Facility
The Elkhart County Corrections Center is located at 26861 C.R. 26, northeast of the intersection with C.R. 7. Normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and corrections officers assigned to duty in the lobby are available to answer any questions visitors may have.

The main switchboard number is (574) 891-2100.

Detailed information about corrections policies and procedures are available just inside the door, some printed in both English and Spanish. A list of approved bondsmen also is posted.

Information about the inmate telephone service and billing practices may be obtained by clicking here or contacting Correctional Billing Services.

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department is a smoke-free facility.

Visitation
Visitation will be available each day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visits will be 15 minutes, unless the corrections warden has given written approval.

Visitors may be of any age, but those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Visitors must provide a valid identification, such as a government photo ID issued by a state, the U.S. government or a foreign country. Matricula consular IDs, passports and identification without photos for religious reasons also are acceptable.

Inmates may participate in visitation only once a day, though visitors may share time during the visit. Only one adult and one child at a time will be allowed at the visitation booth.

The number of visits allowed each week is subject to the inmate’s classification. Corrections officers working the front desk will be able to answer any questions about this topic.

All visitors will be subject to search. Visitors must wear appropriate clothing, subject to the approval of corrections officers monitoring the visitation area. Unacceptable clothing includes hooded sweatshirts, spandex, shorts, and shirts with logos endorsing alcohol, drugs, sports teams, weapons or gangs.

Head coverings will be allowed only for medical and religious reasons.

Children must be supervised by their parent, guardian or responsible adult at all times, and any children left unattended will be taken into protective custody and reported to the authorities.

At times, other rules may be in effect. Visitors must follow all instructions from corrections officers. Failure to abide by any of these guidelines will result in the termination of visitation privileges.

Bond information
Corrections officials in Elkhart County want individuals to limit their stay in the facility and return to their family, jobs and community. The posting of bail for pre-trial inmates is a route for this to occur.

Inmates eligible to bond will have the procedure explained by officers. Inmates must have valid, government-issued identification; if they do not possess one at the time of booking, one must be presented by the person bonding the individual.

Surety bonds are used by bondsmen to facilitate the release of an individual. For 10 percent of the court-imposed bond amount, a person can be released from jail. The bonds business is competive, and we make bondsmen follow strict guidelines and keep relevant information on file in the sheriff’s office.

Questions about bondsmen business practices should be directed to the investigations division of the Indiana Department of Insurance, 317-233-9431. Corrections officers cannot and will not suggest a bondsmen or give advice.

Cash bonds are the full amount of the bond set by the court. The person paying the bond must produce a valid government-issued photo ID. (The absence of a photograph for religious reasons will be allowed.) The inmate and the person paying the bond will sign a receipt.

Mail service
Items sent to inmates must have the name and jail identification number written or printed on it. Acceptable items for inmates are letters and completed money orders. The facility's mailing address is the Elkhart County Corrections Center, 26861 C.R. 26, Elkhart, IN 46517.

Legal correspondence marked "attorney-client mail" is considered privileged and will be opened in the presence of the inmate. All mail that is not privileged will be opened by corrections officers and inspected for contraband.

Subscriptions to magazines and newspapers must be sent by the publisher and delivered via the U.S. Postal Service. All items will be subject to screening, and pornographic or other unacceptable correspondence will not be permitted.

No mail service will be provided on Sundays, holidays, or during emergencies within the facility.

Inmate money
Most inmates have the privilege of ordering items from the commissary, and funds also are necessary to pay for barber services, medical expenses, court-imposed fines and restitution, etc.

An ATM-like machine allows visitors to deposit cash or use credit and debit cards to leave money in inmate accounts. Located in the lobby of the corrections facility, the machine was installed in partnership with commissary vendor Swanson Services Corp. It dispenses no funds, but gives the user a receipt of the transaction and makes the money available immediately to the receiving inmate.

A $2.75 convenience fee is charged for each transaction. Deposits made using the ATM are not subject to any limit.

Money orders will be accepted only through the U.S. mail. Orders of more than $100 will be subject to a 10-day hold. Any incomplete money orders will be placed in the inmate’s property.

All funds must be received by 7 a.m. Sunday for the inmate to use in purchasing commissary that week.