Howard County Detention Center Inmate Tablet Rental

Howard County Detention Center

Address:
3611 W. Hwy 80
Big Spring, TX 79720

Phone:

432-264-2244

Inmate Tablet Rental for Howard County Detention Center

Howard County Detention Center offers NCIC tablets to rent to inmates that they can use for video visitation and calls, phone calls, instant messaging, education and entertainment.

They can also be used for commissary ordering.


Does Howard County Detention Center have tablets for the inmates to use?

You can find information about the Howard County Detention Center’s tablet program at the top of this page. If there is no information about it, it is because they either have recently changed companies or are not yet providing this service for inmates. Call 432-264-2244 to confirm.

What can the inmates use the tablets for?

Inmates in jails and prisons are using tablets for all the communication services available such as video visitation, video phone calls, regular phone calls, and electronic messaging – which is like texting and email.

Tablets are also used for entertainment, such as watching movies, television shows, listening to music and reading e-books. It is also used for education, self-help information, and legal research.

Are the jail’s tablets connected to the internet?

No, they are not connected to the internet. All the messages, visits and programming goes through a system controlled by the company that provides the tablets, and through the jail. They control what each inmate sees. All messages are carefully screened and not delivered if the sender or the inmate violates jail policy.

How much do the tablets cost to use?

For accessing visits and messages, the tablets are free to us. Each unit has many of them, all provided by the company that has contracted with the jail. Of course, the video visits and messages have a fee and those are paid for by the inmate’s family and friends who use the service.

If inmates are supposedly being punished, why do they get access to tablets?

That’s the question a lot of people ask and don’t fully understand.

The way the jail staff looks at it, is that if they can keep the inmates busy and distracted, it makes it safer for them. 

Tablets also give them a certain power over controller an inmate’s behavior. For example, if an inmate knows that they will lose the privilege of having access to a tablet if they get into a fight or violate another rule or policy, they will be better behaved. 

Tablets are one of the few things that make an inmate feel as though they are free, and they don’t want to lose the privilege of having access to one.

What companies have tablets for jail and inmate use?

CIDNET
City Tele Coin
Gettingout
GTL
Homewav
IC Solutions
Inmate Sales
JailATM
J Pay
NCIC
Oasis
Paytel
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications

What if an inmate breaks a tablet, do they have to pay for it?

Yes, if an inmate breaks a tablet, then they are responsible for paying for it. The money will come out of their commissary funds, so not only do they lose access to having a tablet as punishment, but they also won’t be able to purchase snacks on commissary.
 

Howard County Detention Center ON-SITE (at the jail) VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE
3611 W. Hwy 80
Big Spring, TX 79720
432-264-2244

Schedule Video Visits online with NCIC

  • On-site Visits are free.
  • Visits are 20-30 minutes.
  • Visitation schedule subject to change.
  • Inmates are allowed two visits per week
  • A maximum of 2 guests are allowed per an On-site video session. A 3rd guest is allowed if it is a child and no more than 6 years old.
  • All visits must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
DAY TIME
SUNDAY No video sessions
MONDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
TUESDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
WEDNESDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
THURSDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
SATURDAY No video sessions

Howard County Detention Center REMOTE (at home) VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE

  • All visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
  • Visitation Schedule subject to change.
DAY TIME
SUNDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
MONDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
TUESDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
WEDNESDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
THURSDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
SATURDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM

 

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

To send a secure email message to an inmate in Howard County Detention Center follow these steps:

Howard County Detention Center uses the services of NCIC for you to deposit funds into your {Howard County inmate’s account so that you and they can purchase secure email messaging services from this jail’s e-messaging service.

You can deposit money three different ways:

•    Deposit online at NCIC.com
•    Deposit at the kiosk in the Howard County Detention Center lobby, if available.
•    Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069 (Note: if you deposit money using a live agent the fee is $5.95).
Email – [email protected]

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


 

How to Rent a Tablet for an Inmate at the Howard County Detention Center

Howard County Detention Center offers NCIC tablets to rent to inmates that they can use for video visitation and calls, phone calls, instant messaging, education and entertainment.

They can also be used for commissary ordering.

To find out more bout how much tablets cost to rent, and what programs, entertainment, education and other things it can be used for, check out our Tablet Page.


 

How Do Visit an Inmate in Howard County Detention Center?

To visit an inmate in Howard County you need to do the following:

Howard County Detention Center uses the services of NCIC for remote video visitation. In other words, you can visit your inmate in jail by using your home computer, as long as it is equipped with a microphone and camera that supports video.

When available, the jail also provides use of ‘video visit kiosks’ in the Howard County Detention Center lobby if you do not have a computer at home. These ’on-site’ video visits are FREE.

Costs
NCIC Video Visitation fees are subject to change, but the cost to you is roughly $7.50 ($0.25 per minute) for a 30-minute visit + an additional fee of $2.00 for the connection.
On-site (at the jail) video visits are FREE.

How to set up your Video Visit

  • Register here.  
  • Select Howard County Detention Center
  • Select your inmate.
  • Choose your date and time.

Your inmate will be notified by the Howard County Detention Center staff of the date and time for the visit. Be sure to be in front of your computer and connected to NCIC at least 15 minutes before the start of the visit.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]

For all the information you need to know, whether it be 'in person' at-the-jail visitation or remote video visitation with your Howard County inmate, go to our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How Does an Inmate Make Phone Calls in Howard County Detention Center?

To receive phone calls from an inmate in Howard County follow these instructions:

Howard County Detention Center uses the services of NCIC for inmate phone calling. It is called a ‘friends & family account”.

In order to receive phone calls from your inmate, you need to do the following:

  • Register here, or by phone 800-943-2189
  • Choose Texas.
  • Choose Howard County Detention Center
  • Select your Inmate.
  • Enter the phone number your Inmate will be calling.
  • Fund your Account. ($10-$100 at a time)

NOTE:
1.   You cannot receive any calls to your phone number from your inmate until both you and your phone number are registered.
2.  When you do receive a call, the number you will view on your phone from the incoming call is: 800-943-2189.
3.  When allowed by Howard County Detention Center, families can also leave secure voicemails for inmates to listen to.

Fees

  • Adding funds to your account - $3.00 
  • Cost of phone call of a Prepaid Collect Account - $0.21 per minute
  • Cost of an interstate (ex. Texas to a different state) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost of an intrastate (ex. Texas to Texas) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost if you set up your account (or fund it) by phone using a live agent, you will be charged a one-time fee of $5.95.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
Full list of participating jails.

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


 

Photos of this facility
1 / 5
2 / 5
3 / 5
4 / 5
5 / 5