Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center

County juvenile detention facilities are typically used to house juvenile offenders who are required to stay in a facility for a longer period of time. Unlike city juvenile facilities, children in the county facility might be required to stay for a year or more. Many times, a child may be transferred from a city facility to the county facility after being convicted or while awaiting trial. However, these facilities do not just act as a jail for children. There are many mandatory and important programs that take place inside these facilities.

Children in a county juvenile detention center are required to participate in education programs. These programs ensure that these children stay on track with their educational requirements to obtain a high school diploma or GED. In addition, these facilities may offer substance abuse programs or mental health assistance. The primary focus of a county juvenile facility is to rehabilitate the juveniles who are inside the facility.

How To Locate Your Child

Locating your child at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center is quite easy in most cases today. You can use the facility’s online inmate locator on the website at (No website is available at this time). You can use an inmate number or first and last name to search. Upon locating your child, the tool will provide you with important information, such as any bail amounts, upcoming court dates, and release dates.

If you do not have access to the Internet or are unable to locate your child using the online tool, you should call Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center at 956-361-4603. Be prepared to provide detailed information about your child so that the facility staff can successfully locate them. In the event the staff is extremely busy, you may be asked to call back at a later time, or you might be placed on hold for extended periods of time. Be polite and patient, as being rude to the staff is not the best way to get the information you are requesting.

Visitation Information

Family members may visit children at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center on Saturday and Sunday between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Attorneys or clergy may visit at any time, although the registration process for those visitors might take additional time outside of normal visiting hours. There are no limits to the number of times that an attorney may visit someone inside the facility.

Upon arrival, visitors will need to sign in and present valid photo identification before being allowed to enter the facility. You should not bring anything into the facility other than your car key and your photo ID. Cell phones are not permitted, and neither are outside items like food, drinks, weapons, cigarettes, or any other contraband. Attempting to bring in any prohibited items will result in a revocation of your visitation privileges, and it might even result in criminal charges.

Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center typically limits visitors to the parents, grandparents, or legal guardians of a detainee. However, siblings or other immediate family members may be allowed under some circumstances. You should call Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center at 956-361-4603 with specific questions regarding visitation policies and procedures.

Sending Mail/Care Packages To Someone At Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center

Mail and packages may be sent to minors housed at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center, although there are strict rules that must be met. Mail is generally limited to handwritten postcards or letters with no additional stickers, papers, or inserts of any kind. The rules for packages are even more strict.

Personal care packages are generally not allowed at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center. No outside food or personal items may be sent inside the facility, and all packages are subject to inspection and a thorough search. Sending prohibited items into the facility can not only get those items confiscated, but it can also get you into legal trouble. That is why it is best to stick with simple letters or emails. You can send mail to the following address:

Child’s Full Name
Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center
2310 West Hwy 77 PO Box 1690
San benito, Texas 78586

Phone Calls

Phone call procedures at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center are similar to the phone procedures at other juvenile detention centers. Incoming calls to inmates and detainees are not allowed. You will not be able to call the facility and ask to speak to your child. However, outgoing calls are allowed as long as the rules are followed.

Phones are generally available during daylight hours, but the call must be paid for in one of two ways. First, the juvenile may place a collect call so that the recipient of the call pays for it. You might also choose to deposit money into your child’s phone account. This will allow them to place outgoing calls and pay for the call with money from their account. Either way, outgoing calls from Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center are expensive and should not be used for general chit-chat.

Juvenile Rehabilitation Programs Offered At Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center

Rehabilitation is one of the main goals of the juvenile detention program. Unlike adult jail which seeks to punish criminals, the juvenile system is intended to rehabilitate juveniles so that they can be prepared to become upstanding adults.

One of the main programs offered at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center is a classroom education program. In fact, all juvenile facilities in Texas offer education programs that help juvenile offenders continue school and obtain a high school diploma or GED. These programs are mandatory, so delinquent juveniles at the facility cannot simply choose not to participate in school.

In addition to an education program, Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center also offers substance abuse programs and mental health programs. Since many juvenile offenders suffer from drug or alcohol addiction, these programs seek to help these kids become clean and sober. By completing these programs, many juvenile offenders are able to have their juvenile records sealed and go on to become outstanding adult citizens.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How can I speak to my child?

If you need to speak to your child, you will need to visit your child during visiting hours. Incoming calls to juveniles at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center are not allowed. You will be unable to call the facility and ask to speak to your child.

Your child also has the ability to call you. Outgoing calls are allowed, and phones are accessible most of the time during daylight hours. If your child needs to place a call, they will need to have money in their phone account or place a collect call. As long as you are willing to accept the charges, a collect call is one of the easiest ways to call out of the facility.

How long do juveniles stay in detention?

The length of time spent in detention depends on the nature of the offense and the sentence handed down by a judge. Some juveniles may spend only a day or two in detention, while others could spend over a year in the facility. The average stay in a juvenile detention center is just under 30 days. This means that most juveniles spend less than a month in a detention facility.

You should also remember that some juveniles get charged as adults - especially when they commit a felony or capital offense. This rarely happens on misdemeanor charges. When convicted as an adult, the juvenile will be moved from a juvenile detention center to an adult jail. In most cases, the child must be at least 16 to be charged as an adult, although the laws vary from state to state. However, even if the child is being charged as an adult, Federal law generally prohibits them from being housed in adult jail while awaiting trial.

Can I bring my child books and magazines?

Paperback books are generally allowed, but remember that all books coming into the facility may be searched. Hardcover books, puzzle books, or other specialty books are not allowed. Children in the facility have access to an onsite library, and many nonprofit organizations make book donations to keep the library stocked with books. Magazines are not allowed in incoming packages, although there may be a small selection of magazines available in the facility library.

Are county juvenile detention centers overcrowded?

Unfortunately yes, many juvenile detention centers are overcrowded. The number of facilities experiencing overcrowding has risen dramatically in recent years. The rise in overcrowding is generally due to higher numbers of juvenile offenders and longer sentences being handed out. This is becoming a problem throughout the United States and is not necessarily confined to Texas alone.

Overcrowding in juvenile facilities, coupled with understaffed facilities, often causes physical harm and mental health issues in many of these juveniles. The abuse that sometimes occurs within these facilities can lead to additional problems and ineffective rehabilitation efforts.

My child is on prescription medication. What do I need to do?

You should bring your child’s medication to Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center as soon as possible. The medication should be in the original prescription container with your child’s name clearly visible on the packaging. As long as these rules are followed, the medication will be administered to your child according to the doctor’s prescription.

Medication that is out of date, not in the original container, or does not show your child’s name will not be accepted. Your child also has access to medical services while being housed at Darrell B. Hester Juvenile Justice Center, although it could take a little time for some types of exams to take place. If your child requires medication, you should bring it to the facility as soon as possible.