Keeping in contact with a person in prison

Visiting

The information below draws together the experience of AFFECT members and the information contained within HMPrison & APF _{(Action for
Prisoners Families)} booklets to create a straightforward guide to prison visiting.

Number of visitors

	Visits are limited to a maximum of three adults plus children aged 9 years old and younger. NOTE: Seating may be limited to just three chairs. Children who are aged 10 years old or older are counted as adults.
	An adult must accompany children under 18 years old. Children aged between 16 and 18 years can visit unaccompanied, but only at the governor's discretion.
	Children under 10 can visit someone in prison. Their full name, address, age and relationship to the prisoner must be reported to the prison.

Visiting Order [VO]

One Visiting Order (usually referred to as "VO") is given to a convicted person every fortnight. People on remand do not need Visiting Orders.

The convicted person fills in the Visiting Order with the names and addresses of up to three people they wish to visit them. The governor then checks the list of requested visitors, and if approved, the prisoner can send the VO out in their next letter.

Only people listed on the VO can visit the prisoner.

	Not all the people listed on the VO have to visit.
	If someone wishes to be added to the list, • The VO must be returned to the prison for the prisoner to make the changes! (A maximum of three adults can be listed; all children under 10 must have name, address, and relationship to prisoner listed.)
	If one person is to be replaced by another person, • The VO must be returned to the prison, for the prisoner to make the changes!
	If none of the people list are able to visit, • The VO should be return to the prison. The prisoner can then use the VO to request other people to visit.

Arranging a Visit

Most prisons require that visits be booked in advanced on a telephone booking line. Our prisons' page lists the phone number of all UK prisons. The HMP website also contains a lot of useful information. The prison phone lines are not always easy to get through on. Be patient! You may have to call several times.

On remand (un-convicted)

	Visitors to a person on remand do not require a VO, but the visit should still be booked beforehand.
	The limit on the number of visitors applies to people on remand, so it is a good idea to plan the visit within your group of family and friends. Only three adults will be allowed to visit on any one day.
	Most prisons offer daily remand visits of not less than ½-an-hour. Where the prison does not offer daily remand visits, it will usually allow more than ½-an-hour for each visit.

Convicted

	A convicted person is legally entitled to two visits per month.
	Only people listed on the VO will be allowed to visit the prisoner (see "Number of visitors").
	A VO is usually valid for 28 days.

What MUST be taken on the visit

Visiting Order (VO) [for convicted prisoners only]

Only people listed on an official VO can visit a convicted person.
Visitors must have a valid VO with them for a visit to be allowed.

Identification (ID) [for convicted and remand prisoners]

Visitor must take two forms of ID. One should contain a photo.
Suitable ID would usually be:

	Passport
	Driving licence
	Utility bill
	Some prisons may accept other form of ID

Without some form of ID, the visit will not be allowed.

Taking someone with you

On your first visit to a prison, AFFECT strongly recommends that you take someone with you for support, whether or not they visit the person. We have found that visitors often need moral support and assistance getting to and from their visit.

Taking things in for the prisoner

Money can be taken in (or sent in by mail). This goes into the prisoner's private cash.
Do not give more than you can afford! You may well have many other expenses at this time.

The prison holds private cash for the prisoner. The person makes purchases in prison against the value of their private cash

Inform the person how much you have given in (or sent) to the prison, so they know how much private cash they have. It can be helpful to include this information in your letters to the person.

The visitor can give nothing to the prisoner directly during the visit. Everything must be handed into the prison; they will check each item and pass on acceptable items to the prisoner.

Likewise, the prisoner can give nothing to the visitor directly during the visit. Everything to be taken away must be collected from the prison after the visit.

Smuggling anything into prison is a very serious offence and prosecutions can result. Although items like drugs or alcohol are obviously not allowed, there are many other restrictions (e.g. only certain makes / types of battery are approved). It can be best to limit what is taken in to money, stationary, books, magazines, and items officially authorised by the governor.

Visitors cannot take in cigarettes, tobacco, sweets or food.

You may be allowed to take in cigarettes to smoke with the prisoner in the visits' room.

Only unopened items, in their original packaging, can be taken in (e.g. CDs).

Due to transport restrictions, a prisoner's possessions must all fit in a box about the size of two shoeboxes. Restrict the size and quantity of things you take in.

If you send things in via mail, use "Recorded Delivery".

Laundering is limited in some prisons. Clothes can usually be taken in and taken away for people on remand. The prison will tell you to where to hand in and take away washing.

Electrical goods - The prisoner will need to gain permission before receiving them. Electrical items will need to be described fully, including size, shape, colour, make & model. Specify exactly what the item is. For instance, a CD player with radio may not be allowed if it is just described as a CD player.

It is a good idea to write a letter to the person, listing all that you will be taking in for them. They should also inform you, by letter, of anything they wish you to take away from the prison.

Some prisons do not allow visitors to take in any items at all. These prisons will usually allow prisoners to make orders of approved items from mail-order companies. If this is the case, the prisoner will need money in their private cash to make orders.

Many prisons allow the ordering of approved items from approved mail-order companies (e.g. Argos).

	Some prisons will only allow mail order items and then visitors cannot take anything in.
	All items must be authorised before delivery.
	Remember that prisoners have only limited space for possessions.

