Visiting

Visiting Process and Requirements

You must be pre-approved to visit

Visitor Application
Visitor Application Instructions

• Offender will be notified of visiting approval
• Offender is responsible for notifying the visitor

Who can apply to visit an offender?

• Immediate family: spouse or significant other, legal guardian, parents, in-laws, siblings, children, grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren
• Extended family: uncles, aunts, cousins
• Friends
• Clergy

Reception & Orientation

Offenders on reception and orientation status may receive only one visit per month while awaiting assignment to a permanent institution or treatment center.

Be Prepared for Your Visit

Be familiar with visiting rules, regulations and procedures before you visit. You will be required to follow them.

Required Identification

• Adult visitors: valid photo ID, such as current driver’s license or Department of Revenue ID card
• Visitors age 13-18: a current school photo ID card that includes their name or a valid federal or state government-issued ID card

Search of Visitors

• When you enter prison grounds, you, your packages, your children and your vehicle are subject to search.
• Metal detectors are used at all facilities.
• Itemizer: Visitor is given a towelette to wipe their shirt front, pockets and palms of their hands; it is then placed in machine to detect traces of narcotics or explosives.

Allowed Items

• Coins in clear sandwich bag or transparent plastic pouch for use in vending machines.
• Specific medical supplies: Medications or medical equipment needed to maintain life, such as nitroglycerin, insulin and insulin supplies, oxygen or asthma inhalers in the original container, only in the necessary dosage for the visiting period. 
  • Notice should be made in advance to the case manager to ensure staff are aware of your needs
  • Notify staff upon your arrival of the need for medication during visitation.
  •  If you have special medical equipment, such as a walker, wheelchair or surgically implanted metal hardware, please provide a physician’s statement. 
  
• Infant supplies: one clear carry-all, 6 diapers, 1 blanket, 3 clear plastic bottles of prepared infant beverage, 1 clear plastic no-spill toddler cup, 3 unopened vendor containers of baby food, 1 plastic pacifier, teether and/or rattle, 1 small plastic spoon and 1 unopened package of baby wipes.

Note: Small lockers are available at most institutions to store your purse, wallet or keys. 

Video Visits

Video visiting was piloted at Tipton Correctional Center and has been scheduled to be expanded to nine additional facilities in spring 2023. For loved ones who are unable to visit in-person, video visits may be a convenient option.

Rollout Schedule

Requirements

Visitors must be on the individual's approved visitor list to participate in a video visit. Video visits will be conducted in the same manner as if the visit was occurring in person (e.g. dress code, behavior, language) and must comply with all Department policies, guidelines and procedures.

Visitors set up a Securus account at securustech.net and provide their own equipment and the necessary internet connections to participate in remote video visits.  Prices are included on the website.

Video visits will be scheduled by the approved visitor through Securus’ system at least 72 hours in advance. The system will identify available visiting times.

Remote visits will be scheduled in 30 minute blocks on a first come, first served basis. On-site video visits will be scheduled in 2 hour blocks on a first come, first served basis.

Incarcerated individuals will not be excused from work or programming to participate in video visits so visitors should request video visit times that do not conflict with the individual’s schedule.

Expectations

Video visits will be conducted in the same manner as if the visit was occurring in person (e.g. dress code, behavior, language) and must comply with all Department policies, guidelines, and procedures.

General Guidelines

• Participation in video visits is a privilege, not a right. Both the visitor and offender are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner at all times during a video visit.
• Video visitation is provided by the department’s contracted provider, Securus Technologies. 
• There are two types of video visits – on-site and remote. 
  • On-site video visits occur with the visitor using the video visit provider’s device at the facility. On-site video visits can be scheduled via the Securus system.  On-site video visits are considered no-contact visits and are free.
  • Remote video visits occur when a visitor connects to the video visit provider’s system using their personal device, not at the facility. Remote video visits are scheduled by the visitor using their Securus account.  The cost is $7.95 per 30 minute visit block.
• When participating in a remote video visit, visitors should set up in a location to eliminate the possibility of people in the background (only the approved visitor may be in a video visit).
• Visitors will not be reimbursed for remote video visits that are terminated or, visits when the visitor or offender fail to join during their scheduled 30 minute block.
  • Visitors can cancel up to 48 hours prior to visit to receive credit.
• If a video visit is cancelled by the department, the visitor will not be charged for the visit.  When this occurs, the visitor will receive a notification through the video visit provider’s system.
• Visitors can log in 1 minute early and offenders can log in 2 minutes early. 

Eligibility

• All visitors must be on the individual’s approved visitor list to participate in a video visit.
• Visitors must setup a Securus account at securustech.net and provide their own equipment and the necessary internet connections to participate in remote video visits.
• Attorney/client confidential visits are not eligible for video visitation; those visits will continue as in-person visits.
• Offenders who have committed crimes sexual in nature against children cannot participate in video visits with children.

Scheduling

• Video visits will be scheduled by the approved visitor through Securus’ system at least 72 hours in advance. The system will identify available visiting times. 
• Remote visits will be scheduled in 30 minute blocks on a first come, first served basis. On-site video visits will be scheduled in 2 hour blocks on a first come, first served basis.
• Incarcerated individuals will not be excused from work or programming to participate in video visits, and visitors should request video visit times that do not conflict with the individual’s schedule. 

