book a virtual prison visit

Video Visitation

Video visitation is a great way to connect with your loved one over the internet, without having to worry about unpredictable crowds and overly busy visitation hours.

Visits can be scheduled and paid for in advance, allowing you to visit with inmates at times that are convenient for you.

We offer two types of Video Visitation services:

At-Home Video Visits

These video visits can be conducted at home on your PC computer, laptop or mobile device (Android).

Save travel expenses, time, long lines and parking fees with at-home video visits.

Ease stress on children who can now communicate without visiting the facility in person.

On-site Video Visits

On-site video visits are conducted at visitation stations at the facility.

With these visits, you are still required to travel to the facility.

Through our easy-to-use website, you can schedule, register, and pay for (if applicable) the visit in advance. Then, conduct the visit in real-time over the internet.

Please note: These services can vary by facility and are not available at all locations.

How It Works

Check to see if your inmate’s facility offers video visitation.
If video visitation is offered at the facility, go to www.gtlvisitme.com . Register yourself and all visitors participating in the visitations.
Select the facility where your loved one is located.
Search for your inmate, and add them.
Click “Schedule” to begin the scheduling process.
You will see the cost associated with your visit at the time of scheduling. Enter your credit card or debit card information to complete the scheduling process. You will receive a confirmation email and receipt for your visit.
For at-home video visits : sign in to the visitation scheduling site 15 minutes prior to your scheduled visit. Test your connection, and follow the steps to start your visit.
For on-site video visits: arrive at the facility at least 15 minutes prior to check-in. A valid photo ID is required. Each facility has its own rules for on-site visits. Please review rules prior to arrival.

For additional helpful information and a list of useful questions about visitation, scheduling, and facility policies, view our v isitation FAQs .

What It Costs

Visitation costs vary by correctional facility and visitation duration.

Different types of visits may have different costs or no cost at all.

All costs associated with visits are clearly displayed at the time of scheduling. Visitors are aware of all the options and can choose based on their visitation preferences.

Ways to Pay

When scheduling fee-based video visitations through our visitation website , you will be asked to provide your payment information to complete the scheduling process.

We accept debit cards, charge cards, and Visa/Mastercard gift cards.

To get the best experience, you’ll need to upgrade to a newer browser.

Terms of Use governing use of ConnectNetwork services state that all services are intended to be used by persons over the age of 18.

To continue, please enter your date of birth to confirm you are over the age of 18.

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How to Schedule a Visit Using Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA)

VSA allows Friends and Family to schedule visits from a variety of web enabled devices including computer, smartphone and tablet. Get familiar with our visiting guidelines and make sure you are approved to visit before using VSA. If it’s your first time using VSA, you’ll need to claim your account before you can schedule a visit.

Schedule visits at the time designated for the institution listed below.

Northern Region VSA request period will open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. for the following institutions in the Northern region:

California Correctional Center
Central California Women’s Facility
California Health Care Facility
California Medical Facility
California State Prison – Sacramento
California State Prison – Solano
Folsom State Prison
High Desert State Prison
Mule Creek State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison
Sierra Conservation Center
San Quentin State Prison
Valley State Prison

Central Region VSA request period will open from 6:30 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. for the following institutions in the Central region:

Avenal State Prison
California Correctional Institution
California Men’s Colony
California State Prison – Corcoran
Correctional Training Facility
Kern Valley State Prison
North Kern State Prison
Pleasant Valley State Prison
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison – Corcoran
Salinas Valley State Prison
Wasco State Prison

Southern Region VSA request period will open from 7 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. for the following institutions in the Central region:

California City Correctional Facility
Calipatria State Prison
Centinela State Prison
California Institution for Men
California Institution for Women
California Rehabilitation Center
California State Prison – Los Angeles County
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
Ironwood State Prison
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility

The request period begins eight days prior to the visitation day and closes five days prior to the visitation day. See the table below for examples.

Friends and Family (also referred to as visitor) go to the visitor website and click Claim Account .

Type your First Name, Last Name and Date of Birth.

Login page with first and last name and date of birth input

Add and confirm your Email Address . Select Next.

Complete the remaining fields with all Personal Information . Click on the checkbox to run the robot test. Review the information and when you are ready, select the checkbox to verify that all information is correct, and then click the Finish button.

Once your account is created, you will receive your Visitor ID . It is very important to write down the number, print the summary page, or take a screenshot of the following screen for your records.

Look for an email from [email protected] with your temporary password .

Starting from the visitor website, sign into your account with your temporary password. You will then be required to change your password. Enter and confirm a new password, and then click Update .

Once your password has been successfully reset, the Home page of the visitor website will be displayed with any upcoming visits, a list of associated (approved) inmate names, and any canceled visits.

Claiming Your Account – Mobile Device

Friends and Family (also referred to as visitor) go to the Visitation Scheduling website and click Claim Account .

Type your First Name, Last Name and Date of Birth. Click Next .

Add and confirm your Email Address . Select Next .

The Address Information screen will display (showing California). Click Next.

You will then be required to set your password. Enter and confirm a new password, and then click Next .

A confirmation email with login information is sent from [email protected] .

Set new password and confirm the same password

Review policies and then click Accept Policies and Submit.

From the Registration Successful screen, select New Visit to go directly to scheduling a visit. Or select Main Menu to schedule a new visit, display upcoming visits, view history, and manage account settings.

You can organize your account by going to the My Account menu where you can manage your email address, password, inmates, and visitor groups.

You can organize your account by going to the Main Menu and selecting Account Settings . From here you can manage your password, personal information (email address), visitors, and inmates.

The Visitation Scheduling Home page displays:
Upcoming visits
Canceled Visits
My Inmates (approved list)

Upcoming visits, cancelled visits, and my inmates

Click on the Visit link next to the inmate’s name from the My Inmates list to schedule a visit with them.

Choose Visitor (select yourself) or select multiple Visitors (additional visitors must be approved to visit). A visitor can send another approved visitor a friend request via the Manage Visitor Groups option under the My Account Menu. This means both visitors would be able to visit the same inmate together. Both visitors must be approved to visit the inmate.
Click Next .
Select available Date from calendar.

Select the Visitation Location (Facility and Video Station location) and the Time of Day. Click Search.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because institutions are currently offering a variety of video visit options, it is recommended to select No Preference to show all available visits for all visitation centers at an institution.

For example, institutions may be providing In Person Only visits, Internet Only visits, or a hybrid of In Person and Internet visits. The available days for in person visits may also vary per institution.

Select the desired time slot from the displayed options. Only available times will display.

Review visit information and click Confirm .
Type of Visit – Internet Video Visit or Face to Face Visit
Date, Time, Location (map will display for Face-to-Face Visit)
Inmate name
Visitor name, Relationship
Visitation Policies
Once the visit is confirmed, a unique confirmation number is added and a confirmation email will be sent to you with visit information.

Schedule another visit
Return Home
Print Summary
Cancel Visit

Schedule A New Visit

Click English or Spanish

The Visitation Scheduling Home page displays.

To see a list of previously scheduled visits, click on the Upcoming Visits link. From this screen you can schedule a new visit. Click on the New Visit button to add a new visit.

You can also schedule a new visit from the Main Menu by selecting Schedule a New Visit .

A list of all approved visitors will display (or select the button on the bottom left to request a visitor be added). Select a Visitor(s) from the Available column by using the green arrow to move them to the Attending column . Click Confirm Visitors .

Select the applicable inmate name and then click the Confirm Inmate button.

Use the drop-down menu to select the applicable inmate/visitor relationship. Click Confirm Relations .

Select the Visitation Center.

For example, institutions may be providing In Person only visits, Internet Only visits, or a hybrid of In Person and Internet visits. The available days for in person and internet visits may vary by institution.

Select an available visit date from the Calendar (displayed in white). Click Confirm Date .

NOTE: Depending on which day you select will determine whether In Person or Internet visit time slots will be displayed on the next screen after clicking Confirm Date .

Select the desired Time from the list. Only available time slots will display. Click the Confirm Time button

Review the details of your reserved visit.

