Visitor ADA Accommodations
IDOC Visitation Rules and Information—please review before visiting
POLICY: It is the policy of the Dixon Correctional Center to permit offenders to receive visits in accordance with Departmental and Institutional Regulations.
VISITING PROCEDURES
1. Persons entering the Correctional Center are subject to the Illinois Revised Statute, 720ILCS 5/31 A-1.1, Bringing in an item of Contraband into a Penal Institution - Possessing Contraband in a Penal Institution is a Class 4 felony. A Class 4 felony is punishable by 1 - 3 years in a state penitentiary. Many times inmates have lost good time and visitors have been prosecuted for bringing in contraband. Please do not put your friends or family members in this position.
2. Visitors will park in the South parking lot.
3. The following items are being listed as inappropriate and will not be allowed:
A. Halter or midriff tops
B. Leggings, jeggings, or other thin spandex/tight or revealing clothing
C. Swim tops or swim suits
D. See through or revealing clothing such as low cut blouses
E. Spaghetti straps or thin straps/shirts that allow bra straps to show
F. Short Skirts (limited to 2" above the knee)
G. Any clothing with tears or holes in a suggestive area
H. Short Shorts (limited to 2" above the knee)
I. Coats, jackets, insulated vests, hats, or scarves allowed in Visiting Room
J. Zip up hoodies unless worn with matching sweatpants as an outfit
Undergarments must be worn! Any attire deemed as inappropriate may result in denial of visitation. Any questions regarding dress code, contact the institution or bring a change of clothes in your vehicle.
NOTE: Visitor will be allowed to wear religious headgear providing they meet the following criteria:
(a) The visitor has indicated that the headgear has religious significance.
(b) The headgear has been removed and thoroughly searched.
(c) The headgear is a Kufi, Yarmulke, Turban, Fez or feminine equivalent, e.g. habit, etc.
(d) There are no substantiated safety or security concerns.
A written request to wear headgear other than those listed above must be submitted to the Warden at least ten days prior to the visit for review and consideration.
If an inmate's visitor arrives at the Gatehouse and is inappropriately dressed, the visitor will be allowed to leave the institution to obtain appropriate clothing items and re-enter the facility to be processed for a visit. The Shift Commander has the authority to review the dress of each visitor and to deny any visits based on the above listed code. The Shift Commander's decision is final. It is the responsibility of the inmate to notify his visitors of this code.
4. Adult visitors may bring the following items into the Visiting Room. Any item not on this list will either be locked in the visi¬tor's vehicle or in a locker at the Visiting Room.
A. Photo identification card
B. Debit Card (to be purchased in the Gatehouse Reception area)
*NOTE: Offenders are not allowed to be in possession of a Debit Card.
C. Infant Items
- Three (3) diapers
- One (1) travel size package of baby wipes
- One (1) plastic baby bottle of formula or juice
- One (1) unopened plastic container of baby food or
- Two (2) sealed formula packets
- One (1) bib
- One (1) plastic spoon
- One (1) pacifier
- One (1) clear, large plastic Ziploc bag
- One (1) empty plastic child sippy cup
No car seats, infant carriers or baby diaper bags will be allowed into the Visiting Room.
D. No keys except Gatehouse locker key issued
E. One sweater
F. In accordance with the Smoke-Free Illinois Act 95-0017, Tobacco and tobacco-related products (for example, matches, lighters, rolling papers, tobacco-less cigarettes, tobacco-less chewing products, and like items), will not be allowed inside the Gatehouse Reception Building and additionally, you are not allowed to smoke within fifteen (15) feet of the Gatehouse entrance.
G. No Electronic items such as cell phones, pagers, PDAs, Tablets, I-Pads, watches, FitBits allowed in the Gatehouse Reception Building
All tobacco related products and electronic items such as cell phones, pagers, PDAs, Tablets, I-Pads, watches, FitBits are to be secured in your vehicles and may not be stored in lockers. Visitors who fail to comply with this policy, will be subject to temporary or permanent visiting restriction.
