• Purses;
• Pocket Knives;
• Pens or pencils;
• Prescription drugs (unless they are life saving drugs);
• Chewing gum;
• Rings (unless they can not be easily removed);
• Earrings or other types of jewelry (with the exception of wedding rings or medic alert bracelets or pendant);
• Watches;
• Money;
• Food or drink;
• Tobacco products of any kind;
• Letters or notes;
• Newspapers or periodicals;
• Photographs;
• Radios;
• Diaper bags;
• Any other items as determined to be contraband within the correction facility.
• Visitors shall be requested to leave restricted items outside of the facility or in lockers in the Visitor’s Waiting Area (Security Reception) of each BCSO facility.

• The carrying of weapons, controlled substances, alcohol, money or any other item considered to be contraband in or out of a BCSO correction facility may result in the loss of visiting privileges as well as criminal prosecution. (This statement shall be posted conspicuously in English, Portuguese and Spanish in the Security Reception area of each correction facility.)
• Visitors must wear appropriate clothing for a visit to a BCSO correction facility. The visitor dress code shall be provided to visitors upon request. In general, the Security Reception Officer shall determine if the clothing or footwear a visitor is wearing is appropriate for the facility and in conformity to the established dress code.

• The following clothing shall NOT be permitted for MALE visitors:

• Sweatpants, sweatshirts or exercise attire (i.e. weightlifting pants);
• Fatigue or camouflage clothing;
• Bare midriff or muscle shirts;
• Clothing similar to those issued to inmates or uniformed personnel;
• Hats, hair wraps or other hair coverings (Religious hair coverings are permitted.);
• Jackets, coats or similar outer garments;
• Double layer clothing (i.e. two pairs of under shorts);
• Clothing with patches, torn clothing (including torn pocket linings).

• The following clothing shall NOT be permitted for FEMALE visitors:

• Tights, leotards or body suits of a dance/exercise fashion shall not be allowed as an outfit, but permitted with pants, skirts or shirts that meet the required six inch length of skirts (see j);
• Halter tops, clothing that reveals the midriff;
• Tops that expose the back beyond the upper shoulder area;
• Visibly sheer clothing with or without undergarments;
• Proper traditional undergarments (i.e. underpants, bras) must be worn;
• Bathing suits;
• Gym or exercise shorts;
• Sweat pants, sweat suits or outfits that are similar to sweat pants or sweat suits material shall not be allowed;
• Low cut or excessively revealing clothing;
• Dresses or skirts that exceed approximately six inches above the knee shall not be permitted;
• Skirts with slits extending six inches above the knee;
• Clothing withpatches or open pockets (including torn pocket lining);
• Nylons or underwear with holes in the immediate crotch area;
• Double layered clothing, such as two pairs of underpants, two skirts, two sweaters, a shirt/blouse combination;
• Hats, hair wraps or other hair coverings (Religious hair coverings are permitted);
• Jackets, coats or similar outer garments;
• Hooded tops included hooded sweatshirts;
• Pajama style clothing (Adults only - infants are permitted to wear pajamas.)

• All visitors shall wear footwear.
• Infants shall be allowed to bring one (1) receiving type blanket and one (1) pacifier into the facility on a visit.
• Money may be left at a Bristol County correction facility in accordance with BCSO policy and procedures. Money shall not be given to an inmate from a visitor.
• Disruptive actions that threaten the security of a BCSO correction facility shall result in the termination of the visit after approval of the Watch Commander. Written reports shall be forwarded to the Deputy Superintendent from the Watch Commander and Visiting Area Officer(s) concerning the reasons for termination of the visit. Reports shall be submitted before the end of the officer’s tour of duty
• Visitors shall only be allowed to communicate with the inmate on his/her “visitor pass”. They shall not be allowed to communicate with any other inmate within the correction facility.
• Visitors shall disclose any article other than clothing that may be carried into a correction facility on a visit, including personal items, medications, weapons of any type, etc. Such items shall be disclosed to the Security Reception Officer and shall be properly stored in a visitor locker in the Security Reception Area.

