Valdosta Transitional Center

The Valdosta Transitional Center is a minimum-security facility for adult male felons who are nearing the end of their sentence with the Georgia Department of Corrections. The center is located in Valdosta, Georgia and can house a maximum of 164 inmates. The host facility for the Valdosta Transitional Center is the Valdosta State Prison.

There are two housing dorms with three-person rooms, and one open dorm with 14 beds. While housed at Valdosta TC, inmates are provided with therapeutic counseling, social skills, and employment skills to help with a successful transitional back into the community after their incarceration.

The goal is to have all residents in the program be employed, law-abiding, taxpaying, sober, and more educated citizens.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at the Valdosta Transitional Center are on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

COVID 19 Modified Visitation

As of July 2021, visitation is allowed at Valdosta TC, but there are modified visitation procedures in place due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Approved visitors must request a visit in advance by accessing the Georgia DOC website.

All visitors must be on their inmate's approved visitation list. Once your request has been approved, an email will be sent from [email protected]. Inmates who are on quarantine or medical isolation status will not be allowed visits.

Scheduling requests must be submitted between 5:00 am on Monday and 5:00 pm on Wednesday for that week’s visitation ONLY.

• Inmates with last names beginning A - L visit on Saturday. Session one is between 9:00 am - 11:00 am and session two is from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
• Inmates with last names beginning M - Z visit on Sunday between 9:00 am - 11:00 am for session one and 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm for session two.

During modified visitation, inmates are allowed one visit every other month. Visits can last no more than two hours. Two approved visitors are allowed and must visit at the same time. No visitors under the age of twelve are allowed.

Disposable face masks are provided, and must be worn at all times. Seating is socially distanced at twelve feet apart, and barriers separating offenders and loved ones are in place. 

During modified visitation, no physical contact with inmates is allowed. Hand sanitizer is available, but vending machines are closed.

Who Can Visit?

Before you can visit an inmate at the Valdosta Transitional Center, they must put you on their visiting list first. Then, you must be approved by the Georgia Department of Corrections. Visitor applications are available by clicking here. 

Members of an inmate's immediate family (parents, brothers, sisters, spouse, grandparents, grandchildren, and children) are eligible for visitation approval. 

If you are not considered an “immediate” family member, you still may be allowed to visit as a significant relationship visitor. The inmate must initiate the request for anyone wanting to visit as a significant relationship visitor.

General Visiting Rules

All visitors must show a photo ID before they are allowed to enter the visiting room. Visitors can only bring the following items into the visiting room:

• Photo ID
• A maximum of $20.00 in coins for the vending machines, and 
• A set of car keys 

You can't bring food or drink into the facility from the outside, and you can't bring items to give to an inmate. All visitors are subject to a search of their person by electronic surveillance instruments, including a metal detector. All items brought into the facility by a visitor will be searched. 

Personal contact (hand shaking, embracing or kissing) is permitted only at the beginning and end of the visit. Excessive, frequent or prolonged embracing, hand holding, kissing, or other inappropriate behavior during the visit is strictly prohibited.

Dress Code

Visitors are required to wear appropriate clothing. Shoes are required of all visitors -- including children -- at all times. 

Male visitors are required to wear shirts and full-length pants. Female visitors are required to wear foundation type garments such as bras and panties. Any clothing that is suggestive or revealing in any way is prohibited.

Inappropriate clothing includes, but is not limited to: 

• Dresses with thin straps which expose shoulders or chest area
• Dresses, skirts or other similar garments that are more than two inches above the knees
• Tops which expose shoulders or chest area
• Tube tops or halter tops
• Clothing which reveals the stomach or midriff area
• Clothing that is made of sheer, net, mesh, or transparent material
• Shorts or any kind of slacks that are above the knee 
• Leggings, jeggings, or any other skin tight pants

How to Call an Inmate

You can't call an inmate who is housed at the Valdosta Transitional Center, but the residents do have access to phones during certain hours and are allowed to make outgoing calls.

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate housed at the Valdosta Transitional Center through JPay (online or phone) or MoneyGram (in person). You also have the option of mailing a money order. You must be on a recipient’s approved visitor list to use any payment method.

Programs For Inmates

WORK DETAILS:

Residents at the Valdosta Transitional Center are assigned to the work release program throughout the South Georgia and North Florida area. Two residents are assigned to assist the Georgia State Patrol with sanitation and grounds maintenance. Six residents are assigned in-house to assist with long-term maintenance.

PROGRAMS:

• Academic: General Education Diploma, Adult Basic Education, Literacy Remedial
• Counseling: Re-Entry Skills, Motivation For Change, Community Pass, Therapeutic Work Release, Substance Abuse Education, Thinking For A Change, Community Finance, Matrix Module Relapse Prevention, Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous
• Recreation: General Recreation, Physical Health
• Religious Activities: Various Worship Services, Bible Study, Community Volunteers

TRANSITION PROGRAM FOR ALL INMATES:

Phase I -- One week of orientation/one week of center sanitation detail/three weeks of programming

Residents also meet with assigned counselors to discuss specific needs and develop treatment/performance plans 

Phase II -- Upon completion of Phase I, residents appear before a classification committee for review and assessment. A resident’s performance is reviewed, and if they meet the criteria they are moved up. Within this phase, residents are allowed to seek employment in the community.

Phase III -- Residents move to phase III when they have met all program requirements. During this phase, counselors prepare resident plans to assist offenders with reentry into society.

Pictures of Valdosta Transitional Center

Careers at Valdosta Transitional Center

If you are interested in a career with the Georgia Department of Corrections and would like to see the job openings at the Valdosta Transitional Center, click here.