Q
Where is the Barry B. Telford Unit?
3899 Hwy 98, New Boston, TX 75570, in Bowie County in the far northeast corner of the state, near Texarkana and the Arkansas line. The unit's own number is (903) 628-3171.
Facility
Updated August 24, 2026
Verified from official government sources
Telford Unit, TX
Physical Address
3899 Hwy 98, New Boston, TX 75570
The Telford Unit, officially the Barry B. Telford Unit, is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) state prison in New Boston, Bowie County, near the Arkansas line. It opened in July 1995 and holds 2,451 men on 1,206 acres with 449 staff. Telford carries an unusually wide custody range for one site, G1 through G5 plus Security Detention and Safekeeping, and its TDCJ unit code is TO, which is one letter away from the code for a different prison.
Telford Unit
City
New Boston
County
Bowie County
State
Texas
Facility Type
State Prison
Gender
Male
Capacity
2451
Custody Levels
G1-G5, Security Detention, Safekeeping
Operator
TDCJ Correctional Institutions Division
Address
3899 Hwy 98, New Boston, TX 75570
Phone
(903) 628-3171
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Quick Facts
Contact
- 1 The unit's own number is (903) 628-3171.
- 2 Telford's TDCJ unit code is TO. TL belongs to the Polunsky Unit, a separate prison, so check the code on anything you were handed.
- 3 Telford is in New Boston, in the far northeast corner of Texas near Texarkana and the Arkansas line.
Mail & Money
- 1 Personal letters, cards and photos go to the TDCJ mail center in Dallas, not to New Boston.
- 2 Money orders go to the Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX 77342-0060.
- 3 Legal mail, packages and publisher-direct books still go to Telford's own address above.
- 4 Full process, who is allowed to deposit, and the five approved vendors: see the TDCJ mail and money guide.
Visitation
- 1 In-person visits run Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and video and tablet visits open an hour earlier at 7:00 AM.
- 2 Hours read from TDCJ's Unit Visitation Schedule on August 26, 2026. Visits are suspended during a lockdown, so (903) 628-3171 is worth a call before you travel.
- 3 Every visitor has to be on the Visitors List before the first visit, which is a separate approval process.
Mailing Address
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
[Full First and Last Name] [TDCJ Number]
PO Box 660400
Dallas, TX 75266-0400
Articles for This Facility
Send Money
TDCJ Mail and Money
Two addresses cover every unit in Texas. Where letters go, where deposits go, and who is allowed to send them.
View Article Inmate Search
Barry B. Telford Unit Inmate Search
Telford's unit code is TO, one letter from the code for the Polunsky Unit. How to read the result so you do not prepare for the wrong prison.
View Article Visitation
Telford Unit Visiting Hours
In-person visits run Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM, but video and tablet visits open a full hour earlier at 7:00 AM.
View Article Sending Commissary
Send Money to the Telford Unit
TDCJ publishes no business office extension for Telford, so the Huntsville lockbox and the verification line are the reliable routes.
View Article Phone Calls
Telford Unit Phone Calls
New Boston is most of a day's drive for much of Texas, which makes the phone the main channel between visits.
View Article Mail & Photos
Mail and Photos to the Telford Unit
Letters are scanned in Dallas, and since April 2026 books must be softback and new.
View ArticleFamilies Also Ask
6 of 6 questions
Q
How big is Telford and who does it hold?
TDCJ lists a capacity of 2,451 men on 1,206 acres, staffed by 449 employees. It opened in July 1995.
Facility
Q
Is Telford the same as the Polunsky Unit?
No. Telford's TDCJ unit code is TO and Polunsky's is TL. They are separate prisons in different parts of the state, and the two codes are easy to confuse on reference pages and printouts.
Facility
Q
What custody levels does Telford hold?
G1 through G5, plus Security Detention and Safekeeping. That is an unusually wide spread for a single site, so two people can both be at Telford under very different conditions. Here is what each custody level means for housing, supervision and work.
Facility
Q
Is Telford a maximum security prison?
TDCJ does not apply that label to Telford. It lists the custody levels a unit houses rather than assigning the unit a security grade, and Telford houses G1 through G5 plus Security Detention and Safekeeping.
Facility
Q
What programs does Telford run?
TDCJ lists adult basic education and GED, CHANGES pre-release, cognitive intervention, and career and technology programs in construction carpentry, electrical trades and small engine repair. Medical services include a 17-bed infirmary with telemedicine.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified August 24, 2026. Official source: tdcj.texas.gov/unit_directory/to.html ›