The Colorado Department of Corrections is charged with protecting the public from offenders who have been sentenced to prison. The system, which is comprised of numerous state owned and operated as well as multiple private or “for profit” prisons is under the supervision of Ari Zavaras, the current director who was appointed to that position by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter.
Before You Visit
Before visiting an inmate in a CDOC facility, you must first submit a Visiting Application. The inmate you wish to visit can mail this form to you, or you can access it here. The visiting application must be completed and signed. You must also include a copy of a current government issued identification card or driver’s license. If you plan to bring any children or minors with you (those under the age of 18) you should also include a copy of that persons birth certificate. In order to bring a minor with you to a visit you must be the child’s legal guardian, or have a signed affidavit from the child’s legal guardian authorizing you to do so. This policy can vary, so it is best to check with the individual facility regarding their practices.
One thing to note is whether your loved on is housed in a state owned, or private prison. If the inmate is in a private prison, you should address your visiting application to the Private Prison Monitoring Unit, (PPMU) 2862 South Circle Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. If the inmate is in a state run facility, you should return the visiting application to the facility where the inmate is housed.
Typically, visiting applications can take from 1-3 weeks to approve, but may take more time depending on the number of applications received on a certain date. If you have questions regarding whether or not your application was received, you can contact the facility or the PPMU.
Once your application has been reviewed and you have been approved for visiting status, your loved one will be notified. It is then their responsibility to notify you. In many facilities, those who are in charge of visiting will not be inconvenienced by checking for you via the phone to see if you are approved.
Occasionally, however, you will simply be informed that the inmate will “contact you.”
If your visiting application is rejected, both you and your loved on will be notified. See the portion of this article below concerning what to do if your visiting application is rejected.
Getting in the Door
The first time you enter the facility, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Relax, take a deep breath and remember, you aren’t the one in prison. The visiting staff tends to be somewhat friendly and will take the time to explain the specific rules for their facility.
Some of the most common mistakes visitors make is bringing unauthorized items into the facility. While some facilities do provide lockers for people to store their belongings, many do not. It is best to remember that you can always have a single car key, one wedding band, and one religious necklace. At some facilities you will be allowed to bring quarters for the vending machines, while other facilities have a vending card system that requires cash, check with the visiting staff before you arrive to find out their policies.
Clothing is the second reason that visitors are turned away. There are basic rules for clothing which include this statement from the DOC “All visitors, including attorneys and official visitors, must be fully dressed in appropriate, conventional clothing which is not unduly provocative, suggestive, or revealing and does not resemble offender attire or present adornments which could be used as a weapon.” This rule also includes a rule which forbids simple things like sandals or open toed shoes at some facilities, v-neck shirts or sweaters, plain white t-shirts which can be semi-transparent, and anything green or orange. Camouflage is also forbidden in the visiting room.
You should expect to pass through a metal detector, and sign a form upon entering that grants consent for the Colorado Department of Corrections to search your vehicle at any time without probable cause. In virtually all facilities you will be subject to a “pat search” where an officer of the same gender as yourself will check to see if you are concealing anything under your clothing. This can be somewhat intimidating.
Remember that during the search you should face away from the officer with your legs slightly spread and your arms extended out to your sides. It’s best not to move around during this search, as this could be perceived as a threat by some officers. Wear clean socks when you visit. You may be asked to remove your shoes for inspection.
Finally, remember to bring you identification card. If you don’t have your ID, they will NOT let you in.
During your Visit
All inmates are allowed a brief moment of physical contact at the beginning and end of each visit. This includes a hug and/or kiss. However, groping will often draw negative attention to yourself and the inmate you are visiting. Survey the situation around you, what is acceptable will be displayed by those who have visited at the facility before.
You will most likely be seated across from the inmate you are visiting, you will be allowed to hold the inmate’s hands. At some facilities you are allowed to have physical contact up to the elbow of the offender, in other facilities this may be limited strictly to hand holding.
