Hello Bibb families & loved ones!

We could use your help in getting some updated info on visitation and other information on this facility.

As you have probably noticed, at this time we literally have nothing but contact info - the prison's address, phone number, and warden's name - in our sticky for this facility.

What we would LIKE to have for this facility someday soon is something along the lines of this sticky for St. Clair:

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182547

... especially specifically:

- Visitation Hours (or a general idea of how their schedule runs)

- Visitation Rules (especially if there are some major differences from what you see there at St. Clair)

- Whether or not they have a segregation unit ("the hole")

- Rules for inbound and outbound mail (limits on pages of letter, envelopes, pics, etc., and how mail to the inmate should be addressed)

- What can be sent in or out through the mail (especially books, paper, envelopes, pens, etc.)

- Can they have stamps sent in, and how many and how often

- Whether there's any difference in the procedure for sending money orders in

- And any other info you think would be helpful along all these same lines.


Pretty much most of the rest, like general stats about the prison, we have access to, but we could really use your help in getting some information together for this facility much like the one in the link above to St. Clair.

So please let us know if things are pretty much the same at your facility, or if there's differences and what they are. Feel free to just add to this post as needed if you can help!

Thank you!

1st Advice is to go to the Alabama Department of Corrections websaite and click on the Admin Regulations page. There is a list of PDF's that will give you standard rules on visitation(also includes the form the inmate fills out), mailing items, inmate phone usuage (also includes information inmate is required to fill out), ect. These forms will help you get the information together for the inmate and ready to pass on when contacts you. My advice, print these out and get the information, complete the forms and mail it to him asap.

VISITATION SCHEDULE:
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 8AM TO 1PM
***Visitation is set up according to inmates last name for every other Saturday or Sunday.
Visitors must check in no later than 11am the assigned date in order to see an inmate.
Vistor must be on approved list in order to visit. (The inmate is responsible for placing vistors on the list. Only eight vistors can be listed.)


As far as the way the do visitation at Bibb:
The inamte can have up to four approved visitors with them at one time.
If you go in together as a group to visit you must leave together. The guards get upset if you try to leave before the rest of your group is ready to go.

You are searched prior to entry. Clothes, shoes, socks, everything!
No solid white clothes. No jewlery. No headbands. Nothing in your pocket...Not even chewing gum for those of you who will not be able to smoke while you are there that smoke. Read the attached link on visitation rules because they all apply at Bibb.
You cannot take anything in with you. No food, ect.


I will admit that by the first weekend that came up after my sweetheart was sent to Bibb, our list was approved and we were able to visit. He was there less than two weeks after being transferred to Bibb before we were able to see him.
Be sure you prepare yourself emotionally,mentally, and spiritually before you visit. It was almost five weeks from the last time I had seen my sweetheart before I was able to see him. That was the time it took for Kilby to classify him and send him to Bibb and for the visitation to get approved at Bibb. So, after transfer from County Jail look to about a five week wait for visitation. County Jail was talking thru a plastic window for over eight weeks, once a week, for thirty minutes.

Prior to him going to Kilby from County I accessed the Alabama Department of Corrections website. I filled out the form with everyones information on it and mailed it to him at the County Facility where he was being held. This expedited things for him when he arrived at Bibb. HE had all the information ready for them.
Our phone list was approved the day after he arrived so it was less than 48 hours between phone calls during the transfer process.
It really helps to get the inmates the information they need prior to transfer to permanent party facility.

Mailing Items:
I have been able to send in personalized stationary, self addressed envelopes, and stamps(usually a book of 20 every two or three weeks), cards, photos, and lengthy letters. I have sent in manilia envelopes for him to organize his paperwork and mail in as well. I do not believe they will accept pens or pencils or anything of that nature. I have been told that you cannot send books or anything like that to them. I haven't tried.
I was told we would recieve a list of items that we are allowed to buy for him and send before summer that will be detailed out for us. For example, white shorts, tennis shoes, t shirts, boxers, and other items they will need for warmer weather. We can only do this when we recieve the list of items and they will check each item and either approve it or throw it away. I do not have details on that yet but will share as soon as I do.
Sending Moneyto Inmate Account:
The best way and cheapest way to send money and the quickest way to get money to them is through Western Union. It cost $8.95 to send it online. It usually posts to thier commissary account within 24 hours. If you send a money order it could take days or weeks to be processed.
****Special Note: It takes time for money to transfer from one facility to the other. If the one you love is moved from another facility you will need to send money right a way. They tell you that the money transfers from the other facilities on the 15th and the 1st of the month after you are transferred. This is not so. It can take longer than that. Be sure you send money as soon as they transfer!
For Western Union Online you must have a debit or credit card.
Make Sure you have the AIS # handy, your credit card, an email address for them to send your confirmation number to.
western union. com----It will not let me send the link in this post!


Once you select a country for the Sending Money from it will take you to the next page.
Go to the tabs at the tops of the webpage and select the one that says CONSUMER.
On the page that comes up you will want to go to the left hand side chose PAYMENT SERVICES, then select INMATE PAYMENTS ONLINE.
Send Quick Collect Online will appear. Just click the link that says Send Online Now.
You will put in the state you are sending the money from and also click the box for Correctional Facility. For Bibb it is the Alabama Department of Corrections. Once you enter in your credit card information, email address, set up password and all that jazz you will be taken to a screen that you will need to put the AIS# followed by inmates last name. The Attention block should be the inmates first and last name. If you do not get a confirmation reciept at the end, the transaction did not go through. Sometimes the website gets busy and you will get a T999 message. Once you have gotten this set up and do it the first time it is very simple and easy to send the money after that.

This is all I have time to send in right now but I will send more information in another response. I hope someone finds this information useful. I found this website last night and these are some things I wish I would have known before my sweetheart was transferred.

Thank you so much for making me aware of some of these things. i already knew about the alabama correction website and all the forms, and the western union. Frontlinelady my question to you is I get paid on thursday and the money will not hit my bank card until friday morning will that be too late to do a western union to him? He was just moved from Kilby to bibb monday! also when they saw no white clothing, does that mean bras too?

The money will post whether he gets the reciept or not when you send it Western Union. If he was to go to the canteen, the money will be there on Friday if you send it Thursday. I will be doing the same things today since I still haven't found out why the money from KIlby hasn't transferred.
As far as the bra. You can wear a white bra. The main thing they are looking for is the outerwear when it comes to the white. I was able to get in with white tennis shoes but I wore a zip up sweat jacket and jeans last visitation with a white v neck tshirt and they made me go change my white t shirt so keep that in mind. If the white clothing is visible you will have to change before they let you in. By the way, have his AIS # ready when you walk in the door. Also, there are restrooms in the visitation area but you cannot use them. If you drink too much and have to go to the restroom you will have to get a pass from the CO and go back out to the main entry and then be searched agian. (That takes away from your visitation time.) I don't think I mentioned the car search or the debit card either for the vending machines. The guys really love thier snacks so make sure you have a $20 and a single on you so you can buy the card to get him snacks. They search your car upon entry so there will be a line before you turn into the prison. Just get in line behind the cars that are waiting. They line us up and then take us to the back of the building where we go in. Hopefully thta helped you. If you need anything else I am here.