Before your first visit

Every prison has its own rules. It is a good idea to check the rules and restrictions before you visit. Our prisons' page lists the phone number of all UK prisons. The HMP website also contains a lot of useful information. The prison phone lines are not always easy to get through on. Be patient! You may have to call several times.

Things to check with the prison:

	Whether the prison has a Visitors' Centre and where it is (Visitors' Centre are independent of the prison.)
	Available travel options (e.g. train / bus / car park facilities)
	For people on remand: when and how often they can be visited
	Procedures for arranging a visit
	What identification (ID) is acceptable (is a photo ID is required)
	Length of time you should arrive before the visit
	Length of visit
	Availability and cost of lockers for leaving possessions in during the visit
	The procedure for handing things in for the prisoner
	The procedure for taking things from the prisoner
	The maximum amount of money that can be taken in for the prisoner's private cash
	Approved toiletries & stationary supplies
	Getting approval on electrical goods and batteries
	Restrictions on books & magazines and on CDs, DVDs & cassettes
	Authorising personal or special items (e.g. pictures / religious items)
	Permitted clothing for people on remand
	Restrictions on what a visitor may wear or carry
	What will happen during the visit
	Play facilities within the visiting area
	Whether pen and paper can be taken into the visit
	If there is a café / snack bar available during the visit
	Whether cigarettes can be shared with the prisoner during the visit
	What physical contact is allowed with the prisoner (e.g. kissing on lips)
	If there is anything else the prison is aware of, that you need to know! (e.g. heath, safety, procedural changes, new restrictions, ...)

Prepare / Collect:

Child care arrangements

The Visiting Order [VO]

Suitable ID [a passport, driving licence, or utility bill]

Travel plans to and from the prison

Address & phone number of the prison and Visitors' Centre

A bag to put your possessions in, inside the locker

At least £10 in change to cover car park, locker, and snacks during visit

Tissues

Make a list of things to talk about

Pen and paper

Call to confirm your visit

(The prison phone lines are not always easy to get through on. Be patient! You may have to call several times.)

On arrival

Go straight to the prison's "Gate House" to let them know who you are & whom you have come to see.

Hand in any items you have brought for the prisoner to the prison.

	This is usually done before the visit, but it can be done afterwards.
	If someone has come with you who will not be visiting the prisoner, they may be able to hand in the items while you visit.

Take into the visit only:

Tissues

Pen & paper

Money

Locker key

and specifically permitted items to show the person

Limits may be set on the number of things that can be taken into the visits' room

Everything else should be stored in a locker (if provided) or left in the car

If the Visitors' Centre is part of the prison, you can wait here until your name is called

If the Visitors' Centre is outside, you must ensure that you are at the prison gate a minimum of 10 minutes before visiting starts. You will then be shown to a waiting room within the prison.

On entering the prison

Remand

Your Identification will be checked

The visit will not be allowed if you do not have Identification!

Convicted

Your Identification AND your Visiting Order will be checked

The visit will not be allowed if you do not have Identification AND a valid Visiting Order!

Before you go into the visits' room

Before you go into the visits' room you will be searched for unauthorised items. You will not be allowed things like:

	Mobile phones
	Nail scissors / Nail files
	Shape objects
	Mirrors
	etc ... - it is best to take as little as possible

Adults, children and babies are all searched.

Usually, the higher the security of the prison, the more stringent the search. Any or all of the following could be used at any prison:

	Handbag / pockets turned out
	You may be asked to remove outer clothing (jackets / cardigans)
	Bag / coats / clothing put though an x-ray machine
	Money / keys examined
	Mouth / ears / hair checked
	Shoes / walking sticks checked
	Babies nappy / clothing / food / bottle checked
	An airport style metal detector arch may be used
	A hand-held metal detector wand may be waved over you
	You may have to walk past highly trained and well controlled dogs used to detect drugs
	Rubdown search - usually at higher security prisons or if suspected of smuggling. Women search women. Men can ask to be searched by men.
	Strip searches are possible, but done rarely, and only if prison staff suspect smuggling. If performed, they are conducted with tact and discretion (i.e. conducted in private, women search women, men search men).

The security search is not personal; its purpose is to maintain the safety and security of visitors, prisoners and prison staff.

Once security checks are complete, you may then have to wait with other visitors while the prisoners are assembled.

During the visit

	Be patient! Getting prisoners into the visits' room can take time
	You will be asked to sit at a table opposite the prisoner
	It is often possible to purchase tea, coffee and snacks during the visit
	Prison staff will watch over the visit
	Until you are sure of the rules keep touching, hugging and kissing to a minimum
	If you are uncertain of what you are permitted to do ask, an officer. It's best to be cautious!
	Even if authorized to taken things into the visit to show the prisoner (e.g. photos), check with prison staff before showing them to the prisoner
	DO NOT pass anything else to the prisoner (except what has been purchased at the visits' room's café / snack bar)
	Visitors must not take from the visit's room anything given to them by the prisoner
	Prisoners must not take from the visit's room anything given to them by their visitor

Visits are an important part of prison life. Some prisons operate an incentives' scheme allowing prisoners to gain extra visits. The regulations and restrictions are solely designed to maintain the safety and security of the prison.

While visits tend to be emotional and require careful planning, they can ultimately be very satisfying and encouraging for you and your loved one.

AFFECT hope that this information aids you in planning a visit with your loved one. If we can help further, please contact us.