Click Edit to change a visit. Select the field to be changed (Inmate, Visitor, Date, Time, or Location) and click Edit . You will be re-directed back to the applicable area to make the change. It is important to note, if you need to change an inmate name, visitor name, date or time while making a visitation appointment, it must be done before selecting the Agree and Reserve button . Otherwise, you will need to cancel the visit and reschedule the visit.

14. Click on the Review Policies button to see the Terms of Use, Privacy Policies, and Facility Policies.

Click Agree & Reserve to confirm the visit. A unique confirmation number is added and a confirmation email will be sent to you with visit information.

Once a visit has been scheduled, the Upcoming Visits screen allows you to:

Edit a visit
Cancel a visit
Add a New Visit

Once a visit is confirmed, you can only add/remove visitors. If you need to change an inmate name, visitor name, date, or time, you must first cancel the visit and then reschedule it.

To add or remove a visitor from an already confirmed visit, click View Upcoming from either the Visit Summary screen or the Main Menu screen.

2. Select the visit that needs to be changed. Click Edit . You will be re-directed back to the Visit Summary screen.

Click Edit Visitors. Use the green and red arrows in the center of the screen to add or remove approved visitors to your existing visit. Click Confirm Visitors .

The updated Visit Summary screen will display with visitor changes. Click Agree & Reserve to reconfirm the visit with updated visitors. This example shows the visit was modified to reflect two visitors.

CDCR inmates are allowed one free video visit per month with Friends and Family. Quotas (number of visits inmates get per day/week/month) are determined by CDCR and are configured into the visitation scheduling system. When a visit is canceled, the quota for that inmate is automatically reset.

Friends and Family can go the visitor website to cancel a scheduled visit.
To cancel a visit from the visitor website, click on the Cancel Visit link on the Home page.

Confirm the cancellation by clicking Yes or No.

The visit status is updated to Canceled and is displayed on the Visitor Home Page. In addition, a cancellation email will be sent your email account confirming the cancellation.

CDCR inmates and visitors are allowed one free video visit per 30 days with Friends and Family. Quotas (number of allowed per day/week/month) are determined by CDCR. When a visit is canceled, the quota for that inmate/visitor is automatically reset.

Friends and Family can go the Visitation Scheduling website to cancel a scheduled visit.
From the Upcoming Visits screen, select the applicable visit to be canceled and click the Cancel button.

Confirm the cancellation by clicking Cancel Visit .

The visit status is updated to Canceled . In addition, a cancellation email will be sent your email account confirming the cancellation.

Look for an email from WebEx with details for how to join your video visit.

For more information on “How to Use WebEx to Join a Video Visit”, you can also refer to CDCR’s Web Site:

Join your video visit from your computer, mobile device, phone, or a video conferencing system. You may pick the one that works best for you. All video visits are secure. The communication is encrypted and CDCR processes ensure that approved visitors are validated and only those approved visitors may join the visit.

For technical assistance with VSA, contact the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant of the institution you wish to visit .

DO NOT contact GTL for technical assistance.

Criminal Profiles
Entertainment Industry
Prison Guide

September 25, 2023 September 25, 2023

How to Book a Prison Visit Online

Scheduling an in-person visit with an incarcerated loved one is important for maintaining connections. Many corrections departments now allow online prison visit reservations to improve convenience and efficiency. This article outlines the typical process for booking online prison visits.

Check Visitation Eligibility Requirements

Before scheduling visits, confirm eligibility with the facility’s policies:

Age minimums – Adult visitors usually required.
Visitor approval – Visitors must be on inmate’s approved list.
ID/documentation – Valid photo ID often required.
Allowed items – Review dress code and authorized items.
Health requirements – Some facilities require COVID vaccination proof.

Ensure you meet all criteria to avoid wasted trips or denied entry.

Create a Visitor Account on the Facility’s Website

Most prisons with online scheduling require creating a visitor account:

Enter your personal details like name, address, email, phone number.
Create a username and password for the visitor account.
Provide your ID number and type (driver’s license, passport, etc).
Electronically sign any waivers or terms required.

This information links you to the inmate and confirms identity upon arrival.

Schedule Visit Date and Time

With an approved visitor account, you can view visitation calendars and schedule dates/times:

Select day(s) – Weekends and holidays are busiest.
Choose time slot(s) – Typical windows are 1-2 hours long.
Check-in 15-30 minutes prior – To clear security screening.
Bring printed or digital confirmation – Shows your scheduled slot.

Visits are usually first-come, first-served for available times. Book well in advance for best selection.

Understand Cancellation and No Show Policies

Review policies if you must cancel or miss scheduled visits:

Timeframe – Cancel at least 24-48 hours in advance when possible.
Allowed frequency – Too many cancellations or no shows may restrict future visits.
Notifications – Call the visitation hotline as soon as possible.
Exceptions – Illness or family emergencies may qualify for waivers.

Follow proper procedures to avoid penalties like temporary visit suspensions.

Arrive Prepared on Visitation Day

Give yourself extra time and arrive prepared:

Dress appropriately – Follow dress code to get cleared for entry.
Limited belongings – Carry only approved items needed for children.
Check in at gate – Provide printed or digital confirmation and ID.
Clear security – Successfully pass through metal detectors and searches.
Confirm visitation rules – Keep physical contact limited if prohibited.
Enjoy visit! – Make the most of this valued time together.

Proper planning ensures visitation goes smoothly.

Online scheduling systems are making arranging prison visits easier and more efficient. Visitors can quickly check availability and reserve slots after creating an approved account. Following facility policies ensures a smooth visitation process. While in-person time is limited, it remains invaluable for maintaining inmate connections and support systems.

FAQs About Booking Online Prison Visits

How far in advance can visits be booked.

Most facilities allow booking 1-4 weeks in advance. Holidays and weekends fill up quickly.

Can visitors schedule multiple back-to-back time slots?

Usually not – facilities limit visits to 1-2 hour sessions with buffer times in between.

Is there an age limit or requirement for minor visitor approval?

Yes, approval rules vary but most prisons prohibit visitors under 18 years old.

Can online visit reservations be made on a mobile device?

Some systems only allow scheduling on the desktop website. But mobile-friendly platforms are becoming more common.

What if a visitor’s plans change after booking?

Notify the prison as soon as possible if you cannot make the booked time. Schedule changes are limited.

How do waiting lists work if times are fully booked?

Waiting lists prioritize visitors by order and frequency since last visit. Openings from cancellations are first-come, first-served.

What happens if a visitor is late for check-in?

You may forfeit that day’s visit. Arrive well before the scheduled window to ensure entry.

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Video visits from home have arrived at your facility!

To start or schedule a visit, follow the instructions below. If you have questions, please call 866-516-0115 and select the prompt for video visit.

* Note: Video visits may not be available for all inmates.

IMPORTANT: To conduct a video visit from home, you need a personal computer, an internet connection, a web camera, a microphone, and Google Chrome as your browser.

Want to visit now, follow these steps to start an on-demand visit:.

1. Go to www.visit.telmate.com 2. Login to your account

3. Click the “Visit” link in the “Quick Links” section on the left

4. Click the person you’d like to visit with

5. Click on “Visit Now” in the “online” section

6. If inmate is available, the visit will start shortly. If the inmate is not available, you will get a message letting you know, and can schedule a visit instead

Want to Visit Later?

Follow these steps to schedule a visit:.

3. Click the “Visit” link in the Quick Links section on the left

5. Click the “Schedule a Visit” button in the “Online” section

6. Click the day you’d like to visit

7. Click the time of day you’d like to visit—morning, afternoon or evening 8. Click the desired length of your visit 9. Click the time you’d like the visit to start

10. Click the green “Confirm” button

11. Read and accept the terms of video visits by clicking the check boxes next to each statement and then clicking the green “I Agree”

IMPORTANT: The inmate must accept your requested visit before it can be confirmed. You will know your visit request was accepted when you receive an email saying “Your Video Visit is Scheduled”.

Don’t Have an Account?

Follow these steps to create one:.