Conduct & Monitoring

• Video visits are subject to the same rules as if the visit was occurring in person (e.g. dress code, behavior, language, conduct).
• All video visits will be recorded, and designated employees will monitor video visits for compliance with policy and facility rules.
• Video visits may be terminated while in progress for violations or misconduct.
• A visitor who engages in prohibited conduct may be suspended or terminated from video visiting privileges. Regular visiting privileges may also be suspended or terminated. While a warning may be given as a courtesy for minor violations, warnings are not given to violations that are more significant than nuisance. Allowing an individual who is not an approved visitor to participate in video visiting may also be grounds for suspension.
• The following actions are also prohibited during video visits and may result in suspension or termination of video visiting privileges:
  • the visitor or offender’s actions including behavior/actions that are sexual in nature or any display of nudity;
  • improper dress of the visitor;
  • use or display, including images, of any weapons, drugs/alcohol, cigarettes/vapor use or related paraphernalia ;
  • any unlawful activity or depiction of unlawful activity;
  • activity or display of graphics/paraphernalia associated with any Security Threat Group (e.g. gang signs)
  • use or display of electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, video games, tablets) during the visit;
  • unacceptable language, cursing, threatening or rude behavior toward staff members or others, or any conduct that is morally offensive to others;
  • violation of the sexual offenders of children visiting guidelines;
  • participation in the visit by another adult, 
  • using an account that does not belong to the visitor,
  • recording the visit,
  • driving while participating in a video visit,
  • failure to follow visitation rules and regulations, and/or
  • any other safety and security concerns.

Download instructions »

Contraband

Under Missouri State Statute 217.360, it is a criminal offense for any person entering a correctional facility to bring in drugs, alcoholic beverages, firearms or any other article an offender is not permitted to possess. Doing so may be a felony and can carry a punishment of up to 15 years in prison.

The Missouri Department of Corrections prohibits illegal narcotics as well as substances that may be legal to possess or use outside a correctional setting, such as tobacco, alcohol and cannabis. Violators will be referred for prosecution.

Required Dress Code

Prohibited

• Tight, transparent or revealing clothing
• Gang, racial, inappropriate or inflammatory language or symbols
• Camouflage design
• Skirts, dresses and shorts shorter than two inches above the top of the kneecap
• Wrap-around or slit skirts or dresses
• Holes or slits in pants
• Shirts, blouses and tops that do not cover the chest, cleavage and stomach or that do not have sleeves that cover the shoulders.
• Headwear except for verified religious purposes; subject to search

Required

• Appropriate undergarments and shoes. Undergarments with wire or metal supports are discouraged due to metal detectors.

Physical Contact Limitations

• One greeting and departing embrace and brief kiss allowed
• Holding hands during visit is allowed
• Children age 6 and under may sit on offender’s lap, unless offender is a sex offender
• Children should be attended by adult visitor at all times

Food Visits

Some facilities permit the family members and friends of approved visitors to bring outside meals to share during special food visits. The following restrictions may apply:

• Food may be prepared at home or catered by or purchased from a vendor.
• All food must comply with security regulations.
• A total of four containers may be brought for each authorized food visit. Containers for home-prepared or store-bought foods may be no larger than a 9x9x4 and must be constructed of clear plastic only.
• The following items do not count as part of the total container count:             
  • Loaf of sliced bread or equivalent (biscuits, rolls, etc.)
  • Sandwich bags used for lettuce, tomatoes, etc. NOTE: Plastic bags 1 quart or larger will be counted as a container.
  • Factory-sealed condiments and/or up to 20 pre-sealed restaurant style condiment packets.
• Food brought from vendors must be in the original container (no glass, metal, aluminum pans or foil).
• In addition to the above four containers, paper, plastic or styrofoam disposable dinnerware and eating utensils are allowed. Disposable dinnerware must be provided by the visitor, not by the offender or facility.

Only the appropriate number of disposable dinnerware can be brought into the institution, and the visitor is responsible to ensure that they transport that same number of items out of the institution when they leave.

The following items may NOT be brought in for food visits:

• Fresh fruit items
• Jell-O or ice cream
• Beverages and/or beverage mixes
• Aerosol containers (i.e. whipped cream and “cheese in a can”)
• Coolers and or ice chests
• Whole cuts of meat (i.e. pot roast), whole birds (i.e. turkey or chicken), shellfish in the shell.

Inspection of food items may include a physical search of the food items that entails cutting, stirring, piercing or separating an item to ensure no contraband is introduced into the facility.

• Staff members conducting the search must wear appropriate gloves and a hair net or cap.
• Any food not easily searched may be denied.

Food may be only consumed by the offender and the visitor and may not be shared with others.

Leftover food items must be discarded in appropriate receptacles by the visitor after the visit, or removed from the facility with the visitor.

• NORMAL VISITING ROOM RULES APPLY (I.E. OFFENDERS AND VISITORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FEED EACH OTHER, CROSS VISIT, ETC.)
• FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH FOOD VISIT PROCEDURES MAY RESULT IN THE FOOD BEING DENIED ENTRANCE INTO THE INSTITUTION, TERMINATION OF THE VISIT, AND/OR ISSUANCE OR A CONDUCT VIOLATION TO THE OFFENDER.
• BIRTHDAY CAKES MAY BE BROUGHT IN FOR CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS. INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM THE VISITING ROOM STAFF OR IN THE VISITING POLICY FOR OFFENDER REFERENCE.

Plan Your Trip

Find out when you can visit, and get directions to the facility.

Visiting is Privilege

Visiting can be suspended, terminated or restricted for:

• Failure to follow visiting rules
• Refusal to submit to search
• Use of alcohol or narcotics
• Inappropriate language
• Improper dress
• Presenting risk to the safety and security of the facility, staff, offenders or visitors
• Participation in illegal activities or violations of Missouri law

If visiting sanctions are imposed on a visitor, the institution will send a written notice outlining the infraction and sanctions imposed.  A visitor may appeal restrictions in writing to Department of Corrections Central Office at 2729 Plaza Drive, Jefferson City, MO  65109.