Visitation Question

[jlove95991]

My hunny will be transfered at the end of the month to prison (we don't know which one yet) to do a 2 year sentence. I was wanting to know how the visiting was in some of the prisons around California. I am new to this whole prison/jail thing. Do you talk over the phone through glass? Can you touch each other?, etc.... Thanks for your comments.

[lovespell]

Well Welcome to PTO! It really just depends on which prison he goes too! After being accepted for visiting him, you will be able to get contact visits! With NO GLASS! Where is he now? Is he at reception yet? Make sure you fill out the visiting form (he has to send it to you) while he is in reception so you can get approved and that follows him wherever he goes, you do not have to fill out another one! During visits, you get to hold hands, hug and kiss hi and goodbye, you both get to eat..you will take in $30 and they have vending machines and you can take a picture, but be sure to ask for a photo ducket before you go in. These are just some of the basics, I am sure once you know where he is...more people on here will be able to help you! Good Luck!

[crstdrvn]

jlove95991,
Just to clarify, when he first goes from county into the prison system he will go to a place where there is a "Reception Center." If he is from Yuba City it will probably be Tracy (DVI). He will be there for a while so they can decide what "level" he is and where to send him to do the rest of his time. When he first gets there, he needs to send you a signed visitor application right away which you fill out and return promptly. It takes a while to get approved, but once approved then you can visit. That approval follows to wherever they might send him after Reception.

While he is in Reception, the visits are behind glass and for one hour only. While in Reception, you will need to make reservations to see him for that one hour behind glass visit.
Also, he will not be able to call you while in Reception, so you will need to send him a package with writing materials right away (envelopes, stamps, pens, paper). There is a list on this site of what to send.

Once he gets where he is going (when he "mainlines") then you can have "contact visits" that last several hours and you can have one hug and kiss at the beginning and end of the visit and can hold hands above the table during the visit. This is where you can bring in $30 to buy food from vending machines and can get your picture taken with him if you buy photo ducats when you first go in.

I have only visited at 2 prisons, Tracy and CSATF. Tracy sucked and had rude and nasty CO's and was very, very dirty. CSATF was clean and the CO's were very polite and respectful.

[cyn4chris]

I am going to visit my son for the first time at Correctional Training Facility in Soledad and was wondering if anyone has any info to share on visitng there; like waiting lines, time to arrive any clues or hints, guards? any information would be helpful. Thanks