Visiting Applications and Rules for Visiting a Delaware Inmate
The department of corrections has acknowledged the importance of inmates maintaining their personal relationships with outsiders during their incarceration. Often times people overlook visitation thinking that talking on the phone is enough, but visitation can play a pivotal role in the inmates rehabilitation and eventual successful reintegration with society. You should try not to feel discouraged about visiting your inmate, and to make it easier and less overwhelming for everyone we have assembled some key information that you will want to know before you visit your inmate in Delaware:
- Anyone wishing to visit an inmate in Delaware must first fill out a Delaware inmate visitors application. The application form is only made available by requesting it through the inmate.
- There are two types of visitation, contact, and non-contact. Contact visitation is usually at a small table where you can sit with the inmate and are allowed a short embrace at the start and finish of the visiting period. Non-contact visits are where you are physically separated from the inmate by a partition, usually glass.
- All visitors, including minors must be on the approved visiting list before visiting.
- Anyone visiting the institution who is over 16 must provide a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, Military ID or passport.
- Minors, or anyone under the age of 16 must bring a birth certificate or photo school ID with them to visitation, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is also on the visiting list for the inmate.
- All visitors are subjected to a search and must pass through a metal detector.
- Some facilities may require you to call and schedule an appointment prior to your visit.
- The number of visitors, duration and frequency of visits will depend on what institution your inmate is incarcerated in.
Some additional information you may want to know when visiting an inmate in Delaware:
- Communicating with any inmate through the fences or any area other than the designated visiting room is not allowed.
- Smoking and tobacco related products are not allowed to enter the facility with you.
- Cell phones, cameras and other electronic items are prohibited from entering into visitation with you. Do not bring items of any kind to give to the inmate.
- All letters, photos, and other papers must be mailed to the inmate and will not be allowed to be passed to the inmate during a visit.
- Only a money order for depositing, a single car key, and your ID may come with you into visitation. Please note: If you are visiting an inmate at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution you are not allowed to bring a money order for deposit into an inmate's account.
Dress Code/Contact Rules for Visiting Delaware Inmates
When visiting an inmate in Delaware you must follow the dress code. Your clothing and behavior is subject to comply with the following guidelines to ensure the safety, security and welfare of everyone in the institution:
- You may only talk to the inmate you are visiting, communication with other visitors and inmates is prohibited.
- Any clothing such as tube tops, tank tops, bathing suits, body suits, low cut, backless, strapless or short/revealing tops are prohibited. Any clothing that exposes excess skin is not allowed.
- Any dresses, skirts, shorts, etc. must not be shorter than two inches above your knee.
- Spandex, and leggings are not allowed to be worn, unless they are worn under a skirt that adheres to the two inch above the knee rule.
- Clothing that is sheer or see-through is not allowed.
- Hats, or any clothing that is worn over the face is not allowed.
- Clothing that has obscene or offensive language or images is prohibited.
- Offensive language, loud conversations, arguments and fighting will be grounds for terminating a visit. Intoxication and or disrespect for any visitors as well as staff will result in your visiting privileges being revoked.
It is up to the staff on duty to interpret and enforce these rules, so what you may wear one week that staff let slide, may not be allowed in when another staff member is working. Because of this we encourage all visitors to bring a change of clothes with them and leave them in their car. By doing this visitors can ensure that they have a change of clothing if one of the items they are wearing is questionable.
If you are visiting an inmate in Delaware and have a question, or have already visited your inmate and would like to share your experience, please leave us a comment. Also, if you know of some other useful information you want to share with other potential visitors, feel free to post it below.