Somerset County Jail

Somerset County Jail - Visitation

Procedures
A. General Rules
1. Setting for Visits a. An inmate in general population will be permitted non-contact visits in a relaxed setting, under supervision of the assigned Correction Officer(s).
2. Rules
a. An inmate in the general population will be permitted to have visits in accordance with the hours established by the facility, but no less frequently than 30 minutes per week.
Visiting hours will be 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm on Sunday and Wednesday. Fridays will be from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm for all female inmates and male inmates housed in work release. Visiting hours for all-male inmates not housed in work release. Visiting hours for all-male inmates not housed in work release will be Monday and Thursday. 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm. Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 1:00 to 3:30 PM
b. Visits for an inmate in Administrative/Disciplinary Custody status shall be in accordance with the “Inmate Discipline” Policy.
c. Visits shall be no less than 30 minutes in duration and shall occur during regularly scheduled visiting hours. Longer periods may be allowed depending upon the inmate’s custody level and available space.

d. The number of visitors any inmate may have at any one time may be limited depending upon available space. The visiting booths will be limited to 2 adults and 2 children, not to include infants.
e. All minor children must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian; county children/youth services agency staff, or an adult approved by the parent/legal guardian to accompany the child. The parent/legal guardian shall indicate his/her approval for the minor to visit and the name of an adult who may accompany the child on the visit.
f. Visiting more than one inmate is not permitted without a valid reason and must be approved by the Warden/designee.
g. Unless the Warden/designee grants special permission, no person may be on more than one inmate’s visiting list at any one facility except in cases where the person is part of the immediate family of more than one inmate.
h. Any visitor’s privileges may be limited, suspended, or restricted if information becomes available suggesting that allowing the individual to visit poses a threat to the safety and security of the jail.
i. Visitors may register from 8:30 AM until visiting hours end daily. You may not enter the jail lobby until 8:15 AM. After registration visitors are asked not to return to the jail prior to 15 minutes from their scheduled visit.
g. Dress Code not allowed: extremely short skirt/Dress, shorts, or halter top, no see-through or transparent clothing, materials depicting messages or images that contain a reference to drugs or alcohol, anything that appears to be gang-related

