The way inmate visitations are handled at the Dubuque County jail will be changing to help stop the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.
On Tuesday, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office announced that they are closing its visitation lobby at the jail beginning April 6 and will remain closed until further notice. Visits already scheduled for the week of March 30th-April 3rd will still be conducted as scheduled.
Sheriff Joseph Kennedy says visits can be conducted via Skype. The sheriff's office has reached an agreement with its vendor, Inmate Calling Solutions, to provide two free Skype visits per week. Any Skype sessions beyond the two free visits will be charged the normal rate. Letters via U.S. Mail will still be accepted.
Sheriff Kennedy says they recognize that visits are helpful to the inmates’ morale and mental health. “We are doing our best to ensure they maintain their connection with family and friends, while also doing everything possible to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”