Restrictions

  1. Family Inmate Handbook (PDF)

Money Restrictions

Only money orders and cashier checks will be accepted by the prison for the inmate accounts. No personal checks or cash. Personal checks, business checks, and cash will be returned to the sender and not put on the inmate account.

Property Restrictions

Personal property will not be accepted at visitation or anytime. Personal hygiene items, underclothing and shoes are available for purchase on the inmate commissary at reasonable prices. Only items pre-approved by the Warden, Deputy Wardens or Shift Commanders will be accepted.

Certain exceptions will be allowed. Specifically legal materials, medications, eyeglasses and medical devices will be accepted on a case by case basis with prior approval. All special requests for these items must be made to the Warden, Deputy Warden or Shift Commander for approval prior to dropping off any items.

Miscellaneous Restrictions

  • Any person attempting to smuggle contraband into the Butler County Prison will be banned from visitation as well as face criminal charges in the local courts.
  • Any visitor who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be turned away from visitation.
  • Inmate Attorneys will be given access to the inmate for contact consultation. Butler County Prison requests the attorney call ahead to insure a room for the consultation.
  • No person who has been an inmate in the last 6 months will be permitted to visit an inmate in the Butler County Prison.
  • No person with pending criminal charges, on probation or parole or a co-defendant will be permitted to visit an inmate at the Butler County Prison until these circumstances are resolved.
  • Ordained ministers will be permitted to have contact visits with inmates only after they have been approved by the Butler County Prison Treatment Department. A background check will be performed on all clergy requesting such visits. An I.D. card will be issued to clergy members. Butler County Prison offers a staff chaplain and weekly church services for male and female inmates.

Books & Periodicals Through the Mail

Paperback books, newspapers and magazines may be mailed to an inmate with the following restrictions:

  • Magazines may be ordered, in the inmate name, and delivered from the publisher or distributor to the same Butler County Prison address above. Butler County Prison reserves the right to deny any material containing objectional material as determined by the prison management.
  • Newspapers may be ordered for inmates. The newspapers must be mailed from the newspaper offices. The subscription, payment and any problems with delivery of newspapers is the responsibility of friends or family who place the order through the newspaper offices.
  • Paperback books of normal paperback novel size must be mailed from the distributor. This may be achieved by calling or visiting a bookstore, placing an order for the desired books and having the bookstore mail the books to the inmate at:|
    Butler County Prison
    202 South Washington Street
    Butler, PA 16001

Deciding Criteria

All decisions with respect to the approval or denial of outside publication shall be based on the criteria which follows:

  • Any and all material deemed inappropriate by the warden that would have a negative effect on the prison, its operation and / or security of the institution
  • Butler County Prison will not be responsible for any publications received after the release of the subscriber inmate. These publications will be disposed of or placed in the prison library
  • Clearly inflammatory writings advocating violence, insurrection or guerrilla warfare against the government or any of it's institutions
  • Information regarding the manufacture of explosives, incendiaries, weapons or escape device
  • Instructions regarding the ingredients and/or manufacture of poisons or drugs.
  • Judicially defined obscenity