3. Visitor identification and Registration
a. Proper identification is required for all visitors. Proper forms of identification are a photo I.D. such as a driver’s license, an I.D. card issued by a state, federal or local government agencies. Absent that, 2 forms of I.D. will be required which both include name, date of 4 birth, sex, height, eye color, and address.
b. A visitor who cannot produce acceptable identification will not be permitted to visit unless approved by the Warden/designee. A visitor who falsifies identifying information will be suspended/barred from the facility for a period of time determined by the Warden.
c. All visitors are required to register in, using the inmate visitor card in control.
B. Approved Visitors List
1. A list of approved visitors shall be established during the initial 24 hour period and recorded on the inmate visitor card. The authorized visitors list may contain up to 20 names. 2. Each facility shall establish procedures for approving the names of all persons with whom the inmate wishes to visit before he/she is placed on the authorized list. This includes the names of all minor children.
3. Each inmate must supply all the information required, including the visitor’s name, date of birth, relation, and address. If any of this information is not provided, the visitor will not be approved.
4. All staff must maintain the confidentiality of an inmate’s visiting list. Staff shall not disseminate any information to outside visitor regarding the content of an inmate’s visiting list. Any person making inquiries as to the content of an inmate’s visitors list should be directed to write to that inmate for information. This restriction does not apply to the courts or law enforcement agencies.
5. The name of a visitor may be removed upon authorization of the Warden/designee.
C. Special Visits
1. General Provisions shall be made for approval of special visits in cases of exceptional or extraordinary need. Special visits may include visits from a person who has come a long distance, visits to a hospitalized inmate, visits to an inmate in disciplinary status, and visits between an inmate and his/her attorney, clergy, social service agency representative, etc. and are not counted against the number of authorized regular visits. Only the Warden/designee may approve special visits. Absent this approval, only a person on the inmate’s approved list may visit.
2. Religious Advisor Designation by an inmate of a Religious Advisor may be made at any time. Such designation shall be in addition to the names on the approved list and will not be counted against the total of 20 and visits of this type will not be counted against the number of authorized regular visits. A Religious Advisor must be approved by the Warden, Deputy Warden and Chaplain who will verify that the Religious Advisor is endorsed by the faith group authority. Volunteers, relatives, and family members will not be approved to be a Religious Advisor. An approved 5 individual may only visit one inmate at a time. There may be no group religious meetings in the attorney room unless the Warden/designee grants special permission. The length and number of visits for Religious Advisors may be limited depending upon available space. Accommodations will be made to provide the privacy of conversation in the attorney rooms for all clergy visits.
3. Attorneys An inmate may designate attorneys, with whom he/she desires visiting privileges, at any time. Such designation shall be in addition to the names on the approved list and will not be counted against the total of 20 and visits of this type will not be counted against the number of authorized regular visits.
a. The confidentiality of the attorney/client relationship will be honored. Personnel will not be stationed in such a manner as to be able to overhear normal conversation
b. An attorney who has been designated by an inmate as his/her legal advisor may permit persons, such as a law student, paralegal, or investigator to visit the inmate to act as the attorney’s agent. Each person shall present to the facility at the time of the visit, a written statement signed by the attorney on the letterhead of his/her firm identifying each person as the attorney’s agent and attesting that the visit is for the purpose of a legal consultation.
c. Each attorney and his/her agents are subject to the same rules and regulations as other visitors.
d. An inmate is prohibited from taking any legal materials into or from the Attorney room without prior approval by the Warden/designee.
4. Official Visitor
a. Any official visitor may enter and visit at the Somerset County Jail on any day, including Sunday, between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm but shall not be authorized to enter and visit at any other time except with special permission of the official in charge of the facility. Official visitors shall have the right to interview privately, any inmate in the cell or room where he/she is confined. However, if the official in charge of the facility deems cell entry is dangerous to the safety of the visitor, the inmate may be taken to another room where the interview will still be conducted privately. Employees of an official visitor may accompany and be present during an interview conducted by an official visitor except the number of such employees may be limited based on space and security needs of the facility.
b. An official visitor shall be permitted to use the attorney visiting rooms upon request (if available) for a private meeting with the general population inmate(s) that he/she wishes to visit. He/she can meet with one inmate at a time in a private meeting; he/she can meet with multiple inmates consecutively; or he/she can meet with a small group of inmates, as requested (unless there are legitimate security reasons why group meeting should be prohibited). A request to visit a Disciplinary Custody inmate will be accommodated in the visiting booths. He/she can only meet with one DC inmate at a time; however, he/she can meet consecutively with multiple DC inmates on the same day, if requested. While he/she is not required to pre-schedule these visits, he/she is encouraged to do so (when possible), in 6 order to facilitate the process.
c. An official visitor who is on an individual inmate’s visiting list is not permitted access to any other area of the facility except the attorney room.
D. Administrative/Disciplinary Custody Status Inmates An inmate in Disciplinary Custody will be restricted to weekday visits (excluding holiday) only. Disciplinary Custody status inmates are only permitted one visit a month with immediate family only unless otherwise approved by the Warden.
E. Inmates in Outside Hospitals
1. Visiting privileges for an inmate who is in an outside hospital as an inpatient will only be permitted as approved by the Warden or in cases of serious illness or injury that may be life threatening.
