My sister reported to Carswell on 09/29/06....as of today we are not yet approved to visit her and have been told that it will take 2 months to do background checks on our immediate family including her 2 little boys before we can visit. Does anyone know if this is correct? Do you know where we can go to get help. Her PO nor her lawyer are willing to answer any questions or offer any guidance.

My sister reported to Carswell on 09/29/06....as of today we are not yet approved to visit her and have been told that it will take 2 months to do background checks on our immediate family including her 2 little boys before we can visit. Does anyone know if this is correct? Do you know where we can go to get help. Her PO nor her lawyer are willing to answer any questions or offer any guidance.

First of all let me say WELCOME TO PTO. Next the first of the journey is always the hardest for the inmate and the family. In the BOP policy it says that immediate family can visit a new inmate while waiting for the background checks to be completed. Maybe it would be best to call the counselor and ask if the family members mentioned in her PSI can possibly come visit her. You will still need to fill out the visitation forms and submit them, but you should be allowed at least 1 visit on the information contained in the PSI. If the counselor approves this be sure he gives a temporary visiting list to your sister.

Thank You so much for responding. Does she need to request this list or our we able to contact the counselor personally? Once again THANK YOU for responding.

Has your sister sent you the visitation approval forms? She gets from the counselor, sends them to you, you send them back to the counselor, then it takes about 2 weeks for the background check and such to be done. You will not be notified of acceptance or denial just the inmate. When you are approved she will be given a visitation list with all approved visitors, if possible she should make a copy to send to you and keep on for herself. This is just in case of a mixup at visitation. If you have been waiting this long I would call the counselor and see if someone can visit based on the PSI. Oh by the way be sure you have certified copies of the childrens birth certificates to attach to the visitation application and maybe carry copies when visiting. I have learned from experience better to have and not need then need and not have with the BOP. Let us know when you get to visit and if the let you come once on the PSI inclusion of if they make you wait for background clearance. Stay strong and remember one day this will be over.......

We called her counselor, had to leave vm, but he had never called back. However, my sister, has a meeting with him and also the camp counselor (team meeting) tomorrow morning, 10/18/06....do you have any idea what this might be about? You mention the applications come to us but what is strange we have never received anything. They made her get our SS#'s. and dates of birth and that is all we have heard. Strange to us. Anyway, we appreciate your help and we will let you now when we get to see her.

God Bless.

Two months seems a little long. It usually takes a month or less for the visiting privilege to be approved. I have visited a couple inmates over the past 2 years and it took about a month for my approvals. The only reason I can think of why it might take longer now is that the prison is getting crowded. Newcomers keep arriving by the busload. The visiting room is way overcrowded. Let's just say the noise level can drive you out of your mind. I am glad my fiancee has only one year left there!

As for the counselors, I have never had any of the counselors at FMC Carswell return my calls. They do not care and they do not want confrontation with family members of inmates. Consider yourself lucky if you get one of the counselors to answer their phone. Usually, they let their calls go to voicemail so they can screen the callers. This makes it even more unlikely that you will ever receive a callback.

Thanks for the reply....we'll keep everybody updated on our progress...let us know if you have any suggestions for us.

God Speed.

I was released from the camp in June, so I might be able to help answer soem questions for you. Fell free to PM me for specifics. Once you get the forms back into the counselor. They are typically added the same week. Because my immediate family was listed in my PSI, I never had to send the forms out to my husband, mom, step daughter or step dad. They were all approved before my second week at the camp. My family was able to visit that weekend. The visitation roome is not busy on Friday or Monday evenings, but can get pretty busy on both Saturday and Sunday. I recommend getting there early to get a table, but never saw it so crowded it was truly an issue.

Hopefully, you can get approved soon. I know your sister will want to see you soon.

Lori

We have been cleared for visitation...Finally!!!!
My sister's husband and her two children are going to see her this Sat 10/28/2006.
What doesn't make any sense to me is that we are all listed in the PSI report for my sister and it has taken a month to be approved!!
I do have some questions for you about the camp.
Are the people there atleast decent to the inmates? My sister has been assigned to landscaping what did you do while you were there?
Did the items they offered you at the commisary cost alot? How much money did you need to just get the basic neccessities? My sister keeps telling us to just take care of her kids and we are doing that, we want to help her to and I am not sure what she really needs.
Any suggestions? Also how has life been for you since you were released.
Thanks so much for sharing!
God Bless.