What is considered a special visit?

Special Visits by persons whose names are not on an offender’s approved visiting list may be authorized by the Administrative Head. Other special or extended visiting privileges may be approved by the Administrative Head or Executive Director.

Special or extended visits between offenders and their families may be granted for reasons such as:

Requests for an initial visit prior to background verification for visiting approval.
When the visitor(s) has traveled out of state and/or a long distance; and/or,
When a special visit is determined by the Administrative Head or designee to be in the best interest of the offender’s rehabilitative needs or correctional goals.

The number of visitors an offender may receive and the length of visits may be limited only by the facility’s schedule, space, and personnel constraints. The intended visitor must complete a Visitor Application and return the completed, signed form to the facility where the offender is housed. Incomplete applications may be rejected.

Minors must be listed on the application of the legal guardian or immediate family member that will accompany the minor on the visit. Minor children must be named on the Visitor Application, but will not be counted toward the twelve (12) approved visitors.

The Administrative Head is the assigned authority to approve, deny, or delete names of visitors on visiting lists. An offender’s visiting list shall be subject to the following restrictions:

• No person will be allowed to socially visit more than one (1) offender unless the person is a member of the immediate family of each offender being visited.
• Approval for a person to change from the visiting list of one offender to another offender will only be considered if the visitor applicant has been placed on inactive status with the original party for a period of at least one (1) year.
• Any person representing any potential health hazards to offenders, staff or other visitors will not be approved for visits, until the health hazard is cured (i.e., communicable disease). Staff medical practitioners will render final decisions in such matters.
• Any other person(s) who have become acquainted with an offender in any manner during the course of the offender’s incarceration WILL NOT be allowed to visit.
• When an offender transfers to another public facility the approved visitors list will be honored at the new facility.
• Persons, including immediate family members, who are on active parole, probation or other forms of conditional release, e.g., community programs, furloughs from custody, etc., or who have a felony record within the past three (3) years, will not ordinarily be approved for visits.
• Any victim of the offender who wishes to visit the offender must submit such request in writing to the Administrative Head seeking authorization to visit. The Administrative Head will respond to the victim indicating the decision within thirty (30) days from the receipt of such letter.
• If it is determined that an individual is likely to have a detrimental effect on the offender, or present a security threat, he/she will not be approved for visits.
• All visitors under age 18 must be listed on the Visitor Application (DC Form 300-01A) and be accompanied by at least one adult who is identified as legal guardian or immediate family member authorized to accompany those specific minors listed on their application. Exceptions will be made for emancipated minors.
• The approved visitor application and subsequent changes will be entered into the Department of Corrections Information System (DCIS) visiting computer system for system-wide utilization and access during the course of the offender’s incarceration.
• An approval to visit an offender may be revoked when information which would have resulted in denial of visits becomes known after an approval to visit has been granted. Revocation and/or suspension of visits may be ordered by the Administrative Head for any activity or event occurring subsequent to the approval for visits (See Section IV.L.). All revocations and/or suspensions with beginning and ending dates will be entered into the DCIS visiting computer system.
• An official valid document with the visitor’s photograph secured thereupon (driver’s license, student identification card, etc.) is necessary to establish visitor identification.
• An individual who is listed on the approved visitor list, but has never visited that person for one (1) year will be placed on inactive visitor status in the DCIS visiting computer system. Information Systems staff will automatically review visitor status quarterly. The visitor must re-apply and have a background clearance completed prior to being reactivated as a visitor.

Offenders and their visitors are accountable to conduct themselves in such a manner as to not bring suspicion nor discredit upon themselves or be disruptive or offend the sensibilities of other visitors. Visitors and offenders are required to obey all staff instructions and to comply with all Administrative Regulations.

Contact

A short embrace and appropriate closed mouth kiss may be permitted at the beginning and at the end of each visit. During visits, offenders may hold hands with their visitor. Visiting conditions will permit informal communication and reasonable levels of physical contact between offender and visitors. In instances of substantiated security risks, the Administrative Head may establish non-contact visiting areas. Body contacts between offenders and visitors other than these will not be permitted.

Children and Minors

It is the responsibility of visitors to supervise and maintain control over their minor children. Any physical discipline of such minor children deemed necessary cannot occur on correctional facility property. If a minor becomes disruptive during a visit and is not controlled by verbal instruction from the supervising visitor, the visit will be terminated. Breast-feeding of infants is only allowed in the designated area noted in the facility Operational Memorandum.

Clothing Standards

• Visitors are not to wear any garment which exposes cleavage, back, stomach, midriff, and/or underarm.
• The only jewelry or adornment visitors will be permitted to wear into the visiting area is a wedding ring set, one religious necklace pendant, and medical alert badges. Medicine bags are not allowed.  Dermal jewelry implants that cannot be removed by the visitor will be allowed.
• No controversial/objectionable gang, obscene, drug and alcohol designs, messages or profanity on clothing.
• Hair extensions and/or wigs will be permitted but are subject to search in a respectful and appropriate manner. Hair  extensions which are attached to the hair with a clip or comb will not be allowed. Only hair accessories which are soft in  nature will be permitted to be worn inside the visiting area.
• No top or bottom clothing which is solid green or solid orange.
• Shoes are required. Infants are not required to wear shoes until such time as they can walk.  Infants and toddlers who are able to walk must wear shoes at all times during the visit. Minors are allowed to wear shoes that display lights.
• Appropriate undergarments are required, and will not be visible.
• Clothing which is sheer or transparent will only be permitted if non-transparent articles are worn beneath and no undergarments (bra or underwear) are visible. Clothing that contains holes and/or rips will not be permitted.
• Outer garments worn on the bottom half of the body must be no shorter than the knee while standing.
• Any clothing worn on the top half of the body must have sleeves and not expose the cleavage line at any time while standing, sitting and/or bending down.
• Trousers will be worn in the manner intended (no sagging).
• Wrap-around clothing will not be allowed.
• Visitors are not to wear hats into the visiting area, except for religious hats or headgear. Gloves, scarves, or outer garments, such as topcoats, raincoats, jackets, and similar inclement weather attire will not be permitted within the visiting area. No hooded garments will be allowed in the visiting area.
• If a pull over, zipper, or button up sweater is worn, it shall be worn at all times inside the visiting area.  A garment is required to be worn underneath the sweater within the guidelines of this policy
• Leggings and jeggings may only be worn under outer garments that must be no shorter than the knee while standing.

In facilities where restrooms are provided within the visiting area, the use of restrooms will be established by the facility Administrative Head and posted for visitor’s information. Times will be posted as well as reflected in the facility Operational Memorandum.

Other than items from available vending machines, visitors shall not exchange any object nor article with an offender. Only those items approved by facility Operational Memoranda will be allowed into the visiting area.

The DOC will assume no responsibility for items lost, stolen or left in or around the visiting area or on DOC grounds. If an offender is found to be in possession of or use of contraband, either during or following a visit, it will be assumed that the contraband was introduced by the visitor(s) and the contraband will become reasonable suspicion for revocation or suspension of visiting privileges for that visitor(s).

Please be advised: Unforeseen security problems may interfere with visiting, causing delayed, shortened, suspended or cancelled visits. This is unusual, but it does occasionally occur. Whenever possible, notice of such events will be posted on this website on the homepage under “What’s New”

The Colorado Department of Corrections is committed to ensuring equal access to and full participation in services and programs for qualified individuals with disabilities, including visitors. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an important part of our culture and we are committed to provide reasonable accommodations when needed without causing undue hardship to the Colorado Department of Corrections.