Visitation — Ask the Inmate
A visit is one of the most powerful experiences available to both an incarcerated person and their family. The physical presence of someone who loves you, even across a table or through glass, communicates something that letters and phone calls cannot fully replicate. But the visitation process involves rules, approvals, background checks, and scheduling requirements that can be confusing and discouraging for first-time visitors. This section covers how to apply to be on an inmate's visitor list, what the background check process looks like and what disqualifies a visitor, what to expect on your first visit including what to wear, what you can bring, and how the visit itself is conducted, how contact visits differ from non-contact visits, what children need to know before visiting an incarcerated parent, and how to make the most of limited visitation time. The guidance here is practical and comes from people who have been on both sides of the visitation table. See also our sections on Family Services, Relationship Issues, and Inmate Phone Calls.
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If your inmate is in the Mississippi Department of Corrections facility, then he has been sentenced to a state crime. The State decides what custody level the inmate serves his time. If your inmate was transferred to MS DOC, from a county facility, you will have to resubmit the visitation paperwork. If he gets moved within the MS DOC system, your paperwork will be on file and be valid wherever you visit.
Read moreIn some cases like most county jail, you only need an ID. If you are going to state or federal inmate visitation you will need to fill out an application and gain approval before being allowed to visit.
Read moreThey might, every county is different. If you suspect that you have a warrant, we would not risk it. You could send someone you know to visit first and then ask them the procedure. Just a thought, why not clear up the warrant with a phone call and arrange to clear your name?
Read moreIt's not a church, the prison visiting room is for inmates and people on their visitaton list. The rule is one hug and kiss at the beginning and one at the end. If you are offended you should either look away or stop going to the prison visiting room.
Read moreYes, you may give a light kiss and gentle hug when your inmate comes in to the visiting room for the first time. When the visit is over, you may do the same. Please be mindful that the guards are only going to react negatively if you abuse the privilege.
Read moreyes, it is arranged by the correctional officers and coordinated via internal schedules for video visitations
Read moreMaybe. This will be entirely up to the discretion of the warden. People with a felony on their record are not normally allowed to visit, but if you petition the warden's office for permission and you are nice about it, there is a 50/50 chance you will be permitted to visit.
Read moreIt is 100% that you will be detained. They will ask for your identification and run a NCIC, a national database of criminal records, felonies, warrants, record of confinement... and if you are a match they will hold you for the jurisdiction to pick you up and take you to where the warrant came from.
Read moreUsually no more that a week or two if you are no immediate family, they tend to get approved quicker as long as the aplicant does not have a felony on their record.
Read moreThis is not an odd question at all. The desire to hear directly from someone who caused your family irreparable harm is a deeply human response, and what you are describing is something that exists within the justice system as a formal process. Before pursuing a standard visitation application, it is worth knowing about victim-offender dialogue programs. Many state departments of corrections have structured programs specifically designed for situations like yours, where a victim or surviving family member wants
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