• During inmate orientation/admission, each inmate shall provide to their assigned Social/Case Worker the names of no more than five (5) adults to visit them while incarcerated. The five-name limit shall not include attorneys or minor children. No inmates shall be permitted visits prior to the completion of the visitor approval process.

• As stated above, each inmate will be permitted to have up to five (5) adults approved for visitors. During or following their orientation, an inmate’s Social/Case Worker will provide him/her with “Request to Visit” forms. At that time, the inmate will mail “Request to Visit” forms to those individuals they wish to visit them. Interested visitors are required to complete the “Request to Visit” forms and mail their completed forms back to the Bristol County Sheriffs Office. All visit request should be addressed as follows:

NOTE:  “Request to Visit” Forms will no longer be available to the general public from a facility Security Reception desk. You may download and print the form from the link on the top of this webpage.

All forms must be processed according to the procedures established above.
 

• APPROVAL PROCESS: The Communications Division of the Bristol County Sheriffs Department will review properly completed “Request to Visit” forms and verify that the visitor is listed on the inmates visit list. If the visitor is listed on the inmates visiting list, a Warrant Check & BOP on the requesting visitor will be generated. The results of this processing will be forwarded to the Facility Deputy Superintendent of the facility in which the inmate resides for approval or disapproval of the visit request. A person may be disapproved from visiting an inmate for the following reasons:

• Disciplinary sanctions;
• Criminal prosecution;
• Outstanding cases needing court validation;
• Warrants on the Warrant Management System;
• Has been released from a correctional facility in the last 6 months (in accordance with BCSO policy 20.01)      
• Failure to state the truth on the “Request to Visit” forms.
• Security threat group (STG) membership.
• Provide the inmate with notice of the approved/denied “Request to Visit”.

• It will be the responsibility of the inmates to contact their visitors (by telephone or mail) to inform them whether their request to visit was approved or denied. 

• Inmates will only be allowed to change their five (5) selected visitors names on a quarterly basis. Inmates will submit their changes within the first seven (7) days of each quarter on an Inmate Visitor Form with their Social/Case Worker. The quarters are January, April, July and October of each year. The approval/disapproval process identified here shall re-apply for each new submitted Visitor Request Form.

• Prior to admittance into a BCSO correctional facility, adult visitors (18 yrs of age or older) shall be required to produce a current and valid government issued photo ID (i.e. driver’s license, passport, welfare ID)
• The on-duty Security Reception Officer at the facility will confirm the individual’s approval to be a visitor by reviewing the Inmates Visit List in the BCSO Inmate Tracking System. Individuals who have not been approved to visit with the inmate will not be permitted to visit with the inmate.
• All visitors will be subjected to routine sign-in and search procedures, in accordance with BCSO policy and procedures.

• Prior to an inmate visit, parents and/or legal guardians of children under the age of 18 shall complete a “Minor Visit Consent Form”. Inmates may obtain “Minor Visit Consent Forms” from their assigned Social/Caseworker.

• All “Minor Visit Consent Forms” shall be completed and notarized.

• Properly completed “Minor Visit Consent Forms” will be reviewed by the Communications Division to ensure that the guardian of the minor visitor is on the inmate’s visiting list. If so, the visit request will be processed by the BCSO Communications Division. The results of this processing shall be forwarded back to the Facility Deputy Superintendent in which the inmate resides, for final approval or disapproval.

• Minors accompanied by their parent or guardian may visit inmates in accordance to the BCSO visiting schedule.  At the time of visit, the parent or guardian of the minor will be required to produce a current and valid government issued photo ID (i.e. driver’s license, passport, welfare ID), a certified copy of the minor’s Birth Certificate, and the original approved “Minor Visitor Consent Form”.  These documents will be required at each visit. The Security Reception Officer will not permit minors to enter the BCSO facility with out verification of such documents.

• NOTE: Copies of Minor Visit Approvals prior to May 10th, 2009 will continue to be honored during an inmate's current period of incarceration, as long as a certified copy of the minors Birth Certificate accompanies it.