The Eastern Shore Regional Jail is a 248 bed facility that houses minimum to maximum security male and female offenders. The Jail is maintained and operated to safely and securely house pre-trial, pre-sentenced and sentenced inmates primarily from both Northampton and Accomack Counties. In addition to housing local inmates, the jail may accept inmates from other jurisdictions.
In May 2007, the 85,500 square foot facility was opened to replace the 93 year old, 30 bed Northampton County Jail. The state-of-the-art facility was built to meet the current and future correctional needs of the Eastern Shore. All areas of main interior and exterior are monitored by security cameras and the control rooms are equipped to control everything in the housing units from doors, lights and cameras to telephones and televisions. The jail has its own full service Kitchen, Laundry and Medical departments as well as Administrative Offices and an on-site Magistrate's Office.
The 24 hour facility is operated by the Northampton County Sheriff's Office, employs 53 people and is currently the largest department in the county government.
Inmate Money / Commissary / Property
When an inmate is arrested or brought over from Court, all money will be deposited into the Inmate’s Commissary Account. Money can also be put onto an inmate’s account either by coming into the Jail Lobby and putting cash into the Kiosk or you can go to www.jailatm.com and put money in their account online. Access to the Lobby Kiosk is limited to 8AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday. Once funds are put into inmate’s account, they cannot be released until the inmate is released. Money will no be transferred from one inmate’s account to another or to the Public for any reason. When an inmate is released from this facility, their funds will be returned to them in the form of a Debit Card.
Commissary orders are done on Wednesday night and distributed when it arrives at the Jail
Inmates are not allowed to have personal property brought into the Jail. Once an inmate is booked into Jail, items such as t-shirts, underwear or shoes will have to be ordered on Commissary.
Inmate telephones
The Jail phone system is through Paytel Communications. When the Inmate is booked into Jail, he/she will receive and inmate ID number and a telephone PIN number. The PIN number is necessary along with the Inmate ID number to make the calls. The Inmate can make calls by either transferring money from Commissary account to Phone debit account or by collect calls on an account set up by family/friends. Collect call account can be set up cy calling Paytel at 1-866-729-8352 or by going to www.paytel.com. All phone calls are recorded at all times
Inmate Mail Policy (PDF)
Visitation Information
General Visitation
Visitors as well as inmates are required to follow certain rules established for visitation. A copy of the rules for visitation will be posted near the door to the visitation area. Any violation or disturbance which interferes with the operation of the jail during visitation times, will result in termination of visitation for that day. All visitation is non-contact and will be only on assigned days by Housing Unit.
- All inmate visitation will start at 9:00am on their assigned days by Housing Unit.Registration for visitation will begin at 8:00am and will cut off at 9:00am. Anyone coming after the cut off time, will not be allowed to visit.
- Housing Units will visit on the following days:
Mondays----A-Block
Tuesdays----A-Dorm & B-Dorm
Wednesdays----D-Block
Thursdays----C-Block
Fridays----B-Block
- Visitation will be for 30 minutes only. Each inmate gets only one (1) visit per day.
- All visits will be on a first come first serve basis.
- If more people come to visit the same person, then they will decide who visits.If they can’t decide who visits, then we will ask the inmate who they want to see and that decision is final.
- All visits will be conducted in the visiting rooms adjacent to the lobby.
- Weapons, cell phones, cameras, or contraband of any type are prohibited in this facility. If you are caught bringing any of these items into the visitation area, you will lose your future visitation privileges.
- All visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a Parent or Legal Guardian. Children will be kept under control at all times. Crying children, making loud noise, or children out of control will be asked to leave.
- All visitors must sign in at Central Control and show a valid form of photo ID, and give their physical address, and relation to the inmate.
- All visitors are subject to search at anytime while in this facility. Anyone refusing to be searched will not be allowed to visit and be asked to leave.
- Only legal materials may be taken to the visiting rooms. All other items including food or beverages are prohibited.
- No more than one (1) adult and two (2) children or two (2) adults are permitted to visit any one inmate at one time.
- All visitors must be dressed appropriately for a family setting. Anyone dressed in an inappropriate manner will not be allowed to visit.
- Former inmates (from any facility) are not permitted to visit current inmates unless it has been ninety (90) days since their release or prior written approval is obtained from the Jail Administration.
- Money can be brought into the facility and put on the inmate’s account by putting money/credit or bank card into the Lockdown Kiosk in the Jail Lobby.
- Items that need the endorsement or signature of the inmate may be given to Central Control Officer for that purpose.Once item is endorsed it will be returned to the visitor.
- Personal items, such as clothing will no longer be accepted.Inmate will have to purchase clothing on their commissary order.
- Any visitor that uses profane language or gestures or engages in disruptive behavior will be asked to leave and loose visiting privileges.
- Inmates that are on Disciplinary Segregation will not be allowed visits at any time.
- Any violation of the rules of the facility will result in the termination of the visit and ban from the facility (at discretion of Jail Administration).
Video Visitation
Video visitation is done through a company called Homewav. There are 1 video visitation unit in each Block and 2 in the Public side of the Visitation Room. Inmates must set up their own account and then send invitations to their families or visitors. Once the family/friends receive the invitations, they will be told how to put money on the account. Money can only be put into the Homewav system by the visitors, not the inmate. Video visitation is monitored and recorded so anything that happens that is inappropriate can cause your video visitation rights to be terminated
Professional Visits
- All Professional Visits by Attorneys, Probation, etc. will be conducted in the Attorney/Client rooms (both Contact and Non-Contact).
- All visiting rules apply to Professional Visits.
- Professional visitors will be required to sign in and out on the log sheet (identification may be required).
- Attorneys will be required to show bar card as well as identification (copy kept on file in Central Control).
- All visitors will be checked (metal detector) for unapproved items.
- Unless approved ahead of time, visitation will end by 6:00PM.
VA VINE
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free service through which victims of crime can use the telephone or Internet to search for information regarding their offender's custody status and register to receive telephone and e-mail notification when their offender's custody status changes (transferred to another facility, death, escape, or released from custody). You can use the telephone to search for and register to receive notification about the custody status of an offender by calling the Virginia VINE at 1-(800)-467-4943. You can also search for and register to receive notification about the custody status of an offender via VINELink at www.vinelink.com.