1. Go to www.visit.telmate.com

2. Click the “Create Online Account” button

3. Agree to the terms

4. Provide your information (all fields with an asterisk are required, there are two screens)

5. Verify your account using either your phone number or email address

6. Allow Flash to access your camera and microphone by clicking “Allow” (you will need this access turned on to use video visits)

7. Follow the steps to test your equipment

Have questions? Please call 866-516-0115 and select the prompt for video visit

Terms of Use governing use of GettingOut services state that all services are intended to be used by persons over the age of 18.

To continue, please enter your date of birth to confirm you are over the age of 18.

On Monday, March 7, 2022, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP) will resume in-person civilian visits. Registration will begin on Friday, March 4.

The PDP has reached this decision as both hospital and infection rates continue to decline in the city and region. PDP will continue its ongoing mitigation efforts to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and to keep our workforce and incarcerated population safe.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Onsite Visitation Rules

Each Incarcerated Individual is allowed 1 hour visit per week
1 Adult and 1 Child, (6 months to 17 years of age) can visit with a parent or guardian. The adult must provide proof of custody or a birth certificate.
Visitors must be at the facility at least ten minutes before the scheduled visit.
Walk-ins are not permitted.
Visitation is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
All appointments must be made 48 hours in advance and no more than seven days in advance of the visit.
Holiday visits are only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Saturday Visits* Only for designated facility populations

Sign in to schedule and manage upcoming visits with your inmate. Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you. Best of all, visits are confirmed instantly!

Schedule visits from your Android Phone or Tablet

If you have an Android device, you can now use GTL VisMobile to register online, schedule visits, and manage your visitor group. Download here , or search "GTL Vismobile" in Google Play .

Visitor ID or Email

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Crime, justice and the law
Prisons and probation

Visit someone in prison

Use this service to request a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales. There’s a different way to book a prison visit in Northern Ireland or a prison visit in Scotland .

To use this service you need the:

prisoner number
prisoner’s date of birth
dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

If you do not have the prisoner’s location or prisoner number, use the ‘Find a prisoner’ service .

You can choose up to 3 dates and times you prefer. The prison will email you to confirm when you can visit.

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can request a visit. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Request a prison visit

Visits you cannot book through this service.

Contact the prison directly if you need to arrange any of the following:

legal visits, for example legal professionals discussing the prisoner’s case
reception visits, for example the first visit to the prisoner within 72 hours of being admitted
double visits, for example visiting for 2 hours instead of 1
family day visits - special family events that the prison organises

Help with the costs of prison visits

You may be able to get help with the cost of prison visits if you’re getting certain benefits or have a health certificate.

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

Blog Government Digital Service

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

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Virtual Visits In Prison: Incarcerated Parents Support Their Children From A Distance

A sign that says Chittenden Regional Correctional Factility, with the building in the background

Incarceration is never easy, and COVID-19 has created a multitude of new challenges. Since March, incarcerated parents have been limited to virtual visitation with their children. This hour, we hear from the Department of Corrections and several other voices about current visitation regulations and how they have impacted incarcerated parents.

Our guests are:

Al Cormier, facilities executive at Vermont Department of Corrections
Jess Kell , coordinator with Kids-A-Part
Bobbi, a mother currently incarcerated at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility

Editor's note: Bobbi spoke to Vermont Edition on the condition that we only use her first name because of confidentiality reasons.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020 at noon. Rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

VPR’s Jane Lindholm spoke with Al Cormier, chief of operations with Vermont’s Department of Corrections, and Jess Kell, parenting coordinator with Kids-A-Part. Their conversation is below and has been edited and condensed for clarity. Listen to the full episode, here.

Q & A With Al Cormier, Chief Of Operations At Vt. Department of Corrections

Jane Lindholm: Can you talk a little bit about what rules are in place? Is it just simply no in-person visitation, under any circumstances, in Vermont prisons right now?

Al Cormier: That is how we are operating currently. Our visitation ban went into effect in March, when we started seeing the first signs of COVID cases in Vermont.

We looked at our facilities and said we need to address the situation immediately, knowing that the biggest threat was coming from the outside. And unfortunately, family visitation is one of those threats from the outside.

More From VPR: How Are Vermont Prisons Handling COVID-19?

That was one of the first things we did was suspend the visiting inside of our facilities and shut down our volunteer programs, our education programs, our risk reduction programing. We knew that it was the safest choice, but not a choice that we took lightheartedly, by any means. But it was about the safety of our inmate population and our staff, as well.

Even when some visitation rules in other kinds of facilities and buildings where there is great risk to a vulnerable population were eased, that wasn't the case in Vermont's prisons? There was no easing of the visitation restrictions through the summer months, for example?

There was not and it was a constant communication that we had. We set our Incident Command System up in March, when this first started, and it's a topic that we discuss regularly.

We have actually started the process of revamping our visiting rooms and adapting our visiting room tables to include Plexiglass barriers in an attempt to protect both staff and inmates and their families. But as this continued to pick up, we made the decision again to not move forward with reinstituting visiting in our facilities.

"If you look at the numbers that are increasing in the long term care facilities now, I think the one variable that changed was opening visitation." - Al Cormier, Vt. Dept. of Corrections

Is there an exception for mothers of infants? For women who give birth while they're incarcerated, or are breastfeeding, are they allowed to keep their infant children with them?

Not inside, they are not allowed. The births that do occur with women who are incarcerated are at the hospital. We follow the doctor's recommendation on release and when they come back to the facility, but unfortunately, they're not allowed to bring their children back with them.

What are you seeing as the negative effects and negative impacts on the decision to close the facilities to all visitors, understanding that you believe it to be the right one and a necessary one to protect the health of people who are incarcerated?

Well, there's an emotional impact, obviously, with not being able to see loved ones through visitation. But a lot of our inmate population look forward to our volunteer services. One of the programs we offer is a book reading club. The inmates are actually allowed to read a book, they record it, and they get to send it home to their children so that their children can have a bedtime story from their incarcerated parent.

We're not able to provide our church services; the in-person prayer and religious services that keep people motivated and uplifted. We've made some adjustments with that process, with recorded sessions. We did do an outside session this summer and in St. Johnsbury where church members were able to come in with local volunteers and do an outside concert.

But we know that the education piece is huge. A lot of our inmates look forward to that education that keeps them occupied. It keeps them focused. It gives them something to look forward to as far as completion with a program or a class. So we know it's a heavy impact on everybody.

You're working to try to protect physical well-being by preventing the spread of COVID-19. But what kind of other services are you increasing to make sure that people who no longer have these programs and no longer have in-person contact with loved ones are able to maintain mental health?

We have increased our mental health services inside of our facilities, especially in our quarantine and isolation units. All of our new intakes come in and quarantine for 14 days with the COVID testing during that 14-day-period. So we do have increased mental health services to talk with the inmates that are in that situation.

We do have libraries in our facility. There are books available and reading. And each of our inmates has the ability to be issued a tablet, like a mini iPad. That tablet allows them to make phone calls, send messages to their family, receive messages, receive photographs, see pictures of their family and their loved ones.

They have an opportunity for radio, for music, for video game downloads. Those things are there to keep them occupied. There's a whole library on that tablet— it's a web-based system, so the inmate population can download books.

And there is video visitation from our provider that we give the tablets from, GTL . We were able to work out an arrangement with them for two free five-minute phone calls per week and one free video visitation per week, which is 30 minutes.

Our entire population is getting this opportunity to have this video visit with loved ones, where a lot of them weren't able to prior, because they didn't have the funds or the resources to pay for the video. Now we're providing that at the cost of the department. The inmates are not having to pay for this, and their families are not having to pay for this.

My understanding is that there's a video kiosk in a central location where the video chats take place. That must make things difficult. Not only with noise, but depending on who you're talking to— that may be distracting or perhaps even alarming to a small child who's looking out at a background of a public video chat while trying to talk to a parent.

It's not an ideal situation, by any means. But some of the feedback that we get from our incarcerated population is that they enjoy that video visit because they get to see their home. They get to see what's going on in their house. They can see more than one person at a time

With in-person visiting, you get three people that can come in and see you. You can have your entire family there with this video visit. You can see your living room, you can see your kitchen. There is some benefit to that piece of it, where they actually feel like they're at home when they're doing this.

