Common sense 101.
Do NOT bring cell phones, toys or food into the prison. Just bring yourself and any medication
needed, for example, asthma inhalers or other medications. Check with the list of what is acceptable to
bring into each particular prison on BOP.gov.
Make friends with officer. The first person you will encounter at the
prison is your spouse’s officer. Be
prepared…the visiting room can be a scary place full of strangers and prison
officers. The prison officers can be
very scary and try to make conversation with them. See if they have children, especially if you
do. For example, I make contact on a
personal level with the officers where my husband is incarcerated. I always ask a new officer “Do you have
children?” If they say “Yes”, then I
always say “You must feel some sympathy for me and my children because this is
the last place I ever thought I would bring my children.” This makes the officer come to my level and
makes him feel sympathy for my children and myself.
Dress nicely. Your
spouse will want to see you looking good.
Make sure your children look nice as well. Try to keep their spirits up by presenting a
nice image to them.
Keep extra clothes in the car. Check on the Internet at bop.gov for specific
colors you can’t wear. Each federal
prison has certain color clothing that visitors cannot wear. I ALWAYS keep an extra set of clothes for
each person visiting the prison on a regular basis in the car…to be turned away
for the wrong color clothing could ruin your day and your spouse’s day. By keeping an extra set of clothes in the
car, disaster can be avoided.
Also, check the website for the specific days and times
you can visit. Also, the website will
provide guidelines for that particular prison.
Make friends with other inmate’s wives/husbands. They are going through what you are going
through…you have a common ground and can help each other in support and advice.
Getting counted.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons likes to count people at any time for any
reason…so be prepared to have your spouse stand up and have to leave the
visiting area to be counted. Sometimes
the federal officers have a counting issue and this can take some time. Do NOT disturb your spouse during the count
or they will get in trouble by the prison officer.
Also, bring your smile. Put your best GAME FACE
forward. Try to focus on positive
thoughts and ideas during the visit.
When we visit my husband in jail we play the good memory game. We go around our group, my husband, myself
and each of my two children and we each tell one of our favorite memories. This usually creates a lot of laughter and
keeps everyone’s spirits high. Also, use
each visit to play a game. Usually,
cards or board games are available for the inmates and visitors to use. Learn a lot of card games.
If anyone in the visiting room says anything bad about
your spouse who is in jail…ignore it.
Keep the visit calm. Do NOT fight
with anyone…this could lead to your spouse having a tough time from other inmates
or the prison officers.
There may be a lot of kids your children’s age in the
visiting room. This is a good place for
them to make friends with kids who are going through exactly what they are
going through.
Your spouse who is in jail cannot touch money. You have to get their food from a vending
machine for them. Also, they are not
allowed to look at the vending machines so you have to get them their food.
Upon arrival at the prison you must fill out a visitors
form. Bring extra pens (most banks give
out free pens) and leave them there for the officers…this will make them happy
and other visitors happy because there are never enough pens to go around! Also, you can download and fill out the
visitors form BEFORE you visit your spouse or friend. This will save you time and aggravation. You must also sign into and out of the
visitor’s logbook.
Each inmate is allotted twelve visiting points per month
at most federal prisons. Check at
bop.gov to make sure that this rule applies to your particular prison. Note, weekday visits are charged as one
point, weekend and holiday visits are charged as two points. A maximum of
twelve points per month will be authorized. Unused visiting points are not
carried over from one month to another.
Inmates will be responsible for submitting a list of
proposed visitors. These persons include members of their family, and friends
and associates with an established relationship prior to confinement. Each inmate, upon arrival, will be provided
copies of the local visiting guidelines and the Visiting List Request Form,
which will be completed by the inmate.
Visitors who are 16 or 17 years of age and not
accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or immediate family member at least 18
years of age: must have the written approval of a non-incarcerated parent,
legal guardian or the visiting privileges of friends and associates without an
established relationship with the inmate prior to confinement must be approved
by the Warden. Normally, only inmates
who have no other visitors on their approved list will receive
consideration.
General visiting hours at most federal prisons are
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and
Federal Holidays. Check on the Internet
at bop.gov for the hours of your particular federal prison. Note that visitors will not be permitted to
leave and then return to the visiting room on the same day. Visiting on Saturday, Sunday, and Federal
Holidays will be conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Again, please check on bop.gov for the
particular times for your specific prison.
