No In-House Visitation w/Inmates at County Jail

In an effort to protect inmates in the Effingham County Jail, as well as staff and the general public from the current COVID-19 pandemic, Effingham County Sheriff Dave Mahon has announced the following changes in operations at the jail.

As of noon Monday, March 16, there will be no more in-house visitation with inmates. 

The sheriff said they understand the importance of visitation to the quality of life to those in custody, but said the first priority is the safety of the inmates and the jail staff. Inmates who have no means to contact their families, other than through letters through the US Postal Service, will be granted a 15-minute call every week, regardless of their ability to pay for the call. The sheriff hopes the situation is short-lived, and he encourages families to write more letters and send them through the mail.

Inmates being brought into the jail will also be subject to more intense medical screening questions.

All in-house jail programs that are conducted by outside volunteers have also  been suspended.

These changes will be in place until further notice. Check the jail Facebook page for updated information. Please do not phone the jail for more information.

There are no known cases of COVID-19 in Effingham County. Sheriff Mahon said the changes are being made as a precaution during the pandemic and regular services will be resumed as soon as possible.