PURPOSE OF ORDER:
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for contact visits with the Forensic In-Patient (FIP) Step Down Merit Master Inmates at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility (TTCF).
SCOPE OF ORDER:
This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to and/or working in any capacity at the TTCF.
ORDER:
Non-barrier contact visitations shall only be conducted in the interim room in Module [REDACTED TEXT]. Contact visitations shall be limited to the FIP Step Down Merit Master Inmates housed at the TTCF.
Contact Visiting Hours:
Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday: 0700 – 1230 hours; 1430 – 1600 hours
The duration for visits shall be 30 minutes and shall be scheduled in advance to accommodate each Merit Master during the designated hours of operation.
NOTE: Contact visitations shall be closed between the hours of 1300 to 1400 to allow for shift change and count without interruptions. The last visiting request for the day shall be scheduled no later than 1530 hours.
Contact Visiting Schedule
Contact visits will be granted once a month on Professional Visiting days.
Contact visits shall be pre-scheduled by the TTCF Visiting Unit. The Merit Master Inmates shall provide a list of potential visitors to the FIP Step Down deputies. The list of potential visitors shall be sent to the TTCF Visiting Unit for review. After reviewing the list of visitors and approving them, the TTCF Visiting Unit shall contact the visitors and schedule a visiting date.
A maximum of one adult and one child are allowed to participate in a contact visit.
Each visit shall be staggered so no more than one visit occurs at any given time. The contact visiting schedule shall be provided to the Merit Master visitors by the Visiting Unit’s supervising line deputy on a monthly basis. The Visiting Unit’s supervising line deputy shall also maintain a current list of approved visitors.
“Walk-in” or un-scheduled contact visits are prohibited.
The TTCF Visiting Unit will work with the TTCF Legal Unit to prevent any conflict between contact visits, and attorney or professional visits.
The Merit Master Inmates are still eligible to receive their two weekly visits per Title 15 Section 1062, “Visiting.”
Contact Visitor Requirements
- Visitors must meet the TTCF’s COVID-19 guidelines established by the Los Angeles County Health Department and Center for Disease Control.
- Face masks are required prior to entering TTCF, and shall be worn at all times.
- Visitors must be fully vaccinated, provide a negative COVID-19 test (within 72 hours before visit), or show proof of having had COVID-19 within the last 90 days.
- Each visitor shall sign the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Visitation and Civil Claims Release form prior to entry.
- Juveniles under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and sign waiver on their behalf.
- Visitors must be in compliance with the dress code established for the contact visit.
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- The following attire is prohibited: loose or tight-fitting clothing, extra layers, and/or bulky jackets outside of inclement weather, revealing or provocative clothing, open toed shoes, high-heel/pumps, and bras with metal underwire*, or gang-related attire.
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- *Bras with metal underwire may cause metal detectors and detection wands to sounds, indicating the visitors in possession of weapons or other contraband.
- Contact visitors will be limited to the Merit Masters’ parent(s), grandparent(s), spouses/fiancé, and/or children.
Identification
- Each visitor’s names will be provided to visiting personnel,and have prior clearance/approval for the contact visit.
- Each visitor shall be screened via the Justice Data Interface Controller (JDIC) for wants, warrants, restraining orders against the inmate, and outstanding tickets for initial approval, and once again upon arrival for the scheduled visit.
- Visitors with wants or warrants, restraining orders against the inmate and/or outstanding tickets will not be allowed to participate in the visit.
All visitors entering the TTCF, excluding minors, must present an authentic, current, and valid photo identification, including but not limited to:
- State driver’s License
- State identification card
- Interim driver’s license only, when accompanied by a scanned photo issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Military Identification
- Passport
- Alien Registration Card (ARC)
- Identification Card issued by any Country Consulate’s Office
- School identification for anyone appearing to be 18 years old, but representing themselves as a minor.
- Damaged/altered/expired identification cards are not accepted.
Procedures for Visitors
- Persons named on a visiting appointment requesting a visit with an inmate must be present, at least 30 minutes prior to their appointment, otherwise the visit shall be documented as a “no show” resulting in a canceled visit. The canceled visit shall be counted toward the Merit Master Inmate’s one contact visit for the month.
