Well I have been on this site for like 3 hours... I love it!
Great info for us beginners.

Unfortunately I havent been able to find anything on DVI. My boyfriend just got sent there for reception yesterday. Any and all information or helpful hints anyone has on mail, visiting, things I should know, etc would be greatly appreciated.:confused:

I realize that I am getting to this late...sorry, but I have not been online for a few days.

As for mail, you can send writing materials, like a tablet (not spiral--no metal) a package of pencils and 2 clear see-through type pens in their original package (no rubber grips), up to 20 envelopes--metered or not, one book of stamps (20 stamps) at a time, up to 20 photos, no bathing suit shots. Also, no perfume, and no stickers on the mail.

As for visiting, you must get approved first. Your BF must send you a visiting application that you fill out and send to the visiting department at the prison. After you are approved, your BF will send a paper back to you telling you that you can visit. You bring that paper with you to visiting along with your government issued ID. After you get approved and have the paper in hand, you call to schedule your visit. Call between 8-10am 2 days in advance of the planned visit. The visit is one hour behind glass while your BF is in reception.

There is a visiting hotline number ( 1-800-374-8474) where you can hear the rules on what to wear/not wear, etc. and get the number for making your visiting reservation and where to send your application, and actually pretty much anything related to visiting. Long and boring, but at least it is an 800 number.

It took about 8 weeks for us to get approved to visit at DVI as I recall.

Good luck and welcome to PTO.

thank you so much I really appreciate you respondinding to my question

TDN,
You are so very welcome!!!
If you have more questions, feel free to PM me.
I'd be glad to help.

Would anyone be able to help me. My son is from Southern California. They have sent him to DVI, which is a Northern site. Because of security reasons he is locked down. He has to get some paper work to me by the second of December. I have a hearing here in Las Vegas to get custody of his two children. He needs to go to the library, but he isn't allowed. What can I do to get him to have his time out of his cell? I don't want to call there and sound like a mommy who is upset, but I have to get this info soon as possible. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you, Danials Mom

Danials Mom,
When guys first go to DVI, they are in reception and kept on lockdown 23 hours per day, allowed out only for a meal and then for a shower every other day. I don't think that he can get library privileges, but I don't really know that for sure. I just know my son was allowed absolutely no where the whole 5 months he was in reception, except to canteen once a month after the first 60 days.

Your son has been assigned a counselor, even if he doesn't know who it is or hasn't met him/her yet. Perhaps you can call and ask for his counselor and explain the circumstances to the counselor and find out if he can get him to the library, or do whatever needs to be done.

Also, you can write your son, but my experience was that for the first 3 or 4 weeks they held back my son's mail.
You can and should send any legal mail clearly marked "LEGAL MAIL" on the outside of the envelope, and then he will get it quickly. They actually make him sign for it. No guarantees going back out though. I went through that with some legal paperwork for my son when he first went in.

Hopefully someone else will come along who will know about the library thing for sure.

Thank you for your help. I didn't know about the Legal Mail thing. I can try that. My son said there are people in the library who can help him fill out the paper work I need. I will give the counselor a try to see if he, or she can get the paper work done for me. I really want to get my grand babies. I appreciate you taking the time to help me. Take care of you and I hope your son gets to come home soon. Thank you again.