Hello All,

I'm visiting a friend on D.R in SMU II for the first time next month, and though I've read a lot of the related threads, any specific advice is really welcome. It sounds pretty disturbing there- the excessive solitary confinement, lack of stimulation, lack of daylight/exercise etc. etc. It's all difficult to contemplate.

My friend suffers long periods of depression (unsurprisingly) where he often can't manage to even put pen to paper.

Can anyone advise on practical things like how early to arrive for a visit -how long it takes to get through 'check-in', who gets brought in first -inmate or visitor etc. Also if there's anything I should be aware of from my friend's point if view?

I'm from the U.K and this will be my first experience of U.S Prisons....
I'm currently doing some anti-death penalty work and hope to be working in the U.S with Reprieve in 2007. I'm visiting 3 friends in Nov; one on D.R in San Quentin, CA (claiming innocence), one on D.R in Eyman, AZ, and one in Angola, Louisiana recently taken off D.R as a result of the Simmons/Roper decision, BUT now facing Life Without.

Any advice/comments suggestions welcome!

Hi there, welcome to PTO and the Arizona forum...glad to have you here!! :)

From my experience, it is not that grueling to go through check-in...arrive about 45 minutes before w/ DL and perhaps your passport since you are from another country...your visit will be behind glass, I am sure and from what happened to me....it went like this....check in, all things in a basket and then the metal detector...you get a pass and they walk you across through an open wire walkway to the building for visitation...they had my visitor already seated and they seat you across through the window...there is a guard close by listening to everything as you have to talk through the glass...there is no phone or speaker device....which sux...there are vending machines for the visitors so they let you take some change in, just enough for a soda and snack if I remember correctly. Now some of this could have changed as there have been a LOT of changes here in the Arizona prison systems. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your visits.......
Lynn:)

Welcome to PTO!

:) Hello and welcome to PTO :)

Hello and welcome to AZ forum..

You will be going to Eyman as SMU2 is there. I will advise you to get there early. The lines to drive into the prison will start lining up at about 6:30 am or 6:45 and I will be frank with you, THEY WILL NOT LET YOU CUT LINE , even if you are going to an SMU scheduled visit... They start letting people into the actual gates at about 7:30 am. There are signs posted outside each yard and you will pass most of them to get to smu2. The last time I was there about 2 months ago, a girl tried to cut line because she had a scheduled visit at a scheduled time, I thought it was going to start a riot!! those women are serious!! lol But hey I guess we all want to get in to see our loved ones!! Have you booked a hotel? The only one is the Blue Mist Inn and it is located right by there and easy to find and worth the money. I stay there when I go. They have in room coffee makers, fridges, microwaves and there is a really god chinese/ american restaurant right next door... Do not wear underwire bras to tthe prison and do pay attention to the visiting rules, they do observe them strictly at Eyman. Good luck on your visit!! I wont be going again till New Years 3 day weekend visits!! wooohooo... God bless and take care.

Thanks for all the replies and sorry it's taken a while to get back to you. I have an AOL browser which seems to be a problem when it comes to replying to posts or picking up Messages......! I appreciate all the advice, and I've taken it on board. Still welcome anything that others have to add, and I'll update on my Visits once November is through! Thanks again.:)