Amherst Detention is a county detention facility at 219 S Riverview Rd, operated by the Amherst County Sheriff's Office. Most people here are awaiting trial or serving a sentence under one year. This is not a prison - stays are typically days or months, not years. Information on this page was last verified August 2026.
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If you are not certain they are there, the fastest way to confirm is the Amherst County inmate search or InmateAid's inmate locator, which searches by name across Virginia facilities.
Booking takes time - sometimes several hours after arrest. If the search comes back empty, wait a few hours and try again before assuming they are somewhere else. You can also pull their arrest record and booking details to confirm the charges and facility assignment. For the most direct answer, call Amherst Detention at 434-528-3160.
Most people booked at Amherst Detention appear before a judge within 24 to 48 hours. At that first appearance the judge sets bail - or denies it - based on the charges, history, and flight risk.
If bail is set, your family member can be released by paying the full amount or through a bail bondsman who typically charges 10 percent as a non-refundable fee. If bail is denied or unaffordable, they remain at Amherst Detention until the case resolves. InmateAid's bail and bond guide covers every option including what to do when you cannot afford a bondsman.
Right after arrest your family member goes through intake - identity verification, medical screening, property inventory, and classification. Classification places them in a housing unit based on charges, prior record, and intake behavior. It is not a punishment. It is how the facility manages a population that ranges from people on minor warrants to individuals facing serious charges.
Phone access and visitation are typically unavailable during the first 24 to 48 hours while booking completes. Once they are assigned to a housing unit those channels open. InmateAid's what happens in jail guide walks through the full intake process step by step.
Your family member calls you - you cannot call them.
Calls from Amherst Detention go through the facility's contracted phone provider. Visit InmateAid's jail calls page to find the current provider for this facility and get your account set up before the first call.
Phone contact is more important than most people realize going into this. A regular call - even a short one - makes a measurable difference in how someone holds up inside.
Visitation at Amherst Detention is subject to the facility's current schedule, which can change without notice. Before making the trip, call 434-528-3160 to confirm current hours, any registration requirements, and what you can bring. Showing up without confirming first is the most common mistake families make - it results in a wasted trip and a missed visit.
General rules across most Virginia county jails: dress conservatively, avoid colors that resemble inmate uniforms, leave your phone in your car, bring valid government-issued ID. Children may be permitted with specific requirements. Read InmateAid's visitation guide for a full pre-visit checklist.
The Amherst County Adult Detention Center (ACADC) enforces strict visitation rules and guidelines to maintain security and order within the facility. All visitors are subject to search upon entry, and failure to adhere to the established procedures may result in denial of visitation privileges. Visits may be delayed or canceled without notice due to unforeseen circumstances.
To visit an inmate, individuals must be listed on the inmate’s approved visitation list. Visitors under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or provide a notarized Juvenile Visitation Form, which can be obtained from the officer on duty. Only non-incarcerated parents or legal guardians are authorized to approve juvenile visitation. All visitors are required to present a valid, undamaged photo ID that matches the name on the inmate’s approved list. Each visitor may only visit once per week, and former inmates must wait six months after release before they are eligible to visit an inmate at a Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority (BRRJA) facility. No more than three adult visitors are permitted at a time.
Cell phones, recording devices, and electronic equipment are strictly prohibited inside the visitation area unless expressly approved by the Site Administrator. Visitors are advised to leave personal belongings in their vehicles. Additionally, cell phone use inside the facility is not permitted, and all devices must remain turned off.
The facility enforces a dress code prohibiting see-through clothing, tank tops, halter tops, tube tops, sleeveless tops or dresses, mini skirts, and bathing suits. Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be no shorter than three inches above the knee. Shoes are required at all times, and visitors may not wear hats, hooded clothing, or headgear, except for religious or medical purposes, in which case alternative security measures may be required.
Visitors may bring a limited number of approved items for inmates, including prescription eyeglasses (without a case), one medic alert bracelet or necklace, prescription medications approved by medical staff, hearing aids, and dentures. Attorneys, Probation and Parole Officers, and Social Services Workers may leave legal documents and other pre-approved items with facility staff.
Visitation Schedule
Visitation at ACADC is available from Tuesday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Work-release inmates may receive visits on Saturdays during the same hours. Visitors must check in at least 30 minutes before the scheduled visitation time. On-site parking is available for visitors.
These regulations are in place to ensure a safe and structured visitation process while upholding the security and operational integrity of the facility.
Money on the books - also called the commissary or trust account - gives your family member access to hygiene items, snacks, phone time, and postage. It directly affects their daily comfort and ability to stay connected.
Steps to send money to Amherst Detention:
1. Go to InmateAid's send money page to find the approved deposit method for this facility
2. Have your family member's full legal name and booking number ready
3. Choose online deposit, phone deposit, or facility kiosk
4. Use the name and number exactly as they appear in the jail's system - any error will delay or reject the deposit
A letter or a printed photo costs almost nothing to send and means far more than most people on the outside appreciate.
Amherst Detention accepts mail addressed to your family member at 219 S Riverview Rd. Include their full legal name and booking number on every piece. Standard rules at most Virginia county jails: plain white paper only, no staples, no glitter, no stickers, no colored ink. Standard print-size photos only, nothing written on the back. Mail that does not meet the facility's standards will be rejected - and they may not notify you. Keep it simple.
InmateAid's send mail service prints and mails on approved stock from your phone or computer. Formatting rejection is not a risk.
Books and magazines must be ordered new from the publisher or an online retailer - not shipped from your home address. Order through Amazon or directly from the publisher. Anything from a personal address will be rejected.
Visitation rules, phone access, bail processes, inmate search tools, and what happens at release all vary by state. InmateAid's Virginia prison resources hub covers all of it - written specifically for families navigating the Virginia system.
Have a specific question from someone who has been through it? Browse questions and answers at InmateAid Virginia Q&A.
Frequently Asked Questions about Amherst Detention
How long does county jail booking take?
Booking at a county jail typically takes between 2 and 8 hours depending on how many people are being processed at the same time. During that window your family member may not appear in the inmate search system and phone and visitation access will not yet be available.
What is the difference between county jail and state prison?
County jails are short-term facilities operated by the county sheriff, holding people awaiting trial or serving sentences under one year. State prisons are operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections for sentences of one year or more. Amherst Detention is a county jail - your family member may not have been convicted yet and could be released before trial if bail is posted.
Can I receive calls from someone in county jail?
No. Calls from county jail are outbound only - your family member calls you from the facility phone. You cannot call them directly. Set up an account with the phone provider before the first call so it connects immediately.
How long can someone be held in county jail without being charged?
In most states police have 48 to 72 hours to formally charge someone or they must be released. After charges are filed your family member remains in custody until bail is posted or the case resolves. Timelines vary by state and charge - InmateAid's bail and bond guide has state-specific information.
What can I bring when visiting someone in county jail?
Most county jails permit only valid government-issued photo ID for visitors. Leave your phone, wallet, keys, and personal items in your car or facility lockers. Call Amherst Detention at 434-528-3160 before your visit to confirm current rules - they vary by facility and change without notice.
County jail time is hard in a specific way. The uncertainty - not knowing how long, not knowing what comes next - is its own kind of weight. What you can control is the connection. Calls, letters, visits, money on the books. Every one of those things tells your family member that someone out here is paying attention and is not going anywhere.
InmateAid was built for exactly this moment. Use us.