If you are looking for an inmate who is serving time at Erie County Holding Center, search for him or her on this link which is provided by the Erie County Sheriff’s Department. When you find the inmate you are looking for, click on his or her name, and you will see the information you are looking for.

Inmates at Erie County Holding Center may receive only metered, unstamped, plain white postcards no larger than 4" x 6" as mail. Writing must be in pencil or blue or black ink. Any other mail will be returned to the sender.

Inmate mail can be addressed as follows:

Inmate Name
C/O Erie County Holding Center
40 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 14202

Photos may be sent to inmates, but they will be checked to make sure they do not contain nudity, violence, or are gang-related. Hand-drawn pictures from children are allowed, but they must not contain with glitter, glue or tape.

Magazines and books are not allowed to be sent to inmates, with the exception of religious material.

You can send money to an inmate in Erie County Holding Center via a money order. Make sure it is made out to the inmate and you can either drop it off at the jail or send it through the mail. Money can also be deposited to the inmate’s account in person with either cash or a credit card by the use of the kiosk located in the jail lobby. There is a fee of $2.50 per transaction.

Commissary

More than likely, inmates will apply money they receive to their commissary account. Commissary is a jail “store” that sells snacks, candy, playing cards, board games, hygiene products, and more.

Inmates at Erie County Holding Center are given three meals a day, but they also are allowed to purchase snacks and drinks from the commissary if they have money available on their account.

Inmates booked into the Erie County Holding Center have access to payphones managed by Paytel Communications from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. Inmates are not allowed to receive phone calls.

If you have problems receiving calls from the Jail, contact 716-858-7636.

Visitation at Erie County Holding Center is Monday through Friday 9 AM-6 PM.

Visitors must be on the inmate’s requested visitation sheet and have a valid state-issued ID (minors excluded) or a valid United States Passport. Visits are held in a small room that has about five telephones, which inmates and visitors talk into and see each other through a glass window. All visitations are monitored by staff.

Here are some other things to remember:

• No cell phones are allowed during the visit to Erie County Holding Center.

• No visitors can be added to the visitation the day of visitation.

• You must schedule your visits 24 hours in advance.

• Visitation is Monday through Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm.

• Visits can also be set up by video.

VISITATION HOURS

• Monday

  7:30 AM to 9:00 PM

• Tuesday

  7:30 AM to 9:00 PM

• Wednesday

  7:30 AM to 9:00 PM

• Thursday

  7:30 AM to 9:00 PM

• Friday

  7:30 AM to 9:00 PM

• Saturday

  7:30 Am to 2:30 PM

• Sunday

  7:30 Am to 2:30 PM