5-15-010 Public Visiting

Ex-felons/Parolees and Recently Released Inmates

• Ex-felons/Parolees may visit an inmate at Twin Towers Correctional Facility with a letter of approval from the Unit Commander.  The letter shall be presented to the visiting staff when the visiting pass is submitted.
• Regardless of their date of release, anyone requesting a visit who has been incarcerated in the Los Angeles County jail system, shall not be denied visitation privileges.

Identification                                                

All persons requesting visitation privileges, except for minors, must present an authentic, current, and valid photo identification which includes any of the following:

• State Driver’s License                                
• State Identification Card
• Interim Driver’s License only when accompanied by a scanned photo issued by the California DMV
• Military Identification
• Passport                               
• Resident Alien Identification Card
• Identification Card issued by any Country Consulate’s Office
• School ID for anyone appearing to be 18 years old but representing themselves as a minor.
• Damage/ altered/ expired identification cards are not accepted.

Visitors who fail to present any of the above identification shall not be allowed access into the visiting areas.  Disputes shall be resolved by the visiting supervisor.  The visiting staff shall conduct a records check via JDIC/CLETS to verify a visitor=s identity prior to allowing them into the visiting areas if doubt exists about the validity of the identification.

Procedures for Visitors

• People named on a visiting appointment requesting a visit with an inmate must be present, at the time of check-in, in order for the visiting staff to verify each visitor’s identification.

• If the visitor does not check in at a minimum of 30 minutes prior to their appointment, the visit shall be documented as a “no show” resulting in a canceled visit and the visit shall be counted toward the inmate’s two visits allotment (two visits per week).

• To ensure the expeditious process of searching all visitors for contraband, visitors shall secure all personal property, except for an identification card and a locker key or a single vehicle key, prior to passing through the metal detectors.

Personal property includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Purses/wallets/fanny packs                                                                      
• Backpacks/briefcases/bags
• Keys/paper currency/metal currency
• Electronic items
• Food/tobacco items
• Literature/pictures/letters
• Writing instruments
• Small containers, i.e., lipstick, lipbalm
• No head gear, i.e., hats, beanies, do-rags
• Sunglasses (unless prescribed)  

Search of Visitors

• All visitors are subject to search at any time while on the jail grounds or inside the jail facility.                                                           
• Visitors are required to pass through a metal detector and may be required to submit to a pat down search prior to entering the visiting area.
• Visitors with a pacemaker are exempt from going through a metal detector but are required to submit to a pat down search.
• Visitors refusing to be searched may be searched regardless.   If no contraband is found, the visitor shall be denied a visit and be escorted off the facility.  Searching guidelines shall be based on applicable statutory and case law.

INMATE REQUIREMENTS

General Guidelines

• Inmates have the right to refuse a visit.  When an inmate exercises this right, the visiting pass shall reflect this by having REFUSED written on it.  The refused visit shall not be counted toward the two-visit allotment.
• Inmates requesting to restrict a visitor(s) shall submit a written request to the visiting supervisor for such removal.
• Inmates on pre-discipline status, but housed in discipline modules, shall be allowed to receive public visits.  Inmates on discipline status shall not receive public visits.
• Inmates shall not receive visits during their work hours. Inmate workers shall inform their visitors to visit them when they are not assigned to work.
• Inmates who respond late shall be allowed to receive only the remainder of the 30-minute visit.  Inmates who fail to respond shall have their visit canceled.
• Inmates shall be properly dressed in their issued L. A. County jail clothing when going to or coming from a visit.
• Every inmate in the visiting area shall be handcuffed to a single-cuff chain attached to each stool.  Custody personnel shall ensure each inmate is securely handcuffed to the chain.  This requirement also applies to inmates in the handicap visiting area and the attorney room.
• 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.

Cancellation of Visits                                        

Visiting privileges may be changed or canceled at any time as circumstances warrant.  These may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Medical/Mental Health staff clearance is not issued.
• An inmate is on restricted status.
• Security conditions of the facility preclude visiting for a temporary period of time.
• Visitors/inmates engage in any inappropriate behavior.
• Visitors refuse to be searched.
• Visitors who disrupt the visiting process in any manner.
• Visitors shall not be allowed on county grounds or in the visiting area under the   influence of drugs or alcohol.

