All You Need To Know About The Washington State Penitentiary

The U.S. prison system controls an astounding eight million-plus people, more people than those who receive parking tickets annually. This situation in prisons like the Washington State Penitentiary or the Walla Walla State penitentiary enriches companies operating in the private prison industry. Companies like JPay charge inmates to contact their families, making themselves billions in profits.

in Walla Walla is a men's prison run by the Washington Department of Corrections. The facility houses 2,349 adult male inmates and houses from minimum to close custody inmates.

Established in 1886, it is the second-largest prison in Washington. The entire facility has wheat plantations around it.

The inmates receive educational and vocational training. The inmates also receive medical, dental, and psychiatric treatment. WSP runs a program that allows inmates to teach obedience to shelter dogs in preparation for adoption.

Trying to contact an inmate is very frustrating, and trying to go through the process alone might be a challenge. DoNotPay, the world's first AI Consumer Champion, can help you navigate the red tapes with ease.

Where Is Washington State Penitentiary?

is located at 1313 N.13th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362. The locals dubbed it "The Penn" and the inmates "The Walls." You can contact the facility at (509)-525-3610.

The current warden is Karl Fort, and you can visit the WSP website for more information. The general email if you wish to contact the facility is WSP.

Physical Address	1313 N.13th Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone Number	(509)-525-3610
Website	Washington State Penitentiary (WSP)
General Email	WSP

How to Contact Inmates at Washington State Penitentiary

Contacting an inmate at the WSP is a meticulous and time-consuming process. If you wish to write to an inmate, address the letter like this:

Inmate's Name, ID Number

Washington State Penitentiary

1313 North 13th Avenue

Walla Walla, WA 99362

in different units, and visitation depends on which unit houses your loved one. You can check for the visitation schedule before you visit.

You must submit a visitors' application to get approval before a visit. An offender is allowed up to seven approved visitors for every visit. Sometimes the offender might not be available for your visit. You need to pre-arrange with the inmate before your visit to avoid disappointment.

To check for any visitation cancellations, visit Twitter at Doc Visitation. This page has basic information, but you can also call 509.526.3610 for more information. Visitation is daily between 10 am and 5.30 pm, depending on the complex.

Offenders in WSP can make outgoing pre-paid and collect calls only. The offender cannot receive incoming calls. Contact the inmate's counselor during regular business hours in an emergency such as a death in the immediate family.

If you need to call after hours, talk to the shift officer and explain what happened. They must verify the details and, for more information on how to make emergency calls, read the WSP procedures.

All calls are recorded and monitored and are limited to 20 minutes to allow all offenders to use the phones. Three-way calling, call waiting, and call forwarding is prohibited and may result in your phone call dropping.

How to Send Money to Washington State Facility Inmates

The inmates can receive money via

Internet: Deposit via Western Union or JPay. These services have charges attached to them.
Walk-in: You can deposit via MoneyGram or Western Union.
Phone: Deposit the money into your loved one's trust fund account via calling by calling Western Union: 1-800-634-3422 or JPAY: 1-800-574-5729.
Mail: Via money order or cashier's check. You can make money payable to the inmate's name and DOC number. Specify what the inmate can use the money for, i.e., medical means the inmate can only use the funds for medical expenses, postage for postage only, etc. Address an envelope with your return address to

Attn: Offender Banking

Facility Name

P.O. Box or Street Address

City, WA Zipcode

Before sending the funds, you must know:

The inmate's full name
The inmate's DOC Number
The inmate's current location

How to Send Packages to Washington Penitentiary Inmates

You cannot send money or personal checks or items such as snacks, pens, paper, or hygiene items as they can purchase these items from the commissary. The WSP opens all mail to prevent contraband. You can send 4" by 6" photos, but not instant or polaroid photos as they are a security risk. Send up to five decent photos without nudity.

To send an inmate a care package, they have to send you an authorization form. The inmate can receive one gift package under 15 lbs. per month and food packages every quarter. Enter the correct details after confirming eligibility with the inmate.

Steps to Take Before Calling or Writing to a Prisoner

Before you accept any calls from an inmate, you must know their location. An interstate phone call is more costly compared to an intrastate call. If you are not sure of their location, DoNotPay can help. The DoNotPay app is a new product, "Connect With an Inmate," that locates an inmate's whereabouts in any correctional facility across the U.S.

Here is how it works:

Open a DoNotPay account on a web browser
In the Connect with an Inmate tab, Select "Locate Someone."
Provide the inmate's name and state
Submit your request

DoNotPay will reveal the current location of the inmate within a few seconds.

Difficulties You May Have Contacting a Loved One in Washington State Penitentiary

Contacting an inmate in can give you a headache for several reasons:

Expensive Phone Rates

If you live outside of Washington state, calling interstate can be quite expensive. Global Tel Link (GTL) is the Washington Department of Corrections (DOC's) phone service provider. When you pay for a pre-paid account via GTL, you get some savings per minute more than on collect calls. GTL charges you for each call, and you can set up your account with a local number to reduce your bills.

Unit

Depending on which unit houses them, you may have issues visiting your loved one. Inmates in the IMU (Intensive Management Unit) have no contact. You can visit program levels such as Level one, where inmates are in isolation and get no visits; Level 2, get one, one hour visit per week with immediate family, etc. You have to find out which level your loved one is on and when to visit, if at all.

DoNotPay Can Help You Locate Your Imprisoned Inmate

Locate the Connect With an Inmate service on DoNotPay.
Choose whether you want to locate a loved one, create a virtual mailbox, or send a personalized letter.
If you want us to find your loved one, provide his or her personal details and the state they are located in. We'll then conduct a search on the appropriate state database.
If you want to create a virtual mailbox, just provide your full name! We'll set one up for you so you can easily receive incoming mail from your loved one.
If sending a personalized letter, tell us which facility your loved one is located in and what you would like to say to them. You can even include a photo! Your letter will be delivered automatically - just wait 10 days for it to arrive to your loved one!