El Paso County TX Jail Details & Overview
Inmates and their loved ones need to be aware of the rules and regulations of the El Paso County Jail. We are here to provide information that will answer your questions and keep you informed of the procedures you must follow when visiting an inmate, sending mail, sending money, or even performing an El Paso jail inmate search online. Also, you can view mugshots in El Paso County.
Information on the El Paso County Jail
The El Paso County Jail, formally known as the Downtown Detention Center, has been in operation since 1983. The El Paso County Jail is located across from the County Court, Justice of the Peace, and Federal Courts.
The El Paso County Jail is 310,440 square feet and has nine housing floors, with three of them reserved for female inmates. The jail has an inmate capacity of 1,000.
The El Paso County Jail also houses the following:
- Sheriff’s Office Warrants Section
- Jail Magistrate Court
- Jail Ministry Section
- Liaison Offices for the U.S. Border Patrol and Adult Probation
- Bond Inmate and Trust Section
This detention facility is a maximum-security jail. The jail holds inmates that are awaiting their trials and those who have been sentenced.
Contact Information for the El Paso County Jail
The El Paso County Jail phone number is (915) 546-2212, and the detention center is located at:
601.E. Overland El Paso, TX 79901
How to Send Mail to Inmates at the El Paso County Jail
If you would like to send an inmate mail, there are a few things you need to be aware of before mailing. Inmates may receive the following in the mail:
- Money orders
- Cashier’s checks
- United States Treasury checks
- Checks from penal institutions
You CANNOT send any of the following:
- Cash
- Personal checks
- Foreign checks
- Payroll checks
If an inmate receives any of these, they will be returned to the sender. To send mail to an inmate, use the following address:
Inmate’s Name, Floor, Cellblock
Booking Number
EL Paso County Detention Facility
601 E. Overland
EL Paso, TX 79901
All incoming mail will be opened, inspected, and possibly read. The mail will not be delivered if it contains any of the following.
- Hardcore pornography
- Material that instructs inmates on constructing weapons, bombs, incendiary devices, and ammunition
- Material that instructs inmates on methods of escape
- Material that instructs inmates on making alcohol
- Writings that are in code
- Prison union publications
- Jewelry, posters, or hard-cover books
- Plastic-coated cards
- Tape or stickers
- Glue, paste, or other unknown substances
- More than five photos, pornographic photos, or Polaroid photos
- Mail that features advertisements
- Mail that solicits employment
- Photos that are over 5 X 7 inches
- Electronic, digital, or photocopied photos
If you would like to send an inmate books or publications, they must be mailed from the bookstore. The bookstore’s address must be stamped on the package, or it will be refused.
Inmate Programs and Services Offered by the El Paso County Jail
The El Paso County Jail offers multiple inmate programs to foster improved citizenship and preparation for release. The following are some of the available inmate programs.
- 24/7 medical services
- ESL classes
- Adult GED classes
- Religious programs
- Work programs
- Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
- Leisure library
- Law library
- Prepaid telephone services
- Commissary
Visiting an Inmate at the El Paso County Jail
If you plan on visiting an inmate in the El Paso County Jail, you need to be aware of the schedule and rules. The visitation schedule is as follows.
Visitation is held on Saturdays and Sundays, with odd and even floors following different schedules.
- Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for even floors: 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th
- Saturday: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for odd floors: 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for odd floors: 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th
- Sunday: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for even floors: 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th
There will be morning and evening visitation sessions for the following holidays:
- Mother’s Day
- Father’s Day
- Easter
- Christmas
Children under the age of 16 are permitted to visit on the first Saturday or Sunday of the month for a morning session only. An adult must accompany any minors.
Rules for Visitation
Following the rules is essential, or a visitor’s visitation privileges will be denied. Depending on the severity of the violation, visitors could be banned permanently.
- All visitors above the age of 17 must show a valid photo ID.
- Visitors may only visit once per week on the designated day.
- Each visit will last no longer than 20 minutes.
- Visitors may leave money to be deposited into the inmate’s account at the time of the visit.
- All inmates must go through a metal detector. If the metal detector sounds an alarm, the visitor is subject to being searched.
- Visitors unwilling to go through a metal detector or be searched will not be permitted to visit.
- No halter tops, low-cut necklines, see-through blouses, sleeveless shirts, or tank tops are allowed.
- No short skirts, shorts, or dresses are permitted.
- Visitors may not wear clothing that portrays nudity, derogatory messages, or pornography.
Inmate Telephone Privileges
Inmates have access to prepaid telephone accounts so they can make outgoing calls. You will need to set up an account with AdvancePay to receive calls from inmates.
You have several options for funding an inmate’s prepaid telephone account.
- You can visit www.OffenderConnect.com to create an account, deposit funds, check balances, and more.
- You can also call 1-800-483-8314 to create an account or add funds to a prepaid account.
The El Paso County Jail Commissary Services
Inmates may make purchases from the commissary, provided they have money in their personal accounts. Commissary orders are passed out on Fridays. Money must be received in the inmate’s account before 4:00 p.m. on Thursday before they can make a purchase from the commissary.
How to Fund an Inmate’s Personal Account
You can fund an inmate’s account in multiple ways. Inmates need money to purchase items from the commissary.
- You can send a certified money order or cashier’s check.
- You can leave money to be deposited into the inmate’s account at a visitation session.
- You can also deposit money into an inmate’s account online through OffenderConnect. This is the fastest method of depositing money into an inmate’s account.
Victims Have the Right to Learn Information on Offenders
The state-wide Texas VINE network connects crime victims with the information they need to keep themselves safe. Victims have the right to know the custody status of their offenders. To learn this information, call 877-894-8463. Victims can set up their accounts to be notified via email when the custody status of their offenders changes.
Additional Resources
El Paso County Sheriff Website