Hospitalized incarcerated persons will not be allowed to have personal visits, except as approved by a Watch Commander. Special visits may be arranged for those incarcerated persons who experience hospital stays in excess of seven (7) days duration, have given birth, or for those having life-threatening or critical injuries or illnesses. Visits are restricted to immediate family members. Exceptions are subject to the approval of the Watch Commander.
Pregnant incarcerated persons may request to have a support person present during childbirth. The approval for the support person will be made on a case-by-case review by the Compliance Lieutenant (or on-duty Watch Commander in cases of emergency). After giving birth, the appointed guardian of the infant and/or family members may be permitted to visit the incarcerated person in the hospital with the approval of the Watch Commander.
If the incarcerated person is authorized to receive visitors, visiting will be in accordance with both the hospital's and the Jail's visiting policies and will be monitored by the assigned officer.
The following rules apply to visits occurring in hospitals:
- All visits must conform to the hospital’s regular visiting hours and policies.
- Only two visitors will be allowed in at a time.
- Children under age 12 are not allowed to visit patients unless special arrangements are made with hospital staff.
- The privacy curtains surrounding the hospital bed shall remain open.
- There shall not be an exchange of any items. Absolutely no food or clothing may be brought in for the incarcerated person (e.g., no home-cooked meals, fast foods, canned sodas, etc.).
- There shall be no physical contact between the incarcerated person and their visitor(s) at any time.
- Visitors are not permitted to take photographs unless authorized by the Watch Commander.
Officers retain the discretion to limit or deny visits to guarded patients, as space and activity in the room allows.