2. Visiting for an inmate who is in an outside hospital as an inpatient will be restricted to immediate family members who have been previously approved and placed on the inmate’s authorized visiting list or for immediate family members who are not on the list but that have traveled a considerable distance.
3. The Officer assigned to the hospital shall notify the facility of the names and relationship of each visitor and the starting and ending time of any visit.
4. Visitors will be limited to two family members in the room at any one time unless the hospital requires a lower number.
5. Outer clothing garments, purses, handbags, briefcases, food items, gifts, etc. are prohibited from being taken into the inmate’s room. The visitors may not leave any items (e.g. food, money) for the inmate.
6. The inmate’s restraints are to be checked by the Officer on duty, before and after any visit.
7. The jails Chaplain may visit an inmate hospitalized as an inpatient in outside hospitals.
F. Prohibited Visitors
1. The following categories of individuals will generally be prohibited from visiting an inmate:
a. a former inmate of any correctional system; that has been incarcerated in the last two years. (No Exceptions)
b. any person who is currently under parole or probation supervision;
c. any current inmate in pre-release status;
d. any County Jail employee;
e. any former County Jail employee;
f. any currently active Volunteer for the County Jail;
g. any current or former contact employee; and/or
h. any victim of the inmate (without prior approval).
2. The jail recognizes that legitimate reasons may exist for an inmate to receive visits from those categories of persons listed above. These persons may visit only with the permission of the Warden/designee as set forth below.
3. The following procedures shall be followed for requesting approval for a prohibited individual to visit. a. The inmate requesting such a visit must submit a request slip to the Warden identifying the visitor by name, relationship, and status (current inmate, former inmate, parolee, employee, etc).
b. In the case of a pre-release inmate or current employee, the Facility Manager of the requesting facility shall contact any other Facility Manager involved for his/her approval. The Facility Manager of the facility where the visit is to take place shall make the final decision regarding this visitation request.
c. Any ex-offender currently on probation or parole must be pre-approved. An ex-offender currently on probation or parole will not be considered for visiting unless he/she had completed at least one year of successful parole or probation supervision and has prior written permission from his/her Parole or Probation Officer. The Warden/designee may make an exception to the one year rule.
d. An ex-offender whose parole or probation has expired must have proof of the expiration of his/her parole or probation.
G. Security
1. If it is determined that a visit is or could be a threat to the security and orderly running of the facility, the visit may be terminated or denied.
2. All inmate visits will be recorded in the inmate’s visiting card.
3. Every visitor and inmate is subject to search before, during, and after visiting. Any visitor or inmate refusing to comply with facility search procedures will not be permitted any further visits unless authorization is received from the Warden/designee.
4. Each visitor is required to successfully pass a metal detection process prior to a visit.
5. Pat searches and/or strip searches of a visitor are strictly prohibited.
6. The Warden/designee will be notified in writing of all contraband finds, and all denied visits.
7. All tobacco products are prohibited in visiting areas.
8. Cell phones, pagers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), video/audio recording devices, and photography equipment are prohibited in visiting areas.
9. Face veils or other articles of clothing that obstruct the view of an individual’s face required by a female visitor’s religious beliefs are permitted to be worn inside the facility. To ensure for positive identification of the visitor, the following procedures will be followed for processing a visitor wearing a face veil or other article of clothing that obstructs the view of an individual’s face when entering/exiting a facility:
a. In all instances a female staff member will be used to identify the visitor. When possible, a female Corrections Officer will be used. When a female Corrections Officer is not available, female staff from other departments (e.g. Medical, Business Office, Records, Food Services, etc.) will be used to process a female visitor and confirm his/her identity when leaving.
b. The removing or removal of the face veil or another article of clothing will be done in a location that affords the visitor privacy as to not be seen by male individuals.
c. All face veils or other articles of clothing that obstruct the view of an individual’s face must be moved or removed to allow the staff member an unobstructed view of the visitor’s face. After the staff member has viewed the visitor’s face the visitor will be instructed to place the face veil or another article of clothing back to its original position.
d. Before leaving the facility, the face veil must again be opened to confirm the identity of the visitor.
H. Suspension, Termination, or Restriction of Visiting Privileges
1. Visits may be suspended, terminated, or restricted, to maintain the security or orderly running of the visiting room and/or the facility or as made necessary by the behavior of the inmate or visitor(s). Suspension or termination of a visit may be ordered by the Warden/designee. All suspensions and terminations of visits shall be reported, in writing to the Warden.
2. The Hearing Committee may impose a disciplinary sanction suspending or restricting an inmate’s visiting privileges for a violation of the visiting room rules and regulation. All imposed sanctions shall be in accordance with the Inmate Disciplinary Policy.
I. Information on Visiting
1. Every inmate will be provided visiting information upon admission.
2. Inmate visiting information will also be made available to the public and posted in the front entrance foyer of the jail.

VI. Suspension In an emergency or extended disruption of normal facility operation, the Warden or his/her designee may suspend any provision or section of the policy for a specific period of time. VII. Rights Under This Policy This policy does not create rights in any person nor should be interpreted or applied in such a manner as to abridge the rights of any individual. This policy should be interpreted to have sufficient flexibility so as to be consistent with law and to permit the accomplishment of the purpose(s) of the Somerset County Jail.