Navajo Department of Corrections updates Chinle operations, visitation and facility status

On December 16, 2025 the Navajo Department of Corrections posted a public facing operational notice for the Chinle District that gave residents and legal representatives clearer information about facility status, staffing and communications. The update listed the physical location and contact numbers for Chinle Adult Corrections, confirmed the male adult bed capacity at 32 beds, and set out staffing levels for corrections sergeants, officers and support staff.

The notice also described current visitor and phone arrangements. Visitation is subject to temporary restrictions and the facility is using PayTel prepaid phonecards for inmate telephone communications. Families and defense counsel who rely on in person visits or phone contact will need to follow the amended procedures and plan ahead for prepaid phonecard access.

The Chinle Youth Detention Center was reported as not occupied while undergoing renovation and mechanical upgrades. That closure affects where juveniles from the Chinle Judicial District are placed while work continues and may increase travel burdens for families and strain coordination for tribal law partners and social services. The updated page included contact numbers for the Chinle Judicial District Court and for public defender contact points to help attorneys and relatives coordinate case work and visitation arrangements while the youth center is offline.

For Apache County residents the notice provides actionable operational detail at a time when holiday schedules and court calendars may complicate family contact and legal representation. The staffing and bed capacity figures clarify the scale of the Chinle adult facility. The youth center renovation signals investment in infrastructure and safety, while also creating short term disruptions that local social service agencies, schools and advocates will have to address.

Residents, defense counsel and families should consult the Navajo Department of Corrections Chinle District page or call the listed contacts for the most current rules, visitation schedules and telephone procedures. Local agencies and justice partners will need to coordinate to mitigate travel and access impacts while renovations continue.