"You can have your entire family there with this video visit. You can see your living room, you can see your kitchen. There is some benefit to that piece of it, where they actually feel like they're at home when they're doing this." - Al Cormier, Dept. of Corrections

That is some of the feedback we've received. And again, not ideal for the party on the other end, having to look into a living unit in a correctional facility. But it's what we have right now.

Anybody who comes into a Vermont prison needs to quarantine for two weeks to avoid spreading COVID-19 from somebody new coming in. Are they allowed to have those tablets with them and other personal belongings?

They are. They're allowed the tablets we provide. We have been providing crayons, coloring books, crossword puzzles, word search books— items such as that to keep people occupied during that quarantine time, understanding again that it's not an easy thing to go through.

Is that quarantine time pretty much akin to solitary confinement? I mean, how can D.O.C. make it feel less like a punishment?

Well, it's difficult, for sure. One of the things where it hopefully doesn't feel quite as much as a punishment is that they do get their personal belongings. They do get the books and the coloring pencils and crossword puzzles and their tablets, where they wouldn't have that in a disciplined, segregation, confinement setting.

We do try to do work on the education front to let people know that this isn’t punishment; that we're trying to keep them safe, trying to keep the facility safe. That's one thing that I can say that I've been really proud of— from not only our staff, but from the inmate population. We've basically been in a modified lockdown in all of our facilities since March with no major issues; no major disturbances.

The inmates understand why we're doing this. The staff understand why we're doing this. And it's stressful on both. Our staff are working a lot of long hours, the inmates are in their cells for more hours than they normally would be. But as a group, and through communication and education, I just give credit to the entire population for understanding and being patient with us as we try to work through this.

More from VPR: Vermont Inmates Allege Lack Of Care In Mississippi Prison Hit By COVID-19

We weren't able to have him join us on the air, but Tom Dalton, who's executive director with Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform offered some statements for the program that we can share. One of them is about some inmates who are really struggling with not being able to be released right now and this may be impacting their ability to parent.

“I recently contacted the Department of Corrections about an incarcerated father whose daughter had been taken into custody. The father was not being included in DCF case plan review meetings, court hearings or other meetings. He was not even getting notices of the hearings. The father was eligible for release, but the department was holding him because they wanted him to complete programming. The programming was not being offered inside the prison due to COVID-19 restrictions, but could have been completed through alternative means in the community.

“After spending months of unnecessary incarceration, the father asked Corrections to take another look at his family situation. We provided a letter from the incarcerated father’s family court attorney that said the father's, ‘current incarceration jeopardizes his parental rights as it pertains to his daughter.’ The attorney pointed out that if the father was released on supervision, the risk of having his parental rights terminated would be decreased, and said that the father's current custody status prevents any such reunification and ability to work his DCF case plan.

“I was notified by the Corrections Central Office that the decision was made to not even reconsider his case. Apparently, this distraught father and his vulnerable daughter were not considered worth the trouble of a second.”

Can you comment on Tom's statement?

I'm not 100 percent familiar with this case, so I don't know all the details. I know that as we have gone through this, and up until the last couple of weeks when we've seen this increase in COVID cases, we have been able to offer some of our risk reduction programming.

We’ve gotten our risk intervention specialists into the facility. The risk reduction programming materials have been uploaded to our tablets, so that programming and education classes can continue. Our risk intervention specialists are speaking with the inmates via the phone system through their tablets.

So we haven't completely shut down our risk reduction programming or our education services. I know that it has been difficult trying to set up. Even remote type visitation outside of the family system— we are working with the court, we're doing video arraignments in all of our facilities.

One of the things we're working on right now is to install a telehealth-type system in our visiting rooms so that cases such as this with DCF, civil court cases or anything that would require a one-on-one interaction.

But our casework staff are still in our facilities, meeting with the inmate population. In a case such as this, they do pick up the phone and have the inmate on the phone with DCF, or child support services, or whoever they may need to communicate with. So those resources are still available, albeit on a more limited basis.

What are the metrics for when and how the department would reopen the visitation policy? Because it wasn't loosened during the summer months when other types of facilities that have vulnerable live-in populations were able to have visitation. So what are the rules around when you would be able to allow people to have visits again?

We're really watching the science. We're watching the numbers, we're watching the data, we're using a data model which looks at projections. We're looking at that as we move forward.

At the top of the hour, we heard Secretary Smith talk about further restrictions for hospitals and long term care facilities. We have to keep an eye on what we're seeing in the community and just try to stay ahead of that. And while the impacts of not having visitation is great, I think we're doing the best we can to keep our facility safe. While the video isn't the best, it's working for us right now.

But is there a metric? Because as I said, other places— hospitals, long term care facilities, did allow visitation— not right now as much because of our surge, but did earlier. And D.O.C. still didn't. So what is the threshold?

Well, I think if you look at the numbers that are increasing in the long term care facilities now, I think the one variable that changed was opening visitation. That's something that I think about every day, that the one thing that changed for those long term care facilities was visitation.

We know that the virus comes to our facilities from the outside, which is why we're testing to suppress. We're going to a biweekly testing strategy with our staff now— from a six week strategy to a biweekly strategy.

I don't know if it's the vaccine. We are watching the science, working with Dr. Levine and his crew. We just have to keep our eye on the future to see what comes.

More from Vermont Edition: Vermont's Prison COVID-19 Outbreak Brings Concerns For Inmates And Their Families

Q & A With Jess Kell, Parenting Coordinator Kids-A-Part

Jess Kell, for mothers specifically, there are usually programs to make sure that parents can interact with their children and that interaction can feel a little bit more comfortable and cozy. Can you talk a little bit about what Kids-A-Part does?

Jess Kell: In the Lund Kids-A-Part program , we have a space here in the correctional facility, which is sort of separate from the main part of the building. It's a very cozy, welcoming, child-focused space.

We provide case management, support groups, educational groups, visitation. I have a coworker based out in the community who works with the caregivers of the children statewide. So when a mom is in here, we really try to wrap services around the whole family.

So how different and difficult does it feel right now with no visitation?

It feels really hard. It's really different. Usually there are children in this space on a regular basis. I usually have one-on-one visits with some of the families a few times a week.

"It's just so instinctual for a parent to have that physical contact with their child, and it's so important for the kids, too." - Jess Kell, Kids-A-Part

Twice a month on Saturdays, we have big group visits that take place here. We have the gym open and we have arts and crafts and pizza, and the families are just moving all over the space. It's usually a very joyful, loud and busy place.

Even when visits are not going on, I usually have some moms down here working on projects for their children and calling them. This is usually a very active space, but with the COVID restrictions, we can't even do the groups right now because we can't gather in those kinds of numbers.

So when you have video chats now, how are you coordinating them? We talked with Al Cormier earlier about the video kiosks in the sort of public areas. You're doing it a little bit differently, though, right?

I was off site for several months at the beginning of the year, at the beginning of the pandemic. I was given permission to come in a couple of days before Mother's Day and do some visits. The facility had reached out to me to say, ‘What can we do to support the moms?’ That's when these Zoom visits started.

The moms come down here one at a time. They sit on a couch right near my desk, surrounded by toys and books and stuffed animals and a dollhouse. It's a space that the moms are familiar with and are comfortable in, and that their children are used to seeing them in — especially the kids who have already been here for visitation. So it's adding a level of familiarity to those video visits.

More from Brave Little State: Why Are There So Many African-Americans Incercerated In Vermont?

In normal times, kid’s visits can include hugging and cuddling and playing, especially with younger children. Can you talk about the importance of touch?

With Kids-A-Part, all visits are full contact. So whether we're talking about an infant, or a child in elementary school, or a teenager— all of the families that visit have the ability to hug and touch and snuggle. And it is so important. I mean, it's just so instinctual for a parent to have that physical contact with their child and it's so important for the kids, too.