5. The following items may be brought into the institution and left at the visitor's registration desk for the Gatehouse Reception Officer and the Mailroom to search and forward to the inmate subject to review by the Publication Review committee:
• Publications (i.e., books, magazines, newspapers, catalogues, etc.)
6. Visiting hours are as follows: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. - seven (7) days a week; however, no visitor will be allowed in after
4:00 p.m.Non-contact visits with Segregation inmate hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursdays only-limited to two (2) 1-hour visits per month to occur on Tuesday and Thursday only. No Segregation visits on weekends or holidays. No admittance after 2:15 pm and if the visitor arrives after 2:00 p.m. they will not receive a full one hour visit.
Non-contact visits with inmates are from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with no admittance after 4:00 pm-Offenders in General Population, Non-contact status are limited to two (2) 1-hour visits per month to occur on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only. No non-contact visits on weekends or holidays. Due to the congested nature of this area during shift change, from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., no processing of visitors into the Visiting Room shall occur and no inmates should be admitted into the Gatehouse.
7. Dixon Correctional Center reserves the right to reduce the hours of visiting. There will be a maximum four-hour time limit for each visit on holidays and weekends, unless overcrowding requires reduction of the time limit.
8. All Visitors
17 years of age and older,
excluding government officials and legal visitors must be on the approved list in order to visit and shall be required to complete a Prospective Visitor’s Interview Form DOC 0148.
• Government official - For the purpose of this shall include, but is not limited to, law enforcement officers, social service workers, and employees of the United States or Illinois Attorney General; it shall not include attorneys or their associates who are defending the offender.
• Legal visitor - for purposes of this shall include visitors relating to the legal representation of the offender by the offender’s attorney or an associate attorney, student lawyer certified under Supreme Court Rule 711, paralegals, law clerks, or investigators. An associate, student lawyer, paralegal, law clerk or investigator must be acting on behalf of the offender’s attorney and be associated with the attorney's law firm or government agency. It shall not include social workers, psychiatrists, or psychologists, etc. employed or contracted by the law firm or government agency for legal purposes nor does it include attorneys or their associates
A. All adult visitors shall be required to produce photo identification such as driver’s license, a State identification card, or acceptable documentation of non-U.S. citizen including a current Passport, VISA, or Matricula, and documentation that includes their date of birth.
9. A person
12 years through 16 years of age who is not a member of the offender's immediate family may visit only with the written consent of his parent or guardian. Immediate family shall include children, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, and spouses.
10. When visiting, persons
under the age of 17 years must be accompanied by a person who is 17 years of age or older and who is an approved visitor, unless prior written approval has been granted by the Warden.
11. All persons
under 17 years of age may visit only:
When accompanied by a parent or guardian who is an approved visitor and when prior written consent has been given by a parent or guardian who is in the free communi¬ty for the child to visit when accompanied by the person(s) designated in writing who is an approved visitor and who is at
least 17 years of age.
12. A visitor may be excluded for any of the following reasons:
A. Security Requirements
B. Space Availability
C. Disruptive Conduct
D. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
E. Refusal to submit to a search
F. Failure to produce Identification or falsification of identifying information
13. Visitors that are not on the approved visiting list will not be allowed to visit. Visitor's name, address, and age must appear on an offender's approved visiting list.
14. All visitors must sign in and out for themselves,
excluding children 16 years and under of age. (Children 16 years and under do not sign in)
15. Offenderss are only allowed 2 weekend visits per month and may have only 1 visit per day on weekends.
16. A visitor may only visit one inmate each day unless there is documentation that the visitor is a relative of more than one offender, and special arrangements have been approved in advance by the Warden's Office. (This does not include attorney or clergy visits.)
17. Only three visitors (adult/children) may visit an offender at one time. Visiting Room tables accommodate four individuals (the offender and three visitors), i.e. three adult visitors, two adult visitors and one child, one adult visitor and two children. The only exception is a lap-sized child, i.e. infant or toddler (limit 3). The definition of “lap-sized” will be no taller than 42”in height. The Visiting Room Officer will utilize the height chart located in the visitor shakedown rooms, if there is a question. This procedure will also apply to approved joint visits. The number of visitors allowed to visit at any one time will be limited to the number of chairs available, including the inmates (i.e. 2 inmate joint visit – 2 visitors, 3 inmate joint visit – 1 visitor).