The maximum number of visitors on an inmate's authorized
visiting list will be immediate family and twenty-five additional adults. A maximum number of four (4) adult visitors,
excluding children, may visit the inmate at one time. Therefore, when conditions of overcrowding
exist, the number of visitors may be further limited to allow each visitor
adequate space and time to conduct their visit.
Special visits are interpreted as clergy, potential
employers, and occur on a one-time basis only.
In those rare occasions where a decision must be made
which will substantially affect the assets or prospects of the business, the
Warden may permit a special visit.
All efforts will be expended to ensure that an attorney
has access to his/her client. Due to the unique situation in the state of New
York, an attorney will either present a bar card or identify him/her self as an
attorney with a driver’s license. This will be acceptable in lieu of the bar
card. Two forms of identification are required.
Inmates hospitalized in an outside (community) hospital
will not ordinarily receive visits. Visits for inmates hospitalized in the
community must be approved by the Warden.
When approved, outside hospital visits will only be for a short
duration, not to exceed three hours.
Prior to entering the visiting room, all inmates will be
pat searched. Prior to exiting the visiting room, all inmates will be visually
searched and hand-held metal detector screened.
Bring a lot of change and a lot of singe dollar
bills! Vending machines are located in
the visiting room and provide a choice of sandwiches, candy, coffee, sodas,
etc. No food or beverages will be
allowed to be brought into the visiting room by an inmate or visitor. Inmates
may share food (i.e., entrees, snacks) purchased by their visitors from the
vending machines. All food items must be consumed in the visiting room. The
officers assigned to the visiting room are not responsible for loss or
malfunction of the vending machines. DO NOT bother the officers if the vending machine
does not work. Vending machines will be operated by the visitor ONLY. Inmates are prohibited from entering the
vending machine and microwave area. Inmates are allowed to leave their seats to
use the bathroom facilities and to dispose of trash only.
Do NOT bring into the prison: alcohol, narcotics,
firearms, or ammunition. (Common sense 101!)
All inmate visitors will be required to pass through the walk-through
metal detector.
Visitors will be permitted to carry the following items
into the visiting room: one small clear transparent purse, a reasonable amount
of feminine
Hygiene items, a reasonable amount of infant food and
care items and life saving medication. Leave everything else in your car. All
items are authorized for entrance into the visiting room will be thoroughly searched
by the front entrance officer.
Additionally, all carry-in items will be subject to an
X-Ray machine search. Visitors will not be allowed to leave money for deposit
into an inmate's account or remove inmate items at the conclusion of the
visits. Inmates are prohibited from handling, wearing, using, and/or holding
any visitor’s property and/or money. Any violation will result in termination
and/or disciplinary action.
Visitors who are not properly attired will be denied a
visit. Visitors are not allowed to wear suggestive, provocative or otherwise
revealing clothing when visiting an inmate. Inappropriate slogans and/or
depictions on
Clothing are prohibited. Shoulders must be covered. Skirts must be three inches above the
knee. No miniskirts or clothing with
holes will be allowed. No short shorts. No tank tops for males or females.
Hats, caps, bandanas or any other type of headgear is not
permitted on any adult visitor. The exception is religious headwear identified
as the following: kufis, yarmulkes, turbans, crowns, and headbands, as well as
scarves and head wraps for orthodox Muslim and Jewish women.
Shoes, for safety reasons, must be worn at all times by
all visitors. Flip flops and shower shoes are prohibited from entering into the
institution. Other footwear that do not have a strap around the back of the
ankle are prohibited. Open toed shoes that have a strap around the back of the
ankle may be worn.
If it is determined the clothing is inappropriate, the
visitor will not be permitted to enter the institution.
Acceptable identification is limited to a valid picture
identification issued by a Federal or State agency (i.e. a driver's license, an
official state identification card, passport, etc.). Foreign government issued
passports will
Also be accepted (foreign issued identification cards are
not acceptable). Visitors wearing any type of Military Uniform must present
valid military identification. All
visitors 16 years of age and older must present valid photo identification
prior to the visit. The identification must be valid and contain a photo.
Photographs: Inmates may purchase tickets from the
commissary for the purpose of obtaining photographs of themselves and family in
the visiting room. Photographs will be taken by an authorized inmate
photographer. All photos will be in good taste.
Remember; make each visit count as a family memory. Try to focus on positive goals that each
person will have to reach when the incarcerated spouse comes home. Each week, go over the list of goals each
person in the family has and see where each person is on their list and if they
need any help achieving their goals.
This way, the incarcerated spouse and each family member will have a
positive feeling and will be working to accomplish something while the
spouse/parent is incarcerated.