R251-706. Inmate Visiting, R251. Corrections, Administration, Utah Administrative Code

Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019)

R251. Corrections, Administration

R251-706. Inmate Visiting

R251-706-1. Authority and Purpose

Latest version.

(1) This rule is authorized by Sections 63G-3-201, 64-13-10 and 64-13-17, of the Utah Code.

(2) The purpose of this rule is to provide the Department's policies, procedures and requirements for inmate visitation at the Division of Prison Operations.

R251-706-2. Definitions

Latest version.

(1) "abusive" means insulting or harmful.

(2) "adult" means anyone eighteen years of age or older.

(3) "approved adult" means an individual eighteen years of age or older, cleared through background checks and approved by the facility visiting staff to visit an inmate.

(4) "approved visitor" means an individual cleared through BCI and approved by the facility visiting staff to visit an inmate.

(5) "barrier visit" means a non-contact visit where the visitor and inmate are separated by glazing, screen, or other partition.

(6) "BCI" means Bureau of Criminal Identification.

(7) "contraband, illegal" means any item in the possession of an inmate or visitor which violates a federal or state law.

(8) "contraband, nuisance" means any item in the possession of an inmate or visitor which does not violate a federal or state law but does violate a prison policy.

(9) "DPO" means Division of Prison Operations.

(10) "DMV" means Department of Motor Vehicles.

(11) "emergency visit" means visit occasioned by a verifiable emergency, such as serious illness, accident, or death of an inmate's immediate family member.

(12) "foul" means offensive to the senses; vulgar.

(13) "immediate family" means spouse, children, stepchildren, mother, father, brother, sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, step-mother, step-father, step-brother, step-sister, half-brother, half-sister, grandmother, grandfather and grandchildren.

(14) "inmate visiting request form" means a form given to inmates during the Reception and Orientation process or at a later time to add persons to their approved visitor lists.

(15) "Minor" means any person under the age of 18 years old.

(16) "NCIC" means National Crime Information Center.

(17) "NLETS" means National Law Enforcement Teletype System.

(18) "OMR" means Offender Management Review team.

(19) "positive identification" means document containing a photograph and date of birth, including but not limited to a valid driver's license, federal or state identification card, military identification or passport; does not include credit cards, social security card, employment card, or student identification card.

(20) "R and O" means reception and orientation process for new inmates and parole violators committed to the institution.

(21) "special visits" means visits authorized by the warden/designee for circumstances other than normal visiting procedures.

(22) "UDC" means Utah Department of Corrections.

(23) "Uinta" means housing unit for maximum security inmates.

(24) "USP" means Utah State Prison, including Draper and CUCF.

(25) "visit" means a short meeting with an approved visitor; a privilege, not a right, afforded to inmates/visitors at the Utah State Prison.

(26) "visitor's consent form" means a form given to an approved visitor requiring the visitor's signature indicating that the visitor has received, understands, and shall adhere to the visitor rules.

R251-706-3. Visiting Policies

Latest version.

(1) Visitors shall complete a visitor's consent form prior to the initial visit.

(2) Visitors shall receive a copy of the visitor rules and regulations which are distributed at the time of the initial visit. Prior to the first visit, visitors shall read the rules and regulations and shall sign that they understand and will comply with the visiting rules.

(3) Any employee, contractor, volunteer or student who has terminated employment or services with the Department may not be cleared for visits until one year has elapsed from the time of termination of employment or services.

(4) Visitors are to be appropriately attired per staff discretion (i.e. modest attire, no gang-affiliated attire or accessories, etc.).

(5) Upon reasonable suspicion, visitors shall be subject to search, and visitation may be denied for failure to submit to the search request.

(6) Prior to entering the Utah State Prison visiting room, visitors may be screened with a metal detector.

(7) If contraband is discovered, the duty officer shall be notified, and:

(a) visitors attempting to introduce nuisance contraband, which is in violation of DPO policies and procedures, onto prison property may have their visiting privileges suspended, restricted or revoked; or

(b) visitors attempting to introduce illegal contraband onto prison property may be subject to criminal prosecution and suspension of visiting privileges.

(8) Visitors shall not be permitted to bring pets or other animals, except for seeing-eye dogs, onto prison property.

(9) Food items from outside the prison shall not be allowed.

(10) Visits should not exceed two hours. Visiting hours may be reduced or extended on any day based on facility visiting conditions or special holiday schedules. On special visits, conditions including the length of the visit are approved based on an assessment of the request and capabilities of the facility.

(11) Personal property such as purses, wallets, keys, blankets, coats and sweaters worn as outer garments, and money (except for vending machine change in facilities which allow them) are not allowed in the visiting room.

(12) Visitors with babies may bring into the visiting area infant care items that are reasonably needed during the visit. Staff shall accommodate personal need items that do not present a threat to the safety and security of the inmates, staff, and the institution.

(13) The UDC shall not be responsible for loss of personal property. Visitors may secure items in UDC lockers where available.

(14) Visitors shall not be permitted to visit during any scheduled visiting period if less than 30 minutes remain in the visiting period.

