Newport News VA City Jail

Newport News City Jail - Visitation

Inmate Visitation

The Newport News Sheriff’s Office promotes and encourages inmates to maintain ties with their families and friends through regular visits. In fact, we strongly feel that visitation is an important part of each inmate’s rehabilitation. The Sheriff’s Office provides for the safety and security of each facility, staff, inmates and, most importantly, the safety of visitors and the public. This page will familiarize you with the visitation schedule, rules and regulations that must be followed before and during each visit. Visitation is a privilege for inmates and should not be considered a right.

WARNING: All persons entering the jail facilities are subject to warrant checks, arrest and are subject to search.

Special Notes

1. All visitations are subject to unforeseen lockdowns, security problems or other situations which may postpone, delay, shorten, suspend or cancel visitation.
2. All persons visiting inmates or our jail facilities are subject to warrant checks and arrest. Individuals having a court order stating no contact with an inmate will be denied a visit.
3. Visitors are required to follow the Newport News City Jail visitor rules and regulations at ALLtimes while on facility grounds. Failure to do so may result in the termination or denial of future visits.
4. A limited number of lockers are available for storage of personal items. However, we recommend leaving all personal belongings secured in your vehicles.
5. If the person you visited seems depressed, is making suicidal statements or you have given them disappointing news, please inform Sheriff’s Office Mental Health staff at (757) 926-8535.

Visitation Schedule

There are no limitations on the number of visitors an inmate may have on his visitation list. An inmate is permitted a non-contact visit with no more than four (4) persons, including minors, at the same time. Non-group visitors may be accommodated only one per visit by means of rotation through the visiting area. Such rotation shall be considered a single visit in the event it is necessary to terminate a visit in progress.

With that said, visitation is only available every weekend in twenty (20) minute sessions, reservations are not required. These limitations on the length and frequency of visits are imposed to avoid overcrowding or the inequitable allocation of visiting time.

Important things to remember:
-Children may only visit on the first full weekend (i.e., a Saturday and Sunday) of each month.
-No visitor will be accepted for a visit after the designated scheduled end time.

Keep in mind, weekend visitation is usually very crowded at the Main Jail and Annex. Visitors should plan for potential delays. An alternative is our At Home – Inmate Visitation. Out-of-town visitors should plan accordingly.

NOTE: Inmates assigned to Administrative Segregation shall not be eligible for visitors.

Who can visit an inmate?

Inmates may have up to four (4) visitors. Out-of-state or long distance visits are reserved for immediate family members only; please see “Out of Town or Special Visits” below for more information.

NOTE: Clergy visitation will only be granted for ordained pastors or persons serving as the spiritual leaders of a duly chartered, incorporated congregation. Requests for this privilege shall be coordinated and approved through the Jail Administrator prior to any visits and valid credentials/identification will be required for verification.

Inmates who have immediate family members, relatives, friends or associates who are a member of the clergy and have been approved by the Jail Administrator (as stated above) will not be allowed the use of clergy visitation privileges under any circumstances.

Searches and Inspections

Any person coming into the City Jail or Annex facilities shall be subject to inspection as necessary to ensure facility security including prevention of the introduction of contraband. Inspections may include a search of the visitor’s person, personal property when there is reasonable suspicion to believe the visitor is attempting to introduce or remove contraband or unauthorized items or substances into, or out of, the jail facility. See Code of Virginia §18.2-474 & §18.2-474.1 Delivery of articles, drugs, firearms, explosives, etc., to prisoners or committed persons.

Contraband means items which are prohibited by criminal law, Sheriff’s Office rules or posted notices. They are items which an inmate or visitor has no authority to possess or property which is in excess what is authorized.

Required Forms of Identification

All adult visitors will be required to produce photo identification (ID) and verification of his or her date of birth.

ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE THE ORIGINAL OR CERTIFIED COPIES!

One of the following is required:

• State driver’s license
• State-issued identification cards
• Federal, state, local government identification card (any state)
• Military identification
• Passport
• U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
• Visa Border Crossing ID Card (USA B1/B2 Visa BCC).

