Visits & Searches
We recently had a question come across our desk. The question was, do BOP employees check you every time you go to visitation?
The answer is yes. Absolutely.
Across security levels, from minimum security to maximum, every federal prison in the BOP checks inmates and visitors before face-to-face time begins. Inmates are also checked on the way back to prison grounds as well.
Remember, even if you’re visiting a prison camp, it’s still a prison. One of the biggest priorities of prison staff in any institution is seizing contraband and preventing contraband from reaching prison grounds. Without these checks, prison grounds would be rampant with cell phones, illicit substances, weapons – all kinds of items that the BOP has trouble weeding out as it is now.
Visits are a privilege as well. We’ve seen inmates lose their approval for an upcoming visit because they received an incident report. This will most assuredly happen if an inmate catches an additional charge in prison.
Also, be hyper-vigilant about the dress code when you visit your loved one. Jeans and a t-shirt is the easiest route to success. Prisons vary, but can make you leave if you are wearing loose or baggy clothes, hoodies, or are wearing colors like green or tan. We’ve also seen loved ones turned around who were wearing scrubs after just coming from a shift at the hospital.
It’s best to bring several outfits just in case a BOP staff member arbitrarily decided your sweatshirt was “too loose” and considered to be baggy clothing.
We help the justice impacted navigate the federal prison system from indictment to re-entry and everywhere in between. If you have questions or need help with something regarding the federal justice system, don’t hesitate to reach out: 407-434-0175