Visiting
Once a resident is eligible for visiting privileges, the resident is responsible for ensuring that his/her visitors receive the necessary paperwork to register as visitors. For more information, please review IMPP 10-113D: Offender Visitation.
The resident obtains the request form from the unit counselor and mails it to those he/she wishes to place on his/her visiting list. The prospective visitor will need to complete the form and mail it back to the facility for review and approval. A criminal background check is completed on all visitors. The visiting rules are sent out with the request form.
Each resident may have a maximum of 20 visitors on his/her list.
No visitors will be allowed into a correctional facility until the application has been approved.
How are visiting privileges determined?
Visitation privileges are determined by the incentive level assigned to each inmate in the following manner. Those inmates assigned to the following incentive levels are provided the following privileges:
- Intake Level: limited to visits from attorneys, clergy and law enforcement.
- Level I: limited to visits from attorneys, clergy, law enforcement, a primary visitor and immediate family members.
- Levels II & III: allowed visits from any approved visitors.
Immediate family members are defined as parents, step-parents, siblings, spouses of siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, children, spouses of children, step-children, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, great grandchildren, great step-grandchildren, spouse, parents of spouse, grandparents, or any person who filled the role of a parent de facto with respect to the offender as confirmed by the warden/superintendent upon review of the social history.
residents, who are married by license or common law, must list their spouse as their primary visitor. Unmarried, residents may declare any person as their primary visitor as long as the person is at least 18 years of age and is not listed as the primary visitor for any other resident. residents may change their primary visitor every six months.
Approved lists are transferable to each facility and remain in effect unless revised by the resident or for administrative cause. Please review all visiting rules supplied by the facility prior to visiting.
What are the visiting hours and rules?
After you have received notification that you have been approved as a visitor, please check with the correctional facility for visiting hours and specific visiting rules.
Can children under 18 years of age visit an resident?
Minor children are permitted to visit if they are approved to be on the resident’s visitation list. The adult who brings the minor child must also be an approved visitor and be the child’s parent or legal guardian. Minor children may not be allowed to visit if the resident is being managed as a sex offender.
Can I be on more than one resident’s visitation list?
Visitors may be on more than one resident’s visiting list if the visitor is an immediate family member to each resident.
Why would my visiting privileges be suspended?
Visits may be denied, suspended or terminated by the shift supervisor on duty for:
- Visitor under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Insufficient space available
- Refusal of visitor to submit to search per IMPP 12-115, “Search of Visitors”
- Refusal or failure to provide sufficient identification or falsifying information
- Violation of facility rules
- Failure to properly supervise children
- Excessive physical contact
- Visitor or visitor’s child appears ill
- Reasons necessary to preserve security of the facility and reasonable order in the visiting area
Please note: visitors can be searched to prevent the introduction of any item considered to be contraband if taken into or from a facility. This includes cell phones and all tobacco and tobacco-related items.
What if I am a victim of the resident but I would like to visit the resident?
This does not mean that you will not be allowed to visit. If you are a victim of the resident, you must indicate this on your visiting application. The Office of Victim Services (OVS) will contact you for more information. If you have questions about this process, please call OVS toll free at (866) 404-6732.
How do I remove my name from a visitor’s list?
Send a letter with your request for removal, include the resident’s name and KDOC number, to the Visitation Clerk at the correctional facility. For mailing address, visit the facility index page. Visitors removed from a list by their own request or by the resident’s request may not re-apply for visitation for a minimum of 180 days.
What if I’m traveling from out of state to visit but I am not on the list?
Under certain circumstances, the Warden or his designee may authorize a special visit. Requests for special visits are initiated by the resident through the resident's unit team via the Form-9. Circumstances under which special visits may be granted include, but are not limited to:
- Requests for a single visit prior to background verification and approval of subsequent visits;
- The visitor has traveled a distance of 150 miles (one way) or more; or,
- The visit is in the best interest of the resident's rehabilitative needs or other correctional goals.
What kind of identification should I bring with me during my visit?
Visitors must properly identify themselves with picture identification issued by a government agency, such as a driver's license or a state identification card. A copy of an official state-issued birth certificate is acceptable for persons under the age of 16 who cannot produce photo identification.
Non-U.S. citizens who do not have a United States or state government agency picture ID will be required to show a valid passport or visa.
Are residents permitted furloughs for funeral/bedside visits?
No.
Is physical contact allowed during a visit?
Contact during visits is limited to a brief embrace or kiss at the beginning and end of the visit. Hand holding is not allowed. Please see IMPP 10-113 for additional information.
____________________________________________________________________________
