If you have a family member or friend who is housed in IDOC (Illinois Department of Corrections), you surely want to video visit. Before you visit, you should know and understand about IDOC video visitation rules and information. Well, here you will be able to get that information.
IDOC Video Visitation Rules and Information
Please read the following text to find out Video Visitation Rules in IDOC.
How to Conduct a Video Visit?
- Identify your family member or friend you want to visit as well as their facility. You can do that by using the search tool.
- Write your incarcerated loved one a letter to ensure that you are on the incarcerated individual’s approved visitation list. Usually, the staff of IDOC will not be able to verify whether you are on the individual’s approved visitation list.
- Schedule your video visit online at least seven days in advance.
- Remember that the sign-up system will timeout if you do not perform any activity for 30 minutes. You need to complete the sign up within 30 minutes if you want to start to sign up.
- Arrive at the facility earlier, at least 10 minutes before your scheduled visit time.
Schedule Your Visit
If you want to schedule your visit, simply you can choose an IDOC facility where your incarcerated loved one is held. You can view it at SignUpGenius.com. Or, simply you can click this link; https://www.signupgenius.com/org/visitidoc#/.
Some Things to Expect
- At the time of arrival, you as a visitor must call the facility to get guidance. Then, the staff will inform you when it is safe to enter the facility.
- If you are an adult visitor, you will be asked to bring two forms of identification. One of them is a state issued photo ID. Also, you need to provide vehicle information.
- During the Covid pandemic, the staff of the facility will ask you to lower your face coverings for a while when entering and exiting the facility. It is for identification purposes.
- Also, during the Covid pandemic, you will be asked to undergo a COVID-19 symptom and temperature screening.
- The facility is usually provided with a surgical mask for all visitors over the age of two.
Important Rules
- All visitors are not allowed to bring electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, and smart watches), currency, smoking materials, food, drink, packages, bags, purses, books, magazines, or personal keys inside the Visiting Room.
- Pills or medication of any type is not permitted to be brought in the Visiting Room, except for heart medication or inhaler prescribed by a physician. For note: Heart medication must be in an appropriate labeled container.
- All visitors must wear appropriate clothing and not suggest any items in such a manner to signify illegal activity. Remember that visitors are prohibited to wear clothing which is sexually explicit, degrading, or offensive.
- All visitors, vehicles, and items that are brought onto the State property are subject to search.
- Corresponds to Illinois Administrative Code, the facility’s chief administrative officer can deny, suspend, or restrict the visiting privileges based some factors such as security and safety requirements, disruptive conduct of the incarcerated individual or visitor, space availability, abuse of the visiting privileges by the incarcerated individual or visitor, or violation of the rules (state, federal or department) by the incarcerated individual or visitor.
If you want to view IDOC’s video visitation rules and information in complete detail, you can click this link; https://idoc.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idoc/facilities/documents/visitation-rules-and-information-rev-1-3-23.pdf.
Video Visits Will Be Scheduled via the GTL Website
Keep in mind that all video visits will be scheduled via the GTL website. You will not be able to call the facility to schedule a video visit. Before scheduling, you must check the video visit of dates and times which are available for the inmate in custody. The facility will not provide this information. The facility will only inform the inmate of the pending visit and will manage for the inmate to be present.
To accommodate all individuals in each facility:
- An inmate can only receive 1 video visit per day.
- An inmate in IDO can receive two video visits per week.
- Video visitation hours are limited. The hour is 8am – 2pm (Monday – Friday)
- All video visits must be scheduled earlier, at least 7 days in advance.
- The visitors just allow to schedule one video visit per day.
- Visits can be scheduled up to 30 days earlier.
- Only approved and scheduled visitors that can appear in the video visit monitor.
All IDOC’s Video Visits Are Subject to Monitoring and Recording
All video visits are monitored live and recorded. Any violation of the IDOC’s visitation rules, inappropriate behavior or language can be subject to termination of the video visit, with or without warning. Also, this can include suspension from future all visitation privileges. For your information, attorney or client privileges do not apply to video visitation. Dress Code policy also applies to video visitation.
The following conduct is not allowed:
- Any display of nudity.
- Any behavior that is of a sexual nature.
- Use any weapons, drugs, or alcohol.
- Any activity that is associated with any Security Threat Group.
- Unlawful activity or portrayal of unlawful activity.
- Recording a video visit by visitor or any third party.
- If any inappropriate behaviors are displayed, the video visit will be stopped.
Additional Information for All Visits
Here is additional information for all visits:
- Inmates have a total of seven visits per calendar month. Each visit can last up to four hours per visit.
- The visitors can only visit once per day.
- Visitors who travel great distances can request extended visits. This request must be made earlier to the Chief Administrative Officer.
- All visitors must be on the individual’s approved visiting list.
- Visitors under 18 years old are allowed to visit if they are accompanied by an approved visitor. Visitors under 12 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is an approved visitor.
- Visitors must show photo identification such as a driver’s license, a state identification card or acceptable documentation of non-US citizenship.
- Visitors who have been convicted of a criminal offense or who have criminal charges pending, may visit inmates in custody only with prior written approval of the Warden.
- All visitors, as well their own vehicle and property are subject to search.
- Visitors must be dressed appropriately or the visit will not be allowed.
- Inappropriate and revealing clothing is prohibited, such as short skirts, wrap-around skirts, break-away pants, spandex bodysuits, or any clothing which allows undergarments to be visible.
- Undergarments must be always worn and not advertise or promote anything illegal, gang-related, or of a sexual nature.
- Hats, gloves, scarves, or headbands are not allowed, except the religious headgears.
- Jewelry which is very heavy, items which are intimidating to any person, such as replicas of any guns, will not be allowed.
- Visitors can wear one watch, one bracelet, two rings, one necklace, one pair of earrings, and piercings which cannot be released. Any belt buckle will be thoroughly checked.
- Visitors will be prohibited to wear any jewelry with names, words, or that is perceived as a security threat.
- Visitors and inmates in custody cannot exchange any item during a visit.
- Inappropriate visitor behavior or possession of contraband can result in temporary or permanent visit restrictions.
- The Warden/Assistant Warden has the right to limit or prohibit visits at any time due to issues such as space and staff availability.
For further information, just contact the Warden’s Office at the respective facility where your inmate is housed. You will be able to find out the facility phone numbers under the facilities link at https://idoc.illinois.gov/.
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