- Prior to entry, all visitors shall exchange their personal mask, disposable or reusable, for a disposable mask provided by the TTCF visiting personnel. Any visitor with a reusable mask shall secure their mask in a locker with any personal items prior to entry.
- Visitors shall submit to a pat down search and are required to pass through a metal detector prior to being escorted into Module [REDACTED TEXT].
- Visitors with a pacemaker are exempt from going through a metal detector, but are still required to submit to a pat down search.
- Visitors refusing to be searched shall be denied their visit and be escorted out of the facility. The visitor may still be searched prior to being escorted out of the facility. If contraband is found, the visitor may be charged with violation of penal code 4573.5.
- Visitors may make minimal physical contact (limited to a hug or handshake) with the Merit Master Inmate at the beginning and end of the visit.
Visiting Area Rules
Any violation of the following rules may result in the visitor’s removal from the facility and the cancellation of visiting privileges:
- Visitors shall follow directives given by Department personnel.
- Visitors shall not engage in any activity that may violate the security of the facility or threaten the safety of Department personnel or inmates.
- Cameras, recording devices, radios, and all electronic devices are prohibited within the visiting areas.
- The use, possession of, or evidence of being under the influence of any alcoholic beverage, illegal drug, narcotic or other substance shall not be allowed in the facility and will subject the visitor to arrest.
- Visitors shall not engage in lewd conduct or indecent exposure.
- Parent/guardian must maintain control of their child in the visiting area.
- The use of gang colors, signs, language, or any gang paraphernalia used to show gang affiliation is prohibited.
Individuals cleared for contact visits must comply with all rules. Violation(s) will result in the visitor being banned from further contact visits.
Convicted/Parolees and Persons on Probation
- Persons previously convicted of a felony, parolees, and/or persons on probation shall re prior approval, in writing, from the Division chief or their designee to participate in contact visits.
- Anyone requesting a visit who has been incarcerated in the Los Angeles County jail system, shall not be denied visitation privileges based on their previous incarceration status.
Inmate Requirements
- Inmates have the right to refuse a visit. The inmate’s refusal shall be documented in the Inmate Video Visitation System and the electronic Uniform Daily Activity Logs (e-UDAL).
- Inmates shall be properly dressed in their issued Los Angeles County jail clothing when going to or coming from a visit.
- Inmates shall obey all facility rules and regulations. Any violation of the jail rules shall result in the termination of the inmate’s visit as well as disciplinary action.
- Inmates shall not engage in any lewd conduct or indecent exposure.
Procedures for Merit Master Inmates
- Module [REDACTED TEXT] floor personnel shall conduct a strip search of the Merit Master Inmates prior to escorting them to the [REDACTED TEXT] interim room. The Merit Master Inmates shall also be stripped searched upon completion of the visit to ensure no contraband was passed into the facility.
Cancellation of Visits
Visits may be cancelled if:
- Visitor(s)/inmate engage in any inappropriate behavior
- Visitor(s)/inmate refuse to be searched
- Contraband is found on the visitor/inmate
- Visitor(s)/inmate who disrupt the visiting process in any manner
- Visitor(s) shall not enter the facility under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- An inmate is on restricted status (Covid-19 related quarantine/discipline)
- Security conditions of the facility
Department Personnel Responsibilities
- The Visiting Unit shall ensure all contact visitors have been searched for contraband prior to entering Module [REDACTED TEXT].
- The Visiting Deputy shall escort the contact visitor into Module [REDACTED TEXT].
- Module [REDACTED TEXT] floor personnel shall escort the Merit Master Inmates to Module [REDACTED TEXT], and shall assist with monitoring the 30 minute visit.
- Module [REDACTED TEXT] floor personnel shall secure all inmates housed in Module [REDACTED TEXT] until the completion of the contact visits.
- If additional deputy personnel are required to provide security and monitor the scheduled contact visits in Module [REDACTED TEXT], the Visiting supervising line deputy and/or the respective floor sergeant shall designate the appropriate security personnel prior to the visit.
- All contact visits shall be documented in the e-UDAL Module [REDACTED TEXT] and Module [REDACTED TEXT] floor personnel.