Prison and Jail Visitation Guide

Here is the thing. Persons behind bars remain separated from their families and friends throughout their incarceration. And the only remaining chance to have some family time and sustain social connections and social support is through scheduled social visitations. Then, are you planning to visit an inmate in a US prison or jail? Here is a quick guide to ensure you prepare adequately and make the best of the limited contact. 

Let’s get to it! 

Why Are Inmate Visits Essential Part of Incarcerations? 

First things first; did you know the vital role inmate visitations play? Indeed, inmate visits benefit the inmate, correctional facility, and the supporting communities as follows: – 

To Inmates 

• Sustains family bonds and relationships, improving inmate’s well-being and minimizing rates of recidivism 
• Creates a sense of connection to the outside world, motivating them to gain release from jail or prison 
• Provides inmates emotional support and a reason to take part in inmate programs like parenting, educational classes, and life skills 
• Motivates inmates to observe prison rules, make responsible choices while in custody, and maintain their visiting privileges 
• Inmates get financial assistance, legal advice, and other support and resources 
• Mitigates the chances on inmates getting institutionalized 

To Families and Friends 

• Prevents family breakdown associated with the stressful criminal justice process 
• Allows inmates to maintain their roles as parents, spouses, children, siblings, or friends 
• Connects children with their incarcerated parents 
• Family ties can discourage intergenerational offending 

To Corrections 

• Lowers incidents of misconduct and violent behaviors among inmates 
• A cost-effective way to minimize offender recidivism 
• Increases public safety 

Types of Inmate Visits 

Correctional facilities offer different types of inmate visits based on the prevailing policies, inmate’s custody level, and overall behavior. Check them out below: – 

1. In-Person /Contact Visitation 

In-person or contact visits are face-to-face meetings between inmates and their approved visitors. Usually, the inmate is in a glass partitioned enclosure and speaks through a telephone landline. Still, other jails and prisons allow brief unrestricted contact between inmates and visitors at a designated open visiting room. One or more correctional officers supervise the visit, ensuring the inmate remains at their designated area, has no authorized contact with the visitor, or there is no entry of contraband items into the prison or jail.  

2. Video Visitation 

In-person or remote video visitations are inmate visits via video conferencing. Here, the inmate and visitor are at separate locations. They communicate via a dedicated video conferencing system, internet link, or webcam on a computer or smartphone. In turn, video visitations eliminate human contact and provide an alternative for an inmate who does not qualify for in-person visits due to their custody levels. Each video visiting session is monitored and recorded for security purposes.   

3. Conjugal/Furlough/Extended Family Visitations 

Conjugal or furlough visits are extended social visits, usually overnight, between an inmate and spouse, partner, or close family members, at a mobile home or designated structure away from other inmates but within the correctional facility. The visit allows inmates to exercise their conjugal rights and maintain family bonds and relationships while behind bars. Still, these visitations are allowed for non-violent inmates meeting family visitors with no criminal record. Currently, only seven states allow conjugal visits. These are: -Washington 

1. South Dakota 
2. New York 
3. Nebraska 
4. Connecticut 
5. Colorado 
6. California 

4. Professional Visitations 

Next, an inmate may have a visit from their attorney, community supervision officer, law enforcement agency, facility-approved clergy, bondsmen, humanitarian services officials, or any other authorized professional. The officials must present valid identification documents and credentials on arrival. Attorneys, parole and probation officers and police officers get in-person visits, while the clergy, bondsmen, and representatives from humanitarian organizations have access to non-contact visits only. 

5. Special Visitations 

Often, correctional facilities organize special visits to cater to family emergencies or extenuating circumstances. Also, there are bedside visits for hospitalized inmates who cannot proceed to the visiting room during a scheduled visit. Still, anyone planning to attend a special visit should call and pre-schedule it through the inmate’s case manager or classification officer. Prisons grant special visits at the discretion of the duty warden or designee.  

Note that the above types of inmate visitations are limited in duration and frequency and are scheduled on specified days and hours, convenient for inmates and the operations at the jail or prison. Further, correctional facilities restrict the number and kind of visitors per visit. 

Visitor Application  

• The Requirements 

If you wish to visit an inmate in jail or prison, start by making a formal application to have your name added to the inmate’s list of approved visitors. For this, ask the inmate to send you the official visitors’ application form or download it from the official website.  

Most correctional facilities require the application to be completed by an adult visitor. The potential visitor should fill out the form completely and indicate NA for items that do not apply to them.  

Each person should fill out a separate visitor application. Still, one individual can be approved to visit more than one inmate as long as the inmate is a close family member. 

• Submitting an Application  

Next, submit your completed application form by mailing it to the address provided. If filling out the application online, download, print, and sign the application form before mailing it to the address provided. Alternatively, use an e-signature to complete and submit the application online. Also, you can send the downloaded application form as an attachment via email. 

• Processing the Application 

Most correctional facilities take three to 10 business days to process a visitor application form from the date it is received. Here, the application can be approved, rejected, or sent back for correction. The prison communicates its final decision to the inmate who relays it to the applicant via phone or mail correspondence. 

