A new visitation procedure at the Shelby County Jail downtown now makes it easier for relatives, friends and attorneys to visit male inmates at 201 Poplar Avenue.   Video visitation stations have been placed in housing units throughout the jail.

“This is a milestone for the facility. As a result of the new technology, inmates will no longer have to be physically moved to the visitation area.  This will help keep the jail safe for our staff,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

Thirty (30) video visitation stations have been installed at the jail.  Another 31 stations will be operational next month.  Inmate visitors will continue to use the main entrance of the jail at 201 Poplar and go through a security checkpoint.

The new electronic visitation procedure will have another important benefit.   Video equipment has been installed in the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office.  

The video stations were installed without cost to citizens.  Money for the $700,000 system was generated by inmate telephone calls.  Most inmates are allowed to use a telephone in 15-minute blocks of time for $1.50.

Video visitation stations won’t be installed at the women’s facility at Jail East.  That facility was built in 1999 and designed in a way which allows inmates to easily be moved to visitation areas.

Future upgrades will be made to the video visitation system.  Courts will eventually be equipped with video stations which will allow inmates to be arraigned without having to be moved from the jail.  Also, there are plans to set up remote visitation sites throughout the community so people won’t have to travel to the downtown jail to visit inmates.