NOTE: If the visitor’s ID is questionable or not acceptable, further verification shall be required.(for example, birth certificate, pictured credit card or other official ID.) Children 17 years of age and younger may be required to provide an ID (for example, birth certificate or student ID) if the age is questionable due to physical maturity of the child. A student ID shall be used only for children 17 years old and younger.

Visitation Dress Code

The Newport News Sheriff’s Office has established a visitation dress code to promote a positive atmosphere for visitation and to maintain an orderly, safe, and secure facility. Visitors are encouraged to exercise good judgment in selecting appropriate articles of clothing for a large gathering of men, women, and young children.

Attire Restrictions

Wearing inappropriate clothing (such as provocative or revealing clothes) may result in denial of visitation. There are restrictions on what you may wear to the jail facilities. In general, there are five rules to remember:

1. Do not wear clothing that resembles inmate clothing, like:
   • Orange, green, white or red jumpsuits.
2. Dress conservatively and modestly.
   The following items are NOT permitted:
   • Revealing shorts;
   • Halter tops, crop tops or bathing suits;
   • Low-cut blouses or dresses, leotards, spandex, or miniskirts
   • See-through garments of any type
   • Other non-disclosed provocative or revealing clothing
3. Any attire that is disruptive, unsafe, unhealthy or offensive to the visitation process
4. Do not wear any item that cannot be taken off and will not clear a metal detector.
5. All visitors must wear undergarments.

Visitors will be directed through a metal detector or scanned by a hand-held metal detector prior to entering the jail facility. Deputies in the lobby will ensure prohibited items are not carried to the jail floor visitation booths. For more information, please read prohibited items below.

Prohibited Items

Possession and/or use of a cell phone, wireless communication device or their components is prohibited within the jail visitation booths without authorization. Any person with such unauthorized device is subject to criminal prosecution. In addition, no purses, umbrellas, packages, mace, handbags, paper sacks, cigarettes, cigarette lighters, matches, or glass or metal containers are allowed. Prohibited items include glass baby bottles, strollers or toys for babies. Pocket knives and sharp objects, weapons of any kind or items which can be used either in its present form or by alteration as a weapon in the jail are prohibited.

ONLY your identification, keys and small wallet will be allowed in the visitation booth. Those with babies can bring in one blanket, one diaper and one plastic bottle.

Standards of Conduct

Each inmate and visitor are responsible for his or her own conduct during visits. Any violation of laws, regulations, or jail procedures governing visits may result in termination, suspension, revocation, or denial of visiting with the person or persons involved. Such violation may also result in exclusion from the jail facility.

Out of Town or Special Visits

The Newport News Sheriff’s Office will make every effort within reason to accommodate those persons who have traveled appreciable distances (e.g., 100 miles or more) to visit a family member incarcerated in the City Jail or Annex.

Those visitors must be able to furnish a valid identification (ID) to prove he/she is not from the immediate area. (In this instance, military identification card or passport will not be accepted).

For out-of-town visitors, there is a one-time exception. If further visits are desired, you must visit on the designated visitation day and time.

Hospitalized Inmate Visitation

Hospital visits will only be allowed for inmates who are considered in grave condition. Emergency visits due to serious medical conditions must be approved by the Jail Administrator. Normally, for emergency notification, the Jail Administrator will notify the inmate’s designated emergency point of contact about a serious medical condition. These approved visits are subject to the same rules above as well as the hospital’s visitation rules.

Public Transit and Location

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) provides bus service throughout the cities of Newport News and Hampton. The Newport News City Jail and Annex is approximately eight (8) blocks from the Newport News Transit Center, which is the hub for other bus routes.

HRT bus routes 101, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 403 make convenient and frequent stops at 26th Street and Washington Ave., a short walking distance (about 50 yards) to the Public Safety Building (City Jail) lobby. For additional information concerning bus routes or driving directions to the City Jail, click here.

For those visiting inmates within the Jail Annex, HRT bus routes 101, 104, 105, and 106 make convenient and frequent stops at 25th Street and Huntington, beside the Adult Detention Facility (Jail Annex) lobby. For additional information concerning bus routes or driving directions to the Jail Annex, click here.