Erie County Jail

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The Erie County Jail is located at 40 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo, NY and is a medium security county jail operated by the Erie County Sheriff’s Department.

This page tells you information about everything you might want to know about the Erie County Jail, such as how to find an inmate at the Erie County Jail, the jail’s phone number and address, intake procedures and booking, court information, and lots more.

Top 10 Searches for Erie County Jail

1. Erie County Jail Information
2. Erie County Jail Inmate Search
3. Erie County Inmate Search in Buffalo, NY
4. Erie County Jail Visitation Rules
5. What Are the Visitation Hours for Erie County Jail
6. How To Save Money on Inmate Calls at Erie County Jail
7. Erie County Jail Care Packages
8. What is Inmate Commissary?
9. How to Send Money to an Inmate at Erie County Jail
10. How to Search Erie County Arrest Records

Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to give information you need to make helping a friend or family member get out of jail easier. If you have questions, just ask them, and please leave any feedback or comments that could be beneficial to other people in the same situation will be much appreciated.

Erie County Jail Inmate Search

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Who’s In Jail

The Erie County Jail Inmate List has information about individuals who have been arrested and are in jail, which includes current status, and times you can visit. Also, you can get info on anyone processed or discharged within the last 24 hours. Jail inmates are listed in alphabetical order by last name. You will be able to locate the information fast if you have the arrestee’s full name, date of birth, or inmate ID.

Erie County Jail Policies and Procedures

Intake Procedures

The intake procedure at the Erie County Jail takes you through each of the following steps:

You will be placed in a waiting area or cell. If there are a lot of arrests, you will have to wait, sometimes for many hours, before you get processed.

You have to answer a bunch of questions, such as your legal name, your address, date of birth and contact person, and also, you will also be asked about your medical and psychological history. Next, you will be issued an inmate number and your fingerprints will be taken. Then, all personal property will be taken from you and stored until you are released.

They will allow you to make a telephone call so you can contact a member of your family, friend, or somebody else who can help you get out.

If they expect that you will make bail and be released quickly, you might be allowed to skip the jumpsuit and keep wearing your own clothes, if not you you will have to change into a jail jumpsuit.

Discharge Procedures

Once bail has been posted, you will get released from jail. The discharge process takes between 15 minutes to many hours. Or, simply, the quicker bail is posted, the quicker you will get let go. Also, how fast you get released depends on if you’ve been given a cash bond amount or if a judge still needs to decide on your bail amount. For a minor charge, you will simply be booked and get released without having to post bail. When you have served out your jail sentence and know the discharge date, you should plan to be released in the morning.

Erie County Jail Visitation

The inmate have to provide each visitor’s full name to the Erie County Jail before you can visit. Your visitor’s names will be put into the log as an Authorized visit. All visitors will have to provide identification. Visitors showing up late or that is not an approved visitor will not be allowed to attend visitation.

Visitation procedures frequently change, so call the official Erie County Jail at (716) 858-7022 before you try to go to visitation.

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Visitation Rules

In order to visit someone at the Erie County Jail you must have your name on the inmate’s visitation list.

Be sure to take your up to date government issued ID or valid driver’s license when you go to visit because you will not be allowed to enter without it.

No phones at Erie County Jail, and you will be searched before visiting. Personal belongings are not allowed. Anybody under must obtain the permission of both the superintendent and their individual supervising officer prior to a visit. Such visitation is not going to be approved.

If a visitor is under the age of 18 and is a family member of the inmate, they must be accompanied by an adult family member or guardian to include a member of the inmate’s extended family. If the visitor is younger than 18 years of age and is not a family member of the inmate, this visitor must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Sending Mail to Inmates

This is what you need to know about sending letters, photos, postcards, greeting cards and magazines to an inmate at the Erie County Jail. Incoming and outgoing inmate mail at the Erie County Jail is always searched and inspected for contraband that might threaten the security, safety or well-being of the facility, its staff, and inmates. Inmates can only receive metered, unstamped, plain white postcards no larger than 4″ x 6″ as mail. The writing on the postcard has to be in pencil or blue or black ink. If it has a stamp on it, it will get returned. If you write in green ink, then it will get returned. If you send any other kind of mail will be returned to the sender. If there is no return address on it, then the unauthorized mail will be stored in the inmate’s locker until the inmate gets release.

Do not include any of these things in the mail that you send to an inmate: any kind of threat to jail order, any description of the manufacture of weapons, bombs, incendiary devices, or tools for escape; do not encourage or advocate any kind of violence, hate speech, or racial or ethnic supremacy. Inmates are not allowed to write to other inmates.

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Sending Other Things to an Inmate

There are strict procedures that you must follow to send anything to an inmate at the Erie County Jail. This includes sending money for to spend in the commissary, sending regular mail or photos, sending money for phone calls, and even postcards.

This page covers everthing you need to know about the Erie County Jail to help you follow these procedures and guidelines. If you have questions, or there is something that you were looking for, but did not find, please contact us using the contact link in the site menu.