"What we also know is that when a mom is incarcerated, there's a high likelihood that the father is also incarcerated. So originally, when the goal was looking at how we best support kids with incarcerated parents, we were going to reach the most number of families through working through the moms." - Jess Kell, Kids-A-Part

I'll say that one of the things we see so often and I think would surprise people is how snuggly most of the teens who come in here for visits are. The littler kids are the ones that are busy and running around. But it's the teens that are most likely to spend most of a visit sitting right next to mom with an arm around her.

Kids-A-Part operates out of the only women's facility in Vermont, at Chittenden Regional. Why aren't these programs in the men's facilities?

That's an interesting question, and we do get asked that question regularly. When this program first started back in 2003, what we knew to be true at that point was that when a father was incarcerated, there was a very high likelihood that the children were still at home with their mom. And that's still true.

What we also know is that when a mom is incarcerated, there's a high likelihood that the father is also incarcerated. So originally, when the goal was looking at how we best support kids with incarcerated parents, we were going to reach the most number of families through working through the moms. That's where the original focus was.

Would you like to see these programs and special rooms for kids and for visitation also incorporated into the men's facilities?

We would love to have the funding to expand into the men's facilities. Funding always becomes the barrier. But we would very much love to be able to increase the number of families that we have the capacity to serve.

More from Vermont Edition: Report: COVID-19 Disproportionately Impacts Women's Health, Work & Financial Security

Where would that funding need to come from the state, the correctional budget or from donors and supporters?

Federal budget, state budget, foundations, private donors. Any and all.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or tweet us @vermontedition .

We've closed our comments. Read about ways to get in touch here .

Visit a Person in Custody

Visit Schedule
Visit Transportation
Visiting with Children
Visitors' Dress Code
Visitor Satisfaction Survey

Beginning May 10, 2023:

In-person visits are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Wednesday and Thursday: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Visitors who arrive outside of the registration hours will not be eligible for a visit.
In-Person visits follow the existing visitor schedule according to the last name of the individual in custody. Please view this schedule here .
Visiting groups may consist of no more than two (2) adults and one (1) child who will sit on one of the adult’s lap; or one (1) adult and two (2) children, at least one of whom is small enough to sit on someone’s lap.
Prospective visitors who are not feeling well are encouraged to say home and return for a visit on a different day.

Facility Locations

The Department operates several facilities across NYC. Please see the list of Facility Locations where names and address of all DOC facilities to inform your visit.

Things to Know

Visitors will be subject to passive canine searches when arriving to the Rikers Island Visit Control Building or the Borough facilities, or any other facility including the Hospital Prison Wards.
All visitors 18 years of age and older must present valid current identification that contains a photograph and signature. Acceptable forms of identification for all visitors are listed below.
A 16-year-old or 17-year-old with valid identification (such as a birth certificate) may accompany a child under the age of 16 if that 16- or 17-year-old is the parent of the child and the inmate being visited is also the parent of the same child. In this case, the 16- or 17-year-old must produce a birth certificate for the child under the age of 16.

PLEASE NOTE: All packages for persons in custody need to be mailed. Packages will not be accepted during in-person visits.

Acceptable Forms of Identification

From any state or territory in the U.S.:

Current driver’s license
Valid Employment ID card with photo AND most recent employment paycheck/stub
DMV Non-driver license identification card

Other Acceptable Forms of Identification

Resident alien or permanent resident card issued by the U.S. Department of Justice
Passport (from any country)
NYS benefits identification card (Medicaid/food stamp photo ID)
U.S. Armed Services identification
Consulate-issued or diplomatic identification

If you have any questions while at a facility, please ask a Correction Officer or Supervisor.

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Queensland and its government

Visiting a prisoner

Queensland Corrective Services recognises the importance of visits to prisoners. This page explains the types of visits, the need to apply for visits to a prisoner and what you need to know when you attend a prison, including the rules and regulations and entering a prison .

Prisoners may receive visits from:

lawyers and members of the legal profession
official visitors
religious visitors

Family and friends

It is important that prisoners keep strong links with family and friends during their time in prison, so we encourage you to visit them. A prisoner can normally have up to 1 hour of visiting time each week in addition to time with their lawyer. Visits may be contact or non-contact.

Virtual Personal Visits (VPVs) are also available. New visitors seeking a VPV must go through the same application process as visitors to a centre.

Learn more about applying to visit a prisoner .

Lawyers and members of the legal profession

Legal professionals can visit a prisoner they are representing, although this must be pre-arranged with the prison authorities. Unlike visits from family and friends, there are normally no restrictions on how long legal visits last or how many legal visits a prisoner can have in a week.

A prisoner may also be able to phone specialist legal organisations for free such as the Prisoners' Legal Service, Legal Aid Queensland and the Queensland Ombudsman (who investigates complaints about government departments, including prisons). Unlike calls to friends and family, these calls will not have a prison officer listening in.

Official visitors

Official visitors are specially appointed to visit prisoners regularly to help them manage and resolve any problems or complaints they may have.

Find out more about official visitors .

Organising your visit

Applying for a prison visit.

Before you visit, you must complete a personal visitor application (Form 27) and return it to the correctional centre you wish to visit.

If you can’t download the form, we can send it to you by mail. If you need us to send you a Form 27, please email your request to [email protected] .

The form requires you to:

provide identification (ID) documents
state if you have any criminal convictions —including a criminal record in another state or territory
include photocopies of ID signed by a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations .

The person in charge may approve a contact, non-contact or virtual visit. Contact visits are personal visits during which there is direct physical contact between you and the prisoner. Unforeseen circumstances (e.g. COVID-19) may require correctional centres to place temporary restrictions on visits.

You will be security checked before you can have a contact visit, which can take up to 6 weeks. In the meantime, you can request a non-contact visit or virtual visit.

Accepted ID

You can prove your identity by providing either :

any 1 item from the first list
any 3 items from the second list.

All forms of ID must be current —we will not accept expired ID.

List 1—supply any 1 item:

driver licence
letter signed by a member of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation that identifies you by name and signature
the chief executive of your workplace
a law enforcement agency
the Supreme Court
a state government entity
an education facility.

List 2—supply any 3 items:

other photographic ID displaying signature
birth certificate
statutory declaration verifying your identity and signature, signed by a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations.
debit/credit card or bank book with signature
Medicare card
pensioner or social security card

Your security clearance must be updated every 12 months.

You must bring your approved ID with you every time you visit . If you do not have your approved ID, you will not be allowed to visit.

Children as visitors

You can apply to bring a child into the centre to visit by completing the relevant section on the personal visitor application (Form 27). To be considered for approval, the child must have an established relationship with the prisoner, and you must provide proof of the child's identity.

The person in charge must be satisfied that:

there are no court orders preventing contact between the child and the prisoner
a visit is in the child’s best interests.

They may impose special conditions on the child’s visit, such as requiring a non-contact visit.

An application for a child visitor must include any 1 of the identification documents listed above.

Booking a prison visit

Once you are approved, you can book a visit. You must book all personal visits in advance during nominated booking times.

Every prison has its own system, so contact the prison for details and visiting times.

The prison keeps a register of all people who have been security cleared, including:

your full name
your date of birth
the date of your security check
your criminal history file number (if any)
the prisoner(s) you’re visiting.

Each prison has a different allowance for the number of people visiting. They allow visits for an hour at a time each week due to social distance regulations.

Find information about centre visiting arrangements .

Rules and regulations

All Queensland corrective services facilities are tobacco and smoke free. No smoking is allowed anywhere on the grounds of a corrective services facility (including car parks and walkways).

You can’t bring cigarettes and other smoking-related products (including cigarette lighters, matches, papers and filters) into a corrective services facility.

If you fail to follow this rule, you may be:

asked to leave the prison
suspended or refused visit access approval.

What to wear

There are very strict rules about what you can wear when visiting a prisoner.

You must wear:

proper shoes or sandals (no thongs)
clean clothes in good condition.