You can use the restroom at any time during your visit. You may, however be subject to another search upon re-entering the visiting room. The offender you are visiting will have designated restroom break times, he or she will know when these times are and will have to pay attention for when the “bathroom break” is called.
There will most likely be vending machines in the room, you will be allowed to purchase food and drinks for your inmate. Depending upon the facility there are different rules of conduct for these machines. In some facilities inmates are allowed to get up and go outside with you during a designated part of the visit, in other facilities inmates must remain seated at all times. Check with the visiting staff, they will inform you of the rules.
In most circumstances there are games and cards for use during your visit. You can request these from staff who may require that you sign your name upon “checking out” the game of your choice. Typically, games in the visiting room do not have dice included, although, again this varies by facility.
Women’s Sanitary Products, special medications and other health needs must be discussed on a facility by facility basis. You can contact the facility you will be visiting and ask to speak with someone regarding visiting procedures, these people will help you with anything you need.
Warnings
Never, ever, bring anything into a visit to give to the inmate you are visiting. Even if the thing you are bringing seems harmless to you, such as a comb or hairbrush, any time you bring something into the facility, it is considered contraband and you will be charged with a felony. This will most likely result in prison time for you as well, and at the very least your visiting privileges will be revoked.
Always be aware of your surroundings, although violence in the visiting room is uncommon, it can happen. Remember that you are visiting your loved on in a situation where there are very real and dangerous people. Paying attention to those around you can help avoid uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situations.
If you have children with you, keep them near you at all times. Do not allow your children to become extremely noisy and run around the visiting room. You will most likely be asked to leave, but you can put your children in danger this way. There are sex offenders at multiple facilities in Colorado. Some of these people have been sentenced there for sexual assault on a child and even a moment when no one is looking could be dangerous to them. Furthermore, it is a matter of courtesy to other visitors to keep your children near you and quiet.
What to do if your visiting application is rejected
Technically, the Colorado Department of Corrections can deny anyone, at anytime the right to visit. However, if you find yourself in this situation, there are steps you can take. Initially, you need to review the rejection letter you have been sent to see why you have been denied the ability to visit. If there seems to be little reason for this, or you are legally married or an immediate family of the inmate, you can contact the visiting staff at the facility and discuss the matter with them.
Often the next step is to write a letter to the Warden of the facility requesting that you be allowed visiting privileges. If that request is denied, you can then request a special visit. The inmate you wish to visit can fill out a special visit request form, and you can also write another letter to the Warden requesting a one-time visit. At times, these requests are approved. However, if this request is not approved, you then have the ability to appeal to the Colorado Department of Corrections Central Office. At this time, you can address a letter to the CDOC Executive Director. If you successfully plead you case, you may then be allowed a visit.
If you have exhausted all of these methods and are still being denied the ability to visit, you must either accept the fact that you can not visit, or attempt to hire an attorney to pursue the matter in court. Either way this is a difficult situation. You can appeal to the Governor’s Advocate for help as well. However, as previously stated by the Department of Corrections, if the Warden of the facility does not want to approve your visit, he doesn’t have to.
Special Visits
Apart from being awarded in circumstances where a person wouldn’t normally be allowed to visit, Special Visits are often awarded for family members who travel long distances over 350 miles one-way, or from another state to visit an inmate. If you are planning a trip to Colorado and would like to visit an inmate during your stay, you should submit your request in writing at least 3 weeks prior to your departure. Although the process does not usually take 3 weeks, it’s always better to be too early than too late. If you find yourself in Colorado unexpectedly, or for a family emergency and would like to visit, you can call the facility and see if it’s possible to get a special visit approved for your specific circumstances. This will be entirely dependent upon the facility as Special Visits are at the sole discretion of the Warden.
Further Information
For any further information you can always review the Colorado Department of Corrections Website at http://www.doc.state.co.us