18. Offenders will be allowed to visit jointly when they have a common parent, which is documented (i.e. step-parent, foster-parent, grandparents, step-grandparents, brother, sister, step-brother, or step-sister) verified by the counselor, approved by the Warden or designee, and on file prior to the visit. Other joint visiting arrangements can be considered on an individual basis when there is a family relationship between two offenders. However, all such visits must be approved in writing by the Warden or designee in advance.
19. Offender’s attorneys may visit during regular visiting hours, or special permission may be granted for attorneys to visit outside of regular visiting hours. The offender's attorney should make previous arrangements with the Litigation Coordinator, if the visit is to take place outside of the regular visiting hours or if the attorney is requesting an interview with the inmate in a private room in a different area or building other than the Gatehouse.
Offenders do not need to be on the offender's approved visiting list, however, they must possess a proper I.D. and valid Attorney Registration.
20.
Clergy persons must appear on the approved visitor's list. Clergy must provide proof of same, prior to entering the institution and must fill out a Prospective Interview form for proper clearing. Visiting takes place during normal visiting hours.
21. An ex-offender or parolee who is a relative of an offender may visit the offender with special permission from the Warden. Permission must be granted in writing prior to the visit and in accordance with I.D. 05.01.106.
22. Offenders with medical problems who are confined to an outside hospital may be approved for visits on an individual basis. Visiting hours for such inmates will be for a maximum of two (2) hours and may be restricted further, depending on the offender's medical condition or other appropriate factors.
23. Visitors must submit to a
body search before being admitted into the institution, which includes a search of the head (and hair thereon). If there is reason to believe the visitor has contraband on his or her person, the visitor may be asked to submit to a strip search. Such searches will always be conducted by a security person of the same sex as the visitor. If the visitor refuses to submit to a strip search, the visitor will not be allowed to proceed with a visit and may also be placed on visitor restriction.
• Visitors are further subject to body searches once processed into the visiting room and at any time during the visit. Visitors may be asked to submit to random body searches by assigned Security Staff. Failure to comply or submit to a requested search will result in immediate termination of the visit and placement on visitor restriction status.
• Visitors must submit to a body search upon exiting the restroom once in the visiting room
24. Visitors and the offender may discreetly kiss and hug upon entrance and exit of the Visiting Room. While seated at the table, an inmate and visitor may hold hands. Hand contact to the genitals or breasts is not permitted at any time. There will be no sitting on laps - except children.
25. Visitors or offenders in the Visiting Room are not allowed to rearrange any of the furniture.
26. Offenders will not accompany their visitors to the vending machines, but will remain seated at the table while visitors make purchases and prepare food for consumption. Visitors may only purchase food items for their visit, and may not utilize another visitor’s vending card unless on same visit.
27. It is the responsibility of the offender and the visitor to keep their children's behavior under control.
28. Disruptive behavior by offenders or visitors will be just cause for termination of visiting privileges.
29. Offenders are not allowed to accompany their visitor(s) out of the Visiting Room.
30. Offenders will be body searched each time they enter the Visit¬ing Room and strip searched each time they leave the Visiting Room.
31. Visitors are not allowed to exchange
any items in the Visiting Room. This includes, but is not limited to, watches, glasses, rings, clothing, belts, shoes, and jewelry of any kind.
32. The only item an offender
may take to the Visiting Room is a religious book, i.e.,
Bible, Koran, etc.
33. Any visitor who violates a visiting regulation may be tempo¬rarily or permanently refused privilege of visiting an offender.
34. The Visiting Room Officer may assign seats at individual tables for security concerns.
35. Medication will not be permitted into the Institution by a visitor unless special circumstances exist and it is approved by the Duty Administrative Officer.
36. Medical devices and/or equipment needed by a visitor must be approved by the Duty Administrative Officer before a visitor is allowed to enter the visiting room.