You can’t wear:

any clothing displaying racist or derogatory slogans, motorcycle gang colours or clothing with gang insignias
see through garments, including garments that expose underwear
clothes that are excessively torn, stained, dirty, ripped or frayed
steel capped boots
high heels (heels are to be no higher than 5cm)
any jewellery other than wedding and engagement rings
hair scrunchies or clips (only single elasticated hair ties are allowed)
internet enabled watches (i.e. smartwatches).

You can wear your wedding or engagement ring, but you must remove all other jewellery before you enter the prison.

For more information, refer to the appropriate dress standards notice .

Prohibited items

It is a criminal offence to take certain items into a prison. You can read what items you can’t take into prison in the Corrective Services Regulation 2017 s 19 .

If an officer suspects you have any of these items on you, you can be detained and searched—this could be a frisk or full body search. Officers may also search your car. If a banned item is found, you may be charged.

What you can give a prisoner

You cannot give the prisoner money, documentation, or personal items during your visit. However, you can bring items like socks, singlets, underclothes and clothes for court.

These items must be approved beforehand and given to the Visits Processing Officers to be passed onto the prisoner. You will need to complete a hand-in form for the items to be accepted.

You can also mail cards, letters and photographs to the prisoner. Note: Mail may be opened, searched and censored. At high security centres, there are rules which do not permit certain items to be included in mail (e.g. items which contain glitter, glue or stickers). If in doubt, contact the correctional centre before posting an item.

Some centres allow you to deposit money into a prisoner’s account. If you would like to deposit money, speak to the Visits Processing Officers before your visit. You will need to bring the correct amount to your visit.

Transfer of money

For safety and security purposes, we cannot accept cash payments for prisoners by ordinary or privileged mail.

Any payments to prisoners must be facilitated, preferably by Secure Payment Services . Payment may also be made by money order or cheque.

Entering the prison

Each prison has a visitor fact sheet that tells you when to arrive for your visit. If you’re late, you may not be allowed to enter. Always check the visiting times, as they may have changed since your last visit.

When you arrive, go to reception in the visits area to confirm your booking.

You may not be allowed to enter if you don’t have the right identification, or if the prison officer believes you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Storage lockers or other appropriate storage facilities are provided at high security centres to allow the storage of personal items that are not permitted to be brought into a secure facility.

Security and searches

In many prisons, you may have to go through security screening with electronic drug detection devices or be checked by drug detection dogs. If you refuse to have a scan or search, or return a positive result to drugs, you may not be allowed to enter the prison or be limited to a non-contact visit.

During your visit

If you or the prisoner break the rules or behave in an inappropriate way, your visit may be cancelled, and you may be prevented from making future visits.

Keep an eye on your children at all times and make sure they don’t interfere with or disturb other visitors or prisoners during the visit.

You are also not allowed to:

remove anything from a prison
interview or photograph a prisoner or part of a prison facility.

Toilets are available before or after your visit in the administration building where you sign in. There may not be toilets available in the centre’s visiting area.

If there are toilets in the visiting area and you use them, we may end your visit or the rest of your visit may be non-contact. This ensures that no prohibited items enter the prison.

COVID-19 information

To ensure the safety of our correctional centres during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit restrictions are now in place at all Queensland prisons.

Read the most up-to-date information about prison visits .

All visitors must wear face masks and hand sanitiser is available at all entry and exit points.

Legal advice

Prisoners’ Legal Service Inc is a community legal centre that provides free legal advice to prisoners and their families. To contact them, phone (07) 3846 5074 or email [email protected] .

Legal advice may also be available from Legal Aid Queensland by phoning 1300 65 11 88 .

More information

Find out how to:

find a prisoner
contact a prisoner .

Support to access virtual prison visits now available from Prison Visitor Centres across Scotland

From Monday 19 th July, families with a loved one in a Scottish prison can get support to access a video (‘virtual’) prison visit from prison visitor centres.

Independent charities running prison visitors’ centres are offering support to families to get online, book a virtual visit, and take part in a virtual visit to see their family member. They can also offer support for families on wider issues related to their family member’s imprisonment.

Virtual prison visits were launched by the Scottish Prison Service in July 2020 to help families stay in contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Until now, families without access to the internet at home, or those without access to digital devices, have been unable to take up virtual visits. Some children with a parent in prison haven’t seen them now for over a year, though traditional in-person visits have gradually been reintroduced in recent months.

This new service will help to improve access to virtual prison visits by allowing a family to take part in a virtual prison visit from their nearest prison visitor centre, where laptops and technical support are now available. Visitor centre staff will also be on hand to provide digital support. For families who live a long way from the prison where their loved one is held, virtual visits help families to keep in touch regularly, without the hassle and expense of a long journey. People in prison who maintain positive family contact throughout their time in prison are much less likely to reoffend following release than those who lose contact. Supporting children to maintain contact with their parent in prison supports their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to maintain a relationship with both of their parents, wherever that is in their best interests.

This new service was funded by a grant from the Scottish Government’s Winter Support Fund. The grant covered the cost of digital devices for organisations that work with children and families who are affected by imprisonment in Scotland.

Chief Executive of Families Outside and Vice-Chair of the National Prison Visitor Centre Steering Group, Professor Nancy Loucks said, “Family contact for children and families who are affected by imprisonment in Scotland has been severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The introduction of virtual visits was hugely welcome, however, it has been recognised that there are barriers to access, and a number of families have still struggled to access prison visits.

“This new service available to families at Visitors’ Centres will help to increase access to virtual prison visits. The pandemic is far from over, and we are aware that a number of families with a loved one in prison are still apprehensive of travelling on public transport for long distances. However, family contact improves outcomes for both those in prison and their families, reinforcing the importance of widening access to virtual prison visits in both the short- and long-term.”

Families with a loved one in prison can book a virtual prison visit slot at their closest prison visitor centre by calling the centre directly using the telephone numbers below:

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Book a visit to prison

You will need to book a visit if you want to see someone in prison. You can book online to arrange an in person visit or a virtual visit with a prisoner or you can telephone the prison Visits Booking Office.

If you haven't visited a prison before you will need to phone to book your visit. You will be provided with your unique visitor identification number. Once you have this you can start to book online.

Booking online

To book online for an in person visit or a virtual visit you will need:

to have previously booked a visit
the visit reference number for the prisoner
the prisoner's number
your unique visitor identification number
your date of birth
your e-mail address and contact number
the unique visitor identification number and dates of birth for all additional visitors (not needed for a virtual visit)

If you do not have these details, you should phone the relevant booking office.

Booking by telephone

To book a visit by telephone you will need:

the visit reference number for the prisoner
the unique visitor identification number and dates of birth for all additional visitors

If you don't have a unique visitor identification number, you can get one from the booking office which you can use for future visits.

If the person you are visiting has just arrived in prison you will need to ring the booking office and they can arrange a visit.

Virtual visits

A virtual visit can last up to 20 minutes. The visitor can use a personal computer, mobile device or smartphone to have this meeting with the prisoner.

All virtual visits are supervised, if NIPS become aware of any behaviour, language or actions which are considered inappropriate, this will result in the visit ending early and possible removal of the facility in the future.

Guide to arranging an online visit
Privacy notice explaining your rights to privacy when you arrange an online visit

Registering for visits

All visitors need to be registered in the prison they are visiting. When you arrive at Visits Reception you need to be photographed, have a scan taken of your finger and you should bring identification.

more information about registering for visits

Bringing proof of identification to prison

When you first visit someone in prison, you will need to be registered on the prison system as a visitor. You will need to bring proof of identification with you when you are being registered.

more information about the types of identification needed

Useful links

Visiting someone in prison

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What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to [email protected]

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 Email [email protected]

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

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The Americas

Virtual reality offers a chilling 3d look inside venezuela's spiraling prison.

A person standing near Times Square in New York City wears a virtual reality headset screening an immersive experience of the conditions at Venezuela's El Helicoide prison, on Sept. 19, 2023. Protesters gathered to demand the release of political prisoners and the closure of the detention center over allegations of torture. Stefan Jeremiah/AP hide caption

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — After being tortured and brutalized during 129 days at El Helicoide, Venezuela's most notorious jail for dissidents, human rights activist Víctor Navarro was determined to expose its horrors to the world.

