Ask The Inmate. Real answers from people who've been there.

Restriction 31 refers to a disciplinary suspension of an inmate's visitation privileges under Florida Administrative Code Rule 33-601.731. It is one of the more serious restrictions a Florida DOC inmate can receive and understanding what it means will help you navigate the situation. What causes Restriction 31 This restriction is typically triggered by serious infractions including attempting to pass contraband such as drugs, money, or weapons into the facility, unauthorized use of a cell phone, or physical violence. It can be applied...

Physical contact during prison visits is allowed in most facilities but within limits that vary by security level and individual facility policy. The standard in most state and federal prisons is a brief embrace and kiss on arrival and another when the visit ends. That contact is generally accepted across custody levels as long as it is brief and appropriate. Extended physical contact or anything that draws staff attention is where things get cut off. Hand-holding during the visit itself is more...

It depends entirely on the facility and the inmate's custody level. Many prisons and jails do offer contact visits where you sit in the same room as the inmate without any barrier between you. Others use non-contact visitation where you speak through glass or via phone handsets with no physical proximity. Some facilities have moved to video-only visitation, which means you are not in the same room at all. State prisons at lower security levels, federal camps, and minimum-security facilities are...

It could take up to a week or so to gain approval. The facility normally does not notify you when you are approved. It is your inmate's responsibility to let you know. There are a couple of different types of visitation for inmates: Video visitation is becoming more common and in some instances can be done from the comfort of your own home.  Video visitation works similar to the way you would use Facetime or Skype.  Non-contact or telephone visitation is when you...

The good news is that most facilities do not restrict visitation strictly to immediate family. The definition of who can visit is broader than people often assume. As long as you pass the background check and are not a convicted felon or former inmate, there is a strong chance you can get approved as a visitor. Facilities run every applicant through a criminal database check as part of the standard approval process, and a clean record is the primary requirement. The...

County jail visits are fairly standardized across the country. Expect short visit windows, typically 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the facility's schedule, and in most cases, no physical contact. The majority of county jails use non-contact visitation, meaning you will be separated by glass and speaking through a phone or intercom rather than sitting in the same room. A brief hug on arrival and departure is sometimes permitted at lower-security county facilities, but it is not the norm. If he...

Being on probation does not automatically disqualify you from visiting someone held at an immigration detention facility but it does add a layer of complexity that requires careful handling before you show up at the door. ICE detention facilities operated by private contractors like CoreCivic, formerly CCA, run their own visitor approval processes that are separate from the standard state or federal prison visitor screening. Central Arizona Detention Center follows ICE's civil detention standards for visitation rather than the criminal corrections...

Being in single man lockup, which is typically administrative segregation or protective custody rather than general population, does affect visitation but it does not necessarily eliminate it entirely. Visitation for inmates in segregated housing is more restricted than for general population inmates. Some facilities suspend visitation during the initial placement period while the situation is being assessed. Others allow non-contact visits through a partition on a limited schedule. The specific policy depends entirely on the facility and the reason for the...

Whether you can physically touch your family member during a visit depends almost entirely on the security level of the facility they are in. Contact visitation means you are in the same room with no barrier between you. A brief hug at the start and end of the visit is typically permitted, and you sit across a table or in chairs facing each other. This is the standard setup at most minimum and low security facilities, federal camps, and many county...

Yes, and USP Allenwood is among the federal facilities that will accommodate extended visitation for out-of-state visitors, but the key is making arrangements in advance rather than showing up and hoping for flexibility. Contact the facility before you travel. Ask to speak with your inmate's counselor or the visitation department and explain that you are coming from out of state. Request an extended visit and ask whether back-to-back weekend days can be arranged. Standard visiting at most federal facilities is limited...

Texas does not have a conjugal visit program. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice eliminated conjugal visits decades ago and has not reinstated them. Regardless of the sentence length or the nature of the charges, conjugal visits are not available at any Texas state prison. Texas is among the majority of states that no longer offer this type of visitation. As of 2026, only a small handful of states, including California, New York, Washington, and Connecticut, maintain any form of extended...

Rockdale County Jail in Conyers, Georgia offers contact visitation, meaning you will be in the same room as your boyfriend rather than separated by glass. Visits run approximately 20 minutes, and correctional officers are present in the visitation area throughout. Physical contact is limited. A brief hug at the beginning and end of the visit is generally permitted. Extended physical contact or anything beyond that is not allowed with staff present, and any behavior that draws attention from the officers will...