Are you an ex-prisoner? If you are an ex-prisoner and now you want to visit an inmate, you may wonder whether you are permitted or not to visit the inmate. As we know that the rules to visit an inmate are strict and we need to know and obey the rules.
Ex-Prisoner Visits a Prisoner
Actually, every correctional facility has its own visitation rules. An ex-prisoner will fill out a visitation application and it will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis where it is done to consider the safety of the facility. To determine whether to permit or deny a visitation request from an ex-prisoner, usually correctional facilities will consider a lot of factors.
As explained on the Felony Record Hub site, sometimes if an ex-prisoner wants to visit someone who is incarcerated at the same facility in which he or she was incarcerated, the ex-inmate may be denied to visit. Another factor that determines whether an ex-prisoner is permitted to visit an inmate or not also depends on the length of time since the ex-prisoner was released from that facility. The ex-prisoner’s behaviour when he or she was there will also be a factor to determine the permission.
However, if you are an ex-prisoner but you are an immediate family of the inmate, it seems that your request to visit the inmate will be approved. It means that the relationship between the ex-prisoner and the inmate that wants to be visited is also important and becomes a consideration for the facility staff.
Is there another factor to determine whether an ex-prisoner can visit an inmate or not? Yes, it is your criminal background. According to the Felony Record Hub site, the facility will do a background check on you and for them it is easy to do because the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has access to your criminal history. If you have committed less serious or nonviolent crimes, it seems that you will be permitted to visit an inmate. However, there is no precise list of felonies that might prevent you from visiting an inmate and it will depend on the facility. If you have more convictions or a longer criminal history, the facility officers will examine you more closely. Not only that, the length of time since the conviction is important as well. The longer since the sentence was concluded, you will have a bigger chance of being able to visit the inmate.
In some states, you have to wait at least 2 years since your sentence ended before you are permitted to visit an inmate in prison. Let’s say that you have charges currently pending against you. If so, it will be harder for you to be permitted to visit an inmate. Or, are you on probation? If yes, there is a possibility that it will be difficult for you to be approved to visit an inmate. The reason is because felons are not permitted to have contact with other felons while they are on probation.
However, on the South Australia Department for Correctional Service site, it is explained that their correctional facility does not allow a former prisoner to visit an inmate if you have been released within the past 12 months. On that site, it is explained that you are not able to visit a prisoner if you are a former prisoner who has been released from prison within the past 12 months unless you are approved by the Chief Executive.
So, we can conclude that whether an ex-prisoner can visit an inmate in prison or not depends on the facility and the facility will consider some factors as explained above. If you are an ex-prisoner and you want to visit an inmate in a prison, you have to contact the facility first or you are able to fill out the visitation application first and wait whether you are approved or not.
Visitation Application
As explained earlier, before you can visit an inmate, you have to fill out a visitation application where it is different from one facility to another facility. You need to be included on the inmate’s visitation list if you want to be permitted to visit the inmate. In the visitation application, you will have to inform your full name, address, and phone number. It will also require you to inform your background information. If you are an ex-prisoner, when you are asked whether you have ever been convicted of a crime, of course, you have to be honest even though the BOP has known about your criminal history.
There are some reasons why visitors, regardless of whether they are an ex-prisoner or not, could be rejected for visitation. Your visitation application can be denied if you are considered as a security risk for any reason. It is important for you to note that usually the waiting period before approval is given around one to six weeks and the length of time for approval depends on some factors such as the facility, the depth of the background check and the time of the year.
The Things You Should Do When You Are Permitted To Visit An Inmate
If you are permitted to visit an inmate, then you have to make sure that you obey the rules of the facility. The first thing is about dressing. When you visit an inmate, you have to wear appropriate clothes. Make sure that you do not wear something which is the same as the inmate’s clothing in color or style. The style must be modest with no short dress or skirt. Also, you are not permitted to wear sleeveless shirts or tops. Don’t wear jewelry as well.
Before you enter the room to meet the inmate, you will be searched and asked to leave all personal belongings. All visits will be supervised closely and the time limits are also strictly obeyed.
When you visit the inmate in prison, you have to make it a positive experience for the inmate and also for you. Since you have felt being incarcerated, you surely understand their feelings so that you have to be able to cheer them up and give them motivation to be better.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