He wrote a book, but it didn't capture the true madness of El Helicoide — which is Spanish for helicoid, named for its helix design.

But then Navarro took a virtual reality tour of the house of Holocaust victim Anne Frank. Although viewing it in Argentina, it made him feel like he was right in the secret annex in Amsterdam where Frank hid from the Nazis for 25 months before she was captured and sent to a concentration camp, where she died of typhus.

Víctor Navarro, a Venezuelan former political prisoner and developer of the "Helicoide Reality" project, shows the virtual reality tour simulating the conditions in which the prisoners live in the prison, during an interview with AFP in Buenos Aires on July 27, 2023. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

"It was really moving," Navarro tells NPR. "So, I decided: This is what I'm going to do."

After working with 3D graphic designers and interviewing 30 former Venezuelan political prisoners, Navarro put together a virtual reality tour of El Helicoide. Then, he hit the road, VR headsets in hand, to educate audiences in the U.S, Europe and Latin America about the growing repression of Venezuela's authoritarian regime.

Navarro, 28, lives in Argentina where he has refugee status. Ex-inmates that he interviewed for the project were mostly inside Venezuela.

It's an intense experience. With Navarro narrating (in Spanish, with an English version also available), viewers are led into Helicoide's dark, cramped, underground cells that are fouled by human feces. Flies buzz, water drips, cockroaches scurry away.

Víctor Navarro shows on his laptop part of the virtual reality tour of Venezuela's El Helicoide prison. Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Víctor Navarro shows on his laptop part of the virtual reality tour of Venezuela's El Helicoide prison.

Then comes the accounts of former inmates. One tells of being handcuffed and shoved inside a tiny, isolation cell where he could barely move. Another describes almost suffocating when a guard pulled a plastic bag over his head.

A screen grab from the virtual reality experience created by Venezuelan former political prisoner Víctor Navarro. Víctor Navarro/Screenshot by NPR hide caption

A screen grab from the virtual reality experience created by Venezuelan former political prisoner Víctor Navarro.

"That's when the real torture began," the former inmate says. "I don't know how many times I fainted."

There's even sound, which Navarro says was secretly recorded by another prisoner on his cellphone, of a detainee screaming as guards shock him with electricity.

"The idea of doing something through virtual reality was spectacular," says Antony Vegas, an opposition activist who was detained at the Helicoide for five years and worked on the project with Navarro after he was released. "It's a way to teach what torture at El Helicoide is really like."

One fan is Javier Corrales, a Venezuela expert at Amherst College in Massachusetts who, along with his students, took the VR tour of the Helicoide during Navarro's recent visit to the campus.

"There are plenty of talks and exhibits about human rights violations, political prisoners and torture, but nothing like this," Corrales says. "And there is nothing as portable and as vivid as this technology can produce."

One of Corrales' students, Giulia Miotto, said the experience left her shaking and sweating. In a class paper she wrote: "I truly hope that this virtual reality experience of El Helicoide is able to help drive its closure. In the meantime, it is devastating that these atrocities are ongoing."

The Venezuelan government did not respond to NPR's requests for comment. But in 2022 it "categorically rejected" a U.N. report that described the widespread torture of political prisoners in the country's jails.

Ironically, the Helicoide was once a symbol of Venezuela's progress amid an oil boom.

A view of Venezuela's intelligence police headquarters, known as el Helicoide, in Caracas, Venezuela, 2018. It was the same year that Navarro was brought there. Fernando Llano/AP hide caption

A view of Venezuela's intelligence police headquarters, known as el Helicoide, in Caracas, Venezuela, 2018. It was the same year that Navarro was brought there.

Construction began in the 1950s under dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez. It was designed to be a luxury shopping mall and convention center. Its spiral design suggests a spaceship and drew praise from artist Salvador Dalí and poet Pablo Neruda.

However, Jiménez was forced out in 1958, and successive governments lost interest in the complex, which remained unfinished. At one point in the 1970s, the building filled up with squatters. Eventually, parts of El Helicoide were occupied by the state intelligence service, which added prison cells in the bottom floors.

Navarro arrived there in 2018 when he was arrested for taking part in massive protests against President Nicolás Maduro, who during 11 years in power has led Venezuela into its worst economic crisis in history. Police officers burst into Navarro's home, put a shotgun to his head, and led him off to El Helicoide.

"That's when the hell began," he says in his NPR interview.

Navarro was slapped, kicked, thrown to the floor. He recalls a guard putting three bullets into his pistol then placing it in Navarro's mouth, though he didn't pull the trigger. But he says it was even worse hearing the screams of fellow prisoners who were being tortured in nearby cells. He had been falsely accused of conspiring against the Maduro regime but after four months behind bars was suddenly released.

He is one of nearly 16,000 dissidents who have been imprisoned in Venezuela since 2014, which may be the highest number of political prisoners in Latin America, says Alfredo Romero, who heads the Caracas human rights group Foro Penal (Spanish for Criminal Forum). Although most have been released, many remain traumatized.

Andreina Baduel (second from right) joins others to protest against the taking of what they call political prisoners outside the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service building known as El Helicoide, in Caracas, Venezuela, Nov 3, 2021. Baduel is the daughter of former Defense Minister Raúl Isaías Baduel, who died in prison in 2021. Ariana Cubillos/AP hide caption

"When you get out, you are not the same person," Navarro says.

Behind bars he lost 40 pounds and, once at home in Caracas, had recurring nightmares, couldn't remember people's names, and sensed that he was always being followed. Eventually, he fled Venezuela, put together the VR tour, and hit the road, visiting about 20 countries.

Meanwhile, Vegas, the former detainee who worked with Navarro on the VR tour, is discreetly presenting it to small audiences in Caracas and hoping that he won't be rearrested for doing so. Indeed, as Maduro maneuvers for another six-year term in July's presidential election, his antidemocratic crackdown continues. Romero, of Foro Penal, puts the current number of political prisoners at 264, including 67 in El Helicoide.

That's why Navarro continues to spread the word — through virtual reality.

"We are exposing what the Venezuelan government doesn't want people to see," he says. "It shows the scale of the crimes they are committing."

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Virtual reality offers a chilling 3D look inside Venezuela’s spiraling prison

A person standing near Times Square in New York City wears a virtual reality headset screening an immersive experience of the conditions at Venezuela's El Helicoide prison, on Sept. 19, 2023. Protesters gathered to demand the release of political prisoners and the closure of the detention center over allegations of torture.

Stefan Jeremiah / AP

After being tortured and brutalized during 129 days at El Helicoide, Venezuela’s most notorious jail for dissidents, human rights activist Víctor Navarro was determined to expose its horrors to the world.

He wrote a book, but it didn't capture the true madness of El Helicoide — which is Spanish for helicoid, named for its helix design.

Víctor Navarro, a Venezuelan former political prisoner and developer of the "Helicoide Reality" project, shows the virtual reality tour simulating the conditions in which the prisoners live in the prison, during an interview with AFP in Buenos Aires on July 27, 2023.

Luis Robayo / AFP via Getty Images

"It was really moving," Navarro tells NPR. "So, I decided: This is what I'm going to do."

Navarro, 28, lives in Argentina where he has refugee status. Ex-inmates that he interviewed for the project were mostly inside Venezuela.

Víctor Navarro shows on his laptop part of the virtual reality tour of Venezuela's El Helicoide prison.

A screen grab from the virtual reality experience created by Venezuelan former political prisoner Víctor Navarro.

Víctor Navarro/Screenshot by NPR

"That's when the real torture began," the former inmate says. "I don't know how many times I fainted."

There's even sound, which Navarro says was secretly recorded by another prisoner on his cellphone, of a detainee screaming as guards shock him with electricity.

One fan is Javier Corrales, a Venezuela expert at Amherst College in Massachusetts who, along with his students, took the VR tour of the Helicoide during Navarro's recent visit to the campus.

Ironically, the Helicoide was once a symbol of Venezuela's progress amid an oil boom.