Public Records

Warrant Inquiry

If you believe you have a warrant out for your arrest, you can check court records on the Erie County court website or you can call the court directly. You have to have the person’s first and last name. You can also go to the local jail and ask them. Keep in mind that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, they will take you into custody immediately.

Arrest Record Search

If you know a person’s name, and the date of their arrest, contact the Erie County jail, on the phone, in person, or look online. Arrest records are a matter of public record and this is available to anyone.

Court Records

Court Records are public records. Court Records include a court case file that contains a court docket and any filings and documents filed in the case. You are able to access the court records via the internet, or at the clerk’s office of the court in the jurisdiction where the case was filed.

Criminal Records

Every state maintains records of a person’s criminal background. These databases are all connected so you can track criminal backgrounds from any other state. You are able to go to the Erie County Courthouse and inquire, or you can check online. It helps to know which county the crime occurred in, and if the crime was in a totally different state, you might have to pay a fee for a more complete search.

A criminal records search you are able to get a report detailing any arrests, charges, or convictions that may be on a person’s record for driving under the influence (DUI), drug Possession, kidnapping, rape or other sexual assault, violent crimes like assault or murder, or theft, breaking and entering.

Money & Commissary

The rules for sending money to people in jail can change at any time, so you should visit the Erie County Jail site when you send any funds.

How To Send Money to an Inmate at Erie County Jail

You will have your own ‘bank account’ while in jail. This money is used to purchase items from the Commissary. Family and friends can deposit money into this account for you, and any money you earn while in prison will also be deposited into your account. Outside money can be paid in to your account via a money order, cash or check. If someone sends a check or money order, make sure that they write your inmate ID on it. The maximum amount you are allowed in your account is $290 per month.

Guidelines For Sending Money To An Inmate

Before you send any money you should find out what online money transfer companies the jail your inmate is incarcerated in uses. The exact method that the Erie County Jail uses changes frequently, so it is best to call them at (716) 858-7022 to get the current payment method.

You may be required to be on the inmate’s visitation list in order to send them money, and be aware that they may have a limit on how much you deposit at one time, like $200-300 at a time, or a limit on how much money may be in the inmate’s account at one time.

Some of the money transfer firms being used by various facilities include JPay, MoneyGram, AccessCorrections, OffenderConnect, Touchpayonline, JailATM, WU, smartdeposit, and tigercommissary.

If an inmate has fines or are required to pay restitution then they will be subject to garnishment of their commissary/trust account. If the inmate has a garnishment, then money to pay them will be taken from the inmate’s bank account. In some cases it may be a percentage or the entire amount of the obligation, but the actual percentage depends on the circumstances. We recommend that inmates talk to the counselor at their facility and try to find out. You can also try to make an arrangement so that only a percentage of your commissary funds are taken, instead of all your funds take at one time.

Commissary

The commissary is the Erie County Jail store. Inmates can purchase a number of things here, such as toiletries, snacks and writing supplies. Keep in mind that you will probably need to use the commissary daily, and any infractions will get that privilege taken away from you.

The Commissary will sell a selection of different products that the inmate can buy if they have sufficient funds in their commissary account. These products include clothes, shoes, small snacks and other food items, as well as hygiene products such as soap, shampoo, and disposable razors for shaving. The commissary also sells other things like books and magazines, televisions and radios, playing cards, headphones, MP3 players, and electronic tablets. They also sell everything need to write home to family, friends, and loved ones: paper, envelopes, and stamps. If an inmate is indigent and cannot afford paper and stamps, the jail will provide these things to an inmate who has not had any money in their commissary account for at least 30 days.

Phone Calls & Phone Usage Policy

Phone calls that inmates are allowed to make from the Erie County Jail are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Phone calls made in jail are usually pricier than phone calls made outside of jail. Phone calls are restricted on how often you can use the phone, but inmates should keep in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you break the rules, your ability to use the phone may be limited or eliminated completely, as part of the punishment.

Phone Number: (716) 858-7022

How To Save Money on Inmate Calls

Correctional facility phone service providers have a monopoly at each facility that they are the exclusive phone provider for, which means that they they control how much it costs to make phone calls. The profits these phone service providers make off of all of the inmate phone calls are split with the facility, so there is no incentive for the jail or the counselors at the facility to show inmates or their family how to save money on inmate phone calls at the Erie County Jail. The rates are posted and there are at least two types of prices based on where the inmate is calling. The following three factors will determine the cost of an inmate phone call: Where you are located; Where your inmate is located, What type of phone number you have.

For example, if your inmate is in federal prison, if you get a new local number then this will decrease your inmate’s phone call rate from $.21 per minute to only $.06 per minute.

For state prisons and local jails figuring out how to lower your inmates phone charges is more difficult. ArrestedResources.com keeps up to date with all of the changes that affect your inmate’s rate and in most cases is able to offer you an inmate calling number that will save you significantly on inmate phone calls. There are some prisons or jails where we won’t be able to save you money on your inmate calls, and therefore we will not offer you an inmate calling number. In these cases, the jail or prison has set their calling prices in a way that nobody will be able to save you money.

For more detailed information on how to save on inmate calls at Erie County Jail, click the link below.

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