gaines County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

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

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

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Texas, then select Gaines County Jail, 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 Gaines County Jail check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Gaines County.


 

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

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

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

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


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Gaines County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Gaines County Jail follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Texas, then select Gaines County Jail, 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 Gaines County Jail.