R251-706-4. Uinta Visiting

Latest version.

Visitors to the Uinta facility may be required to have additional clearances by the warden/designee or unit manager, prior to visiting the facility.

R251-706-5. Processing Visiting Application

Latest version.

(1) A visiting application shall be completed by inmates who wish to have a visitor. It is the inmate's responsibility to ensure that the visiting application information is complete and approved by facility visiting staff prior to the first visit.

(2) Visiting applications shall be checked by facility visiting staff through BCI, NLETS, DMV and local wants and warrants prior to the applicant being considered for visitation privileges.

(3) Visiting applications shall be denied by the captain/designee if there is reason to believe that visits would jeopardize the safety, security, management or control of the Institution.

(4) Applications may be denied when an extensive or recent history of criminal activity exists, or the visitor has:

(a) transported contraband into or out of a correctional facility;

(b) aided or attempted to aid in an escape from a jail or correctional facility;

(d) been under the supervision of UDC for a felony offense.

(5) Visiting application denials may be challenged by visitor applicants through the deputy warden/designee. If the visitor applicant is not satisfied with the deputy warden/designee decision, a second appeal may be made to the warden/designee.

(6) Except for spouses, visitors under 18 years of age shall be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian on the inmate's approved visiting list.

(7) Visitors 16 years of age and older shall present positive identification prior to being permitted to visit.

(8) An individual may not be on more than one inmate's visiting list unless that individual is a member of the immediate family of all inmates involved and is approved as a visitor by the warden/designee.

(9) Adoptions, marriages, or other methods of claiming legal relationships, performed for the purpose of circumventing existing visiting policies shall be considered invalid.

(10) Visitors may have their names removed from any visiting list by sending a written request to the facility visiting staff.

(11) Visitors removed from a visiting list at the written request of an inmate or visitor shall not be reinstated for a 90-day period without prior approval of the facility visiting staff.

(12) Except for members of the inmate's immediate family, only one single adult visitor of the opposite sex shall be permitted to be on the visiting list of any one inmate at any given time.

(13) Divorced visitors shall provide proof of divorce to the facility visiting staff before being allowed to visit an inmate of the opposite sex.

(14) Except for members of the inmate's immediate family, married persons visiting inmates of the opposite sex shall be accompanied by one or more of the following, who shall remain with the visitor for the duration of the visit:

(a) visitor's spouse who is on approved visiting list;

(b) inmate's spouse;

(d) other persons approved by the facility visiting staff.

R251-706-6. Visitor Suspensions

Latest version.

(1) A visit may be suspended, restricted or revoked for dress code violation, foul and abusive language/conduct, or refusal to comply with DPO policies or procedures, or when necessary to meet safety, security, management or control requirements of the Utah State Prison.

(2) The facility visiting staff may suspend, restrict or revoke visits if the behavior of the visitor or inmate jeopardizes the safety, security, management or control of the institution.

(3) If a visit is suspended, restricted, or revoked the facility visiting staff shall document the action by providing notification of the rules infraction to the inmate, visitor, inmate's OMR, and duty officer. The inmate's OMR may review the documentation and make decisions regarding visiting to the visiting staff members for modification of the suspension, restriction, or revocation. The inmate may appeal suspensions, restrictions, or revocations by submitting a written request to the warden/designee.

(4) Visiting privileges may be permanently revoked or altered as follows:

(a) visitors who bring drugs into the institution may be permanently barred from visiting; and

(b) inmates guilty of attempting to introduce drugs, weapons or contraband money to the institution through the visiting process may be placed on barrier visits.

(5) Barrier visits may be required for inmates when:

(a) visitors have not been in compliance with visiting regulations on prior occasions and have been warned or required to leave the visiting area;

(b) inmates are classified as Level 1 or 2;

(d) inmates have been convicted of disciplinary infraction A13 (Possession, introduction or use of any unauthorized intoxicants, unauthorized drugs or drug paraphernalia, positive urinalysis, breath analysis, blood test, or refusal to submit to the same; or

(e) inmate or visitor behavior, or a recent history of behavior is a threat to the safety and security of the inmates, visitors, staff and the institution.

R251-706-7. Sex Offender Visiting

Latest version.

(1) Inmates identified as sex offenders by R and O or visiting staff members may be restricted from visits with minors as follows:

(a) inmates shall not visit with minors identified as the victim of the inmate;

(b) inmates with a documented history of sexual misconduct with a child under the age of 18 years shall not visit with any minor while incarcerated;

(c) court orders or Board of Pardons and Parole orders regarding contact or non-contact between inmates and minors will be enforced;

(d) inmates may appeal visiting restrictions with minors by written appeal to the warden/designee; or

(e) visits between inmates and minors for therapeutic or clinical reasons may be approved on an individual visit basis by the warden/designee.

R251-706-8. Special Visits

Latest version.

Requests for special visits or emergency visits from individuals not on an approved visiting list may be approved or denied for reasonable cause by the warden/designee.