Fees & Fee Programs

Weekender Fee Programs

In accordance with Virginia State Statute 53.1-13.1;inmates serving weekend and nonconsecutive day sentences may be charged a set amount to defray their cost of keep.

Fees shall be collected and used for the sole purpose of defraying the cost of the inmate’s keep.

A. The Western Tidewater Regional Jail has established the following fee schedule and rules for their Weekender Program:

a. Processing Fee – $25.00
b. Daily Weekender fee- $8.00

B. Fee Payment

a. All fees will be paid in the form of a certified check or money order. No cash, credit or debit cards or personal checks will be accepted.

b. Fees can be mailed and must be received inadvance of the initial reporting date to: WTRJ Weekender/Nonconsecutive Days Program

P.O.Box 0069
Suffolk,VA 23439-0069

c. All fees must be paid in full in advance of reporting to serve sentence.

d. A receipt will be issued to the sentenced person whenever a payment is received.

e. If the inmate fails to pay for a weekend in advance, but,upon check-in, has a certified check or money order for the entire confinement period,the Booking Staff will accept the payment and issue the inmate a receipt for the entire amount on the check or money order. No change will be returned.

f. The fee charged will be based on the actual number of days to be served in jail,in accordance with State sentencing guidelines,and multiplied by the eight dollar ($8.00) a day rate.

C. If the inmate willfully fails to report at the time specified by the court or fails to pay the specified fees,the inmate will be reported to the sentencing court and the sentence imposed pursuant to Virginia Code 53.1-131.1 shall be revoked and a straight jail sentence will be imposed.

D. Failure to pay all fees,in advance,associated with the Weekend and Nonconsecutive Days program, will be treated as a willful act on the part of an inmate not to participate or comply with this program.

a. The weekender will be kept incarcerated at the end of the normal weekender release time.

b. The Superintendent will forward a letter to the weekender ‘s sentencing court requesting the judge revoke the non-consecutive day sentence and impose a straight jail sentence in accordance with Virginia State Statute 53.1-131.1.

E. If,when confronted with this inevitability,the weekender inmate can cause payment in full to be delivered to the jail prior to his scheduled weekend release,the Booking Staff will accept payment. The inmate will then be released in accordance with the court ordered weekend or nonconsecutive days sentence as ordered by the court.

Medical Services

Jail medical staff under the supervision of a physician provides medical care. Medical care will be given for medical problems,which may occur during confinement. The Medical Staff is on duty 24 hours per day to handle emergency medical problems. All newly admitted inmates will receive instructions as to how to access medical care. There is a co-payment fee to see the Medical Staff and Physician.

Dental Services

Dental appointments are made by Medical Staff. Inmates with the greatest need,as determined by the Medical Staff,will receive priority consideration for care.The Medical Staff will arrange for dental examinations and treatment,when the dentist decides they are necessary for an inmates’s good health. There is a co-payment fee to see the dentist

Eye Care

The jail will not provide eye glasses or repair glasses unless the lack of them would seriously affect the sight of the inmate. This is determined by an eye doctor in consultation with the jail physician. If when committed to the jail,the inmate was not wearing their prescription glasses,a family member/friend may bring the glasses to the jail for the Medical Staff to approve.

Medical Co-Pay Program

A.Medical service Co-payment charge will be assessed to all inmates in accordance with the following service fees:

B.Inmates will be presented a Medical Charges Sheet,which will state the applicable fee,the inmate will acknowledge with signature and the medical charge will be deducted from the inmate’s fund balance.

C.The following medical services are free:

D.For any pre-existing/chronic care condition the Medical Staff will determine the course of treatment.

E.Medical requests for services for glasses,dentalwork or other specialized items will be provided only when the lack of it would seriously affect the health of the inmate or when determined necessary by the doctor or dentist.

The inmate will be responsible for the fullcost for eye appointments,glasses etc… WTRJ will not pay for dentures,crowns,teeth cleaning etc…

F. Medical care will never be refused to any inmate. The Medical Staff will see those inmates who are indigent and a negative balance will be placed on their Inmate Account.

Room and Board Fees

A.Effective July 1,2009 the Virginia Legislature authorized Room and Board fees not to exceed three dollars ($3.00) per day. The WTRJ fee is three dollars ($3.00) per day.

B.As part of the intake process,inmates will be required to sign a written statement informing the inmate of the Room and Board Fee and the method of payment.

If the inmate refuses to sign the form,the Booking Supervisor will note the refusal on the form and have a second officer verify the inmate’s refusal. This form will be placed in the inmate’s Booking Record.

C.The Room and Board Fee will be posted within the inmate’s individual canteen account at the designated time each day. If the release date and date of arrival are within twenty-four (24) hours, the inmate shall be charged only the equivalent of one day’s fee.

D.Each Room and Board Fee deduction will be recorded as an individual transaction in the inmate’s Canteen Account. Any inmate with a negative balance will have the Room and Board Fee charges posted and carried forward as a negative balance.

E.Inmates subsequently incarcerated with funds will have those funds applied to their negative balances

F.The following category of inmates will be exempt from paying the Room and Board Fee:

a.Inmate Trustees
b.Work Release Inmates
c.Electronic Monitoring Inmates
d.Federal Inmates

G.If an inmate is removed from an exempt category for misconduct he/she will be required to pay all Room and Board fees for his/her entire period of incarceration as if he/she had never been in an exempt status.

H.Any inmate from whom a Room and Board Fee has been collected will have the entire amount refunded upon a formal request and proof that all charges for which the inmate was incarcerated have been dismissed.

I.The request will be directed to the Superintendent in writing, shall specify the dates of incarceration,and must be accompanied by documentation from the Court that all charges for which the incarceration occurred have been dismissed.

J.Any inmate eligible for a refund must submit a request within sixty (60) days of his/her release.

K.Any person receiving deferred adjudication by the Court pending community corrections programming or whose charges are dismissed/nolle prosequi as the result of successfully fulfilling other court mandates shall not be eligible for a refund.