VISITING STAFF REQUIREMENTS

General Guidelines

• The visiting staff shall ensure that all visitors pass through the metal detector and conduct pat down searches, if necessary, immediately prior to the start of each visiting session.
• The visiting staff shall send a group of visitors only when all modules are ready to receive visits.  This is to avoid having to track multiple visiting sessions with different starting and ending times.  It is the visiting staff’s responsibility to track the duration of each visiting session and to instruct each module when to end each visiting session.

Security Checks

The visiting staff shall conduct a security check of the lobby and each visiting floor:

• At the beginning of the shift prior to opening for business;
• During visiting hours after each group is finished with their visiting session;
• At the end of the shift after all visitors have vacated the facility.
• As needed.

• A security check shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

• • Maintain a visual check of all visitors inside and around the visiting lobby;
  • Make sure visitors are on the floor visiting the inmate they stated on the pass at the beginning of the session;
  • Make sure all doors and sally ports in the visiting area are secure;
  • Note any non-working lights or inoperable visiting phones;
  • Make sure all visitors clear the visiting floor after each session;
  • Make sure visitors and inmates do not engage in activity that violates any laws, TTCF rules or the visiting policy;
  • Check and clear the restrooms and lockers at the end of the visiting day.

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 not speak in a loud or boisterous manner or use abusive language to Sheriff’s Department personnel and/or to other visitors.
• Visitors shall follow directives given by Department personnel to end the visiting session and to return to the visiting lobby.
• Visitors are to visit only with the inmate named on the pass they submitted for that session.  Visitors who visit with another inmate not named on their visiting pass, or visit with other visitors shall have their visit canceled and be escorted off the jail facility.
• Visitors shall not engage in any activity that violates the security of the facility or threatens the safety of Department personnel or inmates.Smoking is prohibited inside the facility.
• Cameras, recording devices, radios, and all electronic devices are prohibited within the visiting areas.
• No weapons shall be brought onto jail grounds.
• 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 violation to arrest.
• Visitors shall not behave in a way that creates a disturbance.
• Visitors shall not engage in lewd conduct or indecent exposure.
• Parents/guardians must maintain immediate control of the children.
• Food and beverages are not permitted in the visiting area.
• The use of gang colors, signs, language, or any gang paraphernalia used to show gang affiliation is prohibited.

GUIDELINES FOR TERMINATION OF VISITING PRIVILEGES       

• Minor offenses such as littering, smoking in the lobby, lewd conduct, and arguments with other visitors/staff shall result in the termination of the visiting privileges for that day, up to one week. Two offenses in a 30 day period shall result in the loss of visiting privileges for one week to 30 days.

• Offenses such as fighting, defacing county property or insubordination towards staff, shall result in termination of the visiting privilege for two weeks. Two violations in a 30 day period will result in a loss of visiting privileges for 30 days.
• Major offenses, such as attempting to bring narcotics or weapons into the facility, or other felonies, shall result in the loss of visiting privileges determined by the Watch Commander.

• Termination of visiting privileges for one week shall require the Watch Commander=s approval.  Termination of visiting privileges longer than one week shall require the Unit Commander’s approval.
• All terminations of visiting privileges shall be logged in the Visiting Log Book by the Visiting Supervisor or his designee.

DISABLED VISITORS

The visiting staff shall make every effort to assist those visitors who require accommodation due to some disability.

LOST ITEMS

The Tower I and Tower II visiting lobbies shall have a designated temporary storage area located in the visiting office of each tower for lost items (of no value) to be placed in.  The temporary storage area shall be purged on a weekly basis.  Unclaimed items shall be either discarded or entered as found property as determined by the Visiting Senior.

Found items of value shall be logged into storage as Found Property accompanied by a SH-R-49.  These reports shall be completed by the visiting staff