Here are some reasons why your visitor application can be disqualified/rejected: – 

• The application form is incomplete 
• Some information provided is false or inaccurate 
• The applicant has a criminal history whose nature, extent, and recency necessitate the disqualification. For example, a former parolee or probationer will qualify to visit another inmate if they were discharged from community supervision at least a year before this application 
• There is an outstanding warrant of arrest against the applicant  

Scheduling an Inmate Visit 

Anyone planning to attend an in-person visit should schedule it at least 3 to 10 days in advance. Some prisons have an automated visit scheduling system, allowing approved visitors to sign in and schedule a visit remotely via their computers, tablets, iOS, and Android devices. When organizing an inmate visit online, you will know the available time slots, the number of permitted visitors per inmate per month, and the preliminary security procedures. 

Then, start by confirming the offender’s location and housing assignment using the inmate locator provided. Next, contact the jail or prison to schedule the visit in person or online. Finally, familiarize yourself with the visitation policies and procedures at the correctional facility. 

Changing/Cancelling an Inmate Visit 

Most jails and prisons allow scheduled visitors to change or cancel their visit free of charge at least a day before the start of the planned visit. Still, some canceled visits may attract charges. For example, the prison will have to recover connection costs paid to a contracted vendor for canceled remote video calls. Hence, contact the correctional facility early if you will not make it to the visit as planned. You may have to explain your reason for canceling or changing the dates and times for the visit. More so, refer to the facility’s inmate visit cancellation policies to avoid incurring unnecessary charges. 

On the flip side, a jail or prison may cancel or change a scheduled visit without prior notice. For this, the correctional facility will communicate the changes to the prospective visitors via email or mail. Then, always check your mail for any correspondence from the correctional facility on the morning of the scheduled visit. 

Visitation Days & Times  

Most jails and prisons have their visiting schedules running from Sundays to Mondays, with each inmate entitled to one to three visits per week. Further, the meeting can be 15 minutes to 1 hour long, depending on the inmate population at the facility, the conduct of the inmates, and their custody levels. Likewise, the correctional facilities schedule varying visiting days and times for contact and non-contact visits. 

What to Expect When Visiting an Inmate at the Prison 

On the day of the scheduled visit, visitors undergo various checks, searches, and screenings to ensure they adhere to the visitation rules and regulations. Check them out below: – 

• Questioning 

When attending an onsite inmate visit, expect to be asked a few questions on arrival. These questions help the prison authorities to confirm that you are a genuine visitor and accompanied by an approved minor if any. Also, you should declare what you are carrying and check it in with the prison staff. Otherwise, you risk getting arrested and facing felony charges for bringing contraband items to the correctional facility. 

• What You Can/Can’t Bring 

Below is a list of the common items you can bring to an inmate visit: – 

• Authorized baby items, if accompanied by an infant or toddler 
• The necessary dosage of lifesaving or life-sustaining prescription medication 
• A restricted amount of money (usually coins) to purchase commissary items at the vending machines 
• Snacks and beverages purchased from the jail or prison lobby 
• Small pouch or wallet 
• Car keys 

Next, here are common items are prohibited in a visitors’ room or area: – 

• Firearms, weapons, or knives 
• Controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco products 
• Electronic, video recording, and communication devices 
• Tattoo equipment 
• Drugs and gang paraphernalia 

• Approved Dress Code and Identification Requirements for Visitors 

Ensure you dress appropriately for the visit. For example, most correctional facilities prohibit visitors wearing provocative, extremely short or see-through clothing. Failure to meet the set visitor attire may result in termination of the visit or loss of the visitation privileges. 

• The Search Procedure  

All visitors shall be searched before proceeding to the visiting area. The search aims at stopping visitors who want to sneak contraband items into inmates while upholding the safety of visitors, prison officials, and inmates. Hence, the prison staff will search the authorized personal items using such devices as walk-through metal detectors. Next, there will be a clothed pat search by a prison official of the same sex. The visitor may need to remove exterior clothing like sweaters, scarves, and jackets. Finally, the prison conducts a barrier search to detect controlled substances and cell phones. A canine handler guides a highly trained canine to search the visitor behind a fence barrier. 

• After Clearance 

Once cleared, you shall proceed to the visiting area and follow the instructions from the stationed prison staff. If you need to use the restroom during the visit, you will undergo a pat search when leaving and re-entering the visiting area. 

Prison and Visitation FAQs 

1. Are There Overnight Prison Or Jail Visitations? 

No. All inmate visitations take place during the day on scheduled dates and hours.  

2. Do I need to fill out a visitor application for a one-time special visit? 

Yes. All visitors must be pre-approved to attend any type of inmate visit.  

3. What should I do if I see or hear suspicious activities during an inmate visit? 

Visitors are encouraged to report to the prison staff any rules violations or suspicious activities they witness during the visiting session.  

4. Do US jails and prisons allow international visitors to visit an inmate? 

Yes. Still, the international visitor should be pre-approved and carry their passport and a certified copy of their criminal record from their law enforcement agency in their local jurisdiction.  

5. Can I carry needles and syringes for managing such medical conditions as diabetes while visiting an inmate? 

Yes. Still, you will have to check in the injections with the prison staff. Then leave them secured in a locked car outside, away from the visiting area. That way, you will administer the medication outside the visiting area, if necessary. 

Conclusion 

Social visitations are one of the inmate privileges in US prisons and jails. Through them, family members, friends, attorneys, and religious clerics can contact the inmates in person or via remote video calls to follow up on their incarceration and catch up with life outside prison or jail. Likewise, inmates exercise their rights to be parents, spouses, and responsible members of society, even for several minutes per week, to maintain family ties. Then, familiarize yourself with the visiting guidelines, regulations, and schedules applicable to the jail or prison holding your loved one. And contact the jail or prison for the latest updates on any changes.