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How To Set Up In-Person and Video Visits
I was in prison and you came to visit me….Matthew 25:36
The information I’m going to share in this post pertains to how things are done in Arizona. That’s the state I’m most familiar with. For information on setting up visits with your loved one visit the Department of Corrections website for that state.
Visiting someone in prison is even easier now that there are a couple of options. You can visit from the comfort of your own home or you can visit in person. Before you can visit anyone in prison you have to apply to be put on their visitation list and be approved, of course. I imagine every state is a little different on how you go about applying to their list.
I believe most if not all states will do a background check before approving you. There will be a fee you will have to pay for the background check. To get the exact procedure, visit that states Department of Corrections website, or the person you are wanting to visit should know the steps to take as well. In some states it could take up to three months to get approved, so be prepared to be patient.
Video visits- You will probably need to schedule them ahead of time, about a week or so. In Arizona you can schedule a free visit through the prison or a paid one through Securus. For the free visits they use Meet, which is a Gmail app. These visits are only available a couple days a week, like Monday and Tuesday. You will need to call the prison to schedule it as well, so sometimes it’s easier to pay for and schedule the visit though Securus if those days do not work for you. They will email you a code shortly before your visit, you will need that to get into the visit. They may also ask you to show your I.D. at the beginning of the visit as well. Keep in mind not all states use Securus, so check with your states Department of Corrections website for information on who they use for their video visits.
If you want more flexibility on days and times you can schedule a visit through a company called Securus, or whoever your state uses. The cost for a Securus visit is $4.95 plus tax or fees. It’s really simple to do, just download the Securus app, scheduling and the actual visit is done right there in the app. You cannot schedule a visit more than a week ahead of time. You can also cancel or reschedule visits, I’m not sure how far in advance you need to cancel to receive credit for the visit.
In-person visits- Some prisons require you to schedule these visits. Others will allow you to just show up. Either way they are free. Make sure you check with the prison on the visitation dress code and other rules too. The dress code applies to video visits as well as in-person visits. You do not want to risk having your visitation rights revoked. It can be difficult to get them reinstated.
When you arrive for the visit you will have to go through a metal detector. If you have metal in your body make sure you have a card stating that. You may also be required to lock your keys, I.D. and other items in a locker. Ohio used to let you take a certain amount of change in to use for the vending machines. I’m not sure if that’s still the case or not.
My best advice is when in doubt check with the prison, the Department of Corrections website or the person you are visiting.