A view of Venezuela's intelligence police headquarters, known as el Helicoide, in Caracas, Venezuela, 2018. It was the same year that Navarro was brought there.

Fernando Llano / AP

"That's when the hell began," he says in his NPR interview.

Andreina Baduel (second from right) joins others to protest against the taking of what they call political prisoners outside the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service building known as El Helicoide, in Caracas, Venezuela, Nov 3, 2021. Baduel is the daughter of former Defense Minister Raúl Isaías Baduel, who died in prison in 2021.

Ariana Cubillos / AP

"When you get out, you are not the same person," Navarro says.

That's why Navarro continues to spread the word — through virtual reality.

"We are exposing what the Venezuelan government doesn't want people to see," he says. "It shows the scale of the crimes they are committing."

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Woman sentenced to life in prison by Pakistan court for burning pages from Islam’s holy book

Pakistani Muslims prepare to observe Itikaf in Peshawar

A court in Pakistan sentenced a Muslim woman to life in prison after finding her guilty of burning pages of Islam’s holy book , a prosecutor said Friday.

Under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting the religion or religious figures can be sentenced up to death. While authorities have yet to carry out a death sentence for blasphemy, just the accusation can provoke riots.

Government prosecutor Mohazib Awais said the woman, Aasiya Bibi, was arrested in 2021 on blasphemy charges after residents claimed she desecrated the Quran by burning its pages.

Awais said the judge announced the verdict Wednesday in the eastern city of Lahore. He said Bibi, who has the right to appeal, had denied the charge during her trial.

A Christian woman with the same name was acquitted of blasphemy in 2019 after she spent eight years on death row in Pakistan. She moved to Canada to escape death threats from Islamic extremists upon her release. Wednesday’s case involved a different woman.

Domestic and international human rights groups say blasphemy allegations have often been used to intimidate religious minorities and to settle personal scores.

Earlier in March, another court in Gujranwala, Punjab province, sentenced a 22-year-old student to death and gave a teenager a life sentence in two separate cases after finding them guilty of insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad .

The Associated Press

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Video visitation is a free service offered to inmates and authorized visitors. All inmates are eligible to participate. Rules for video visits are generally the same as those for in-person visits at a facility. All non-legal video visits are monitored and recorded. Please review our detailed Visitor Guide prior to your visit.
ConnectNetwork Video Visitation
Check to see if your inmate's facility offers video visitation. If video visitation is offered at the facility, go to www.gtlvisitme.com. Register yourself and all visitors participating in the visitations. Select the facility where your loved one is located. Search for your inmate, and add them. Click "Schedule" to begin the scheduling ...
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Visits are usually first-come, first-served for available times. Book well in advance for best selection. Understand Cancellation and No Show Policies. Review policies if you must cancel or miss scheduled visits: Timeframe - Cancel at least 24-48 hours in advance when possible.
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Video visits from home have arrived at your facility! To start or schedule a visit, follow the instructions below. If you have questions, please call 866-516-0115 and select the prompt for video visit. *Note: Video visits may not be available for all inmates.
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Contents. You can book and take part in a secure video call with a family member or friend in prisons in England and Wales. Video calls last up to 60 minutes and can have up to 4 people on the ...
ViaPath Visitor Web 8.0
Sign in to schedule and manage upcoming visits with your inmate. Inmate visitation scheduling allows you to skip the long lines by reserving your visitation time. You can select the date, time and location that is most convenient for you. Best of all, visits are confirmed instantly! Post Id: 1.
Library Video Conferencing Helps Loved Ones Book Visits in the Pen
The Brooklyn Public Library is now helping friends and family set up virtual visits. by Reuven Blau Dec. 5, 2023, 5:00 a.m. Dec. 4, 2023, 5:00 p.m. ... delay repairs, and reduce new book and material purchases. Still, Carey, and prison officials, hope the video visits will eventually expand to include all 44 state facilities.
Visit someone in prison
Visit someone in prison. Use this service to request a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales. There's a different way to book a prison visit in Northern Ireland or a prison visit in ...
ViaPath Visitor Web 8.0
In-Person Visitation In-Person Visits. Only persons approved to visit (see PD 05.03.140 Prisoner Visiting) will be permitted to schedule a visit.If you are not approved to visit, you may apply to be approved by completing a MDOC Visiting Application CAJ-103 and returning the completed application to the facility where the prisoner you would like to visit is housed.
You can now book a prison visit online
Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again. Now you can book a visit online. It takes about 5 ...
Virtual personal visits...
May 6, 2020 ·. Virtual personal visits are now available at Queensland prisons to protect the health of prisoners, visitors and officers. Our teams are working hard to roll out the program across Queensland to keep prisoners in contact with family and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual visits are much like normal visits.
Virtual Visits In Prison: Incarcerated Parents Support Their Children
But a lot of our inmate population look forward to our volunteer services. One of the programs we offer is a book reading club. The inmates are actually allowed to read a book, they record it, and they get to send it home to their children so that their children can have a bedtime story from their incarcerated parent.
In-PersonVisits
Beginning May 10, 2023: In-person visits are offered on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. To have an in-person visit, visitors must arrive at Rikers Island Central Visits or VCBC during the registration hours. Please see registration hours below: Wednesday and Thursday: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Visiting a prisoner
Booking a prison visit. Once you are approved, you can book a visit. You must book all personal visits in advance during nominated booking times. Every prison has its own system, so contact the prison for details and visiting times. The prison keeps a register of all people who have been security cleared, including: your full name; your date of ...
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The virtual visit is booked for a set time and you need to be logged in and connected before the allocated Virtual Visit start time. You will then be held in a virtual waiting room until the other person connects to the visit. Only the person who booked the visit should be on screen at the start of the visit in order to confirm identity.
Support to access virtual prison visits now available from Prison
From Monday 19th July, families with a loved one in a Scottish prison can get support to access a video ('virtual') prison visit from prison visitor centres. Independent charities running prison visitors' centres are offering support to families to get online, book a virtual visit, and take part in a virtual visit to see their family member. They can also offer support for families on ...
QCS launches virtual personal visits
Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) has launched a new virtual personal visits program to keep prisoners in contact with family and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 23 March, Commissioner Peter Martin AMP, on advice from Queensland Health, suspended all personal face-to-face visits to prisons in Queensland to reduce the risk of COVID ...
PDF Virtual personal visits
virtual visits program to keep prisoners in contact with family and friends. an . the o een. o a . ep 1 or a it' k. ser em on le or PC. ep 2 ep 3 Prisoners can access new video call pods for virtual visits, which are different to prisoner video conferencing rooms used for existing family, legal and court appearances. Visitors can contact the ...
Book a visit to prison
Contact numbers for booking a visit. Prison. Phone number. Maghaberry Prison. Visit Booking 0300 200 7866. Monday to Friday 8.30 am - 12.30 pm / 2.00 pm - 4.30 pm. Visit Booking 02892 614029. Saturday and Sunday 8.30 am - 12.30 pm / 2.00 pm - 4.30 pm. Legal Visits 02892 614062.
Virtual reality offers 3D look inside Venezuela prison : NPR
A person standing near Times Square in New York City wears a virtual reality headset screening an immersive experience of the conditions at Venezuela's El Helicoide prison, on Sept. 19, 2023.
Make Visit or Interview Bookings
The Main Card Holders and authorised visitors can also make visit bookings by calling our Visit Booking Hotline 1800-PRISONS ( 1800-774-7667) during operating hours: Mondays to Fridays: 8.45am - 5pm. Saturdays: 8am - 12.30pm. Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. Families may go through challenging times when a loved one is incarcerated and ...
Virtual reality offers a chilling 3D look inside Venezuela's spiraling
A person standing near Times Square in New York City wears a virtual reality headset screening an immersive experience of the conditions at Venezuela's El Helicoide prison, on Sept. 19, 2023 ...
Woman sentenced to life in prison by Pakistan court for burning pages
By The Associated Press. A court in Pakistan sentenced a Muslim woman to life in prison after finding her guilty of burning pages of Islam's holy book, a prosecutor said Friday. Under Pakistan ...

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