The Sad Truth About Prison Visits

How to Make a Visit Worthwhile

Prison visits are one of three prison luxuries inmates can take advantage of; the other two being telephones and commissary.  The term luxury in this context only has meaning to those denied.  Most inmates cherish visitation in prison and the lack thereof can often cause depression.  However, after reading how such prison visits are conducted, family members, friends and associates will see them not as luxuries, but for what they really are…dreadful sessions replicating a dental root canal.  A less horrific analogy would be waiting in a Disneyland line for hours to receive a 2 minute ride.

Prison officials, under the guise of security, make visits difficult, angst ridden, obtrusive, invasive and a host of adjectives not permitted in this document.  To be certain, inmate and family member abuses do occur and occur in numbers greater than proper.  However, prison administrations, claiming all visits pose a security threat, impose cruel-hearted, often soulless measures that defy logic. We understand smuggling of all sorts of contraband occurs during prison visits; we have personally witnessed the practice.  And we understand the refusal to quantify the difference between smuggling a toothbrush versus drugs and weapons.  However instead of punishing wrongdoers, they punish all, making the event one that families often dread.  We’re always amazed that family members take abuse during prison visitations heaped by imprudent and inconsiderate guards and staffers.  We submit a few thoughtless and inconsiderate encounters:

• In a camp, a guard, appropriately named “The Black Widow” grabbed a baby out of its infant seat, attempted to hand the baby to another guard when the mother screamed.  The guard accused the woman of hiding contraband in the seat.  Despite nothing being found in the infant seat, because the mother screamed at the guard not to touch her baby, the inmate’s visit was cancelled.  Although the guard was scolded by her superiors (it was witnessed by inmates, families and other guards), no apology was given to the mother.
• In a maximum security prison, a prison visit was terminated because the visitor wore short-shorts over leggings.  The policy prohibited short-shorts and despite that heavy, opaque leggings showing no skin were also worn, the guard touting a no short-short policy terminated the visit.
• A family of 8 from Hawaii flew to the mainland for their annual visit with their inmate brother.  The prison, decided on the Sunday of the visit, to cancel visiting without notice because a NASCAR race was taking place in the city and many of the guards got jobs working security at the event.
• The same prison cancelled visiting because a window was broken and no inmate confessed to this heinous crime.  Visiting was cancelled Saturday morning at 7:30AM while visitors were already lining up.  Those coming from great distances were out of luck.

The stories are endless, but the purpose is to alert visitors and inmates and future inmates to the hassles all must endure to visit a loved one or friend in prison.  Knowing the real truth behind prison visitation rules can protect both you and your inmate friend or family member! It's worth it for everyone but you have to understand the printed rules, the guard's ability to interpret the rules their way, and the way other prisoners play the game! Read our detailed insider report now by ordering right now. It's worth it to visit, and it's even more worth it to know how to make the system work for you.