Can you hug or kiss an inmate during a jail visit?

At most county jails, physical contact during visitation is not permitted. Christian County Jail in Illinois operates non-contact visits, which means you and your loved one will be separated by a partition and communicating through phones in the visitation booth the entire time. A hug or kiss is not going to be possible in that setting.

For anyone who has never visited a jail before, here is what to expect at Christian County. Visitation days are Wednesdays and Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Each inmate is allowed two visits per week and each visit is limited to 15 minutes. Up to four visitors are permitted per visit and children count toward that total. The phones in the booth are required for all communication between visitors and inmates at all times. Failing to use the phones can result in suspension of visitation privileges.

Monday is not a visitation day at Christian County, so if you are planning to go on Monday you will need to adjust your plans to Wednesday or Sunday.

Going to jail for a first visit is an emotional experience and it is normal to want that physical connection. Non-contact visits are the reality at most county facilities, particularly for inmates who are newly arrested and still in the early stages of their case. Contact visits, where they exist at all, are typically reserved for facilities with different security classifications or specific program settings.

Make the most of the 15 minutes you have. Being present and showing up matters even through a sheet of glass.