This is the reason that we introduced video visitation!

I’m active in another web site that has a verified CO’s only area, and it also has an area for post exactly like this one. Since Laurie got to vent it’s all good. No worries, Laurie!

Thank you all for the comments, I know there are things that are not discussionable in your line of work, due to many different circumstances. But it does help people like me to hear from your side of the wire ( so to speak). I do realize, like in all jobs, the differences of the way everyone sees and does things.
Again, I do thank you all for the comments, it has helped tremedously to alleviate my anger and fustrations, and as I am going again tomorrow to visit, I will go with a much better attitude that I would have gone with if not for this forum and no jewelry on at all.

Not to belabor the point, but in order to clarify the point; Obviously as public servants, we serve the public and that includes answering questions from the public. However, let us not kid anyone that we speak to the public the same way that we speak to each other. That was and is the whole point of my comment, that I was mistakenly under the impression that this was a closed forum to the public and open only to persons “on the job”. My mistake! That doesn’t mean that we are “doing something behind everyones back”, but what it does mean is that, just as Doctors speak to other Doctors differently than to their patients, so do Corrections folks, and THAT is the nature of the beast! End of subject.

I would have to agree with Shakey. One of the biggest problems we in Corrections have is the public’s lack of knowledge of what we do and what we are about. There are things that should not not be discussed in public, but on the whole I for one would have no problem discussing in general what we do with a member of the public that has is genuinely curious or has real concerns as to the Job.
As to Laurie 1262’s question. I would not attempt to answer in specific terms about the regulations concerning the institution that her son is incarcerated in. Nor could I comment about the specific circumstances of that visit. But in general a lot of what we do is made up of simple common sense. As with us the younger newer Officers have a tendency to not have enough experience to be able to interpret the rules in a way the more experienced Officer would. As you have said that you previously visited and had no problem wearing the ring. As has already been stated don’t be afraid to ask for the regulations concerning visits.

I have been wearing a badge for over 20 years and have no problem trying to help someone out with questions that they think are valid. Maybe it was because I started out as a law enforcement officer that I have these views, maybe it’s because I watched The Andy Griffith Show growing up. Laurie1262 may have a child behind bars but that does not take anything away from her as a citizen, she does not lose her rights because of her childs behavior. This site is open for everyone, it has job posting not just for Correction Officers postions or for Correctional Officers only. Putting in that we can’t be “frank, open discussion among themselves on a professional level” with none cusodial personel awareness ( I know what your meaning is and not in a bad way either ) but it points to secrective topics and feeds into the stereo type that has been place on all Officers in all fields, that we are doing something behide everyones back. We don’t have to treat family members like inmates and to think so is childish. we are being paid to serve the public (thats what public employment means) not the other way around. Thats the real nature of the beast, and you either like it or find a new zoo. To Serve and Protect still means something to a lot of us.

Sorry for any errors in this meessage, I’m tired and have a headache.

While I don’t doubt for a moment that it would be helpful, I question whether that is the intended purpose. I also question how many corrections professionals will speak frankly in a forum where they may be speaking to members of the public as well as each other. I know that I, for one, will not. I was under the impression that, like correctionone.com, members were vetted to ensure that they were indeed employed in the field, thus allowing for frank, open discussion among themselves on a professional level. Since that is not the case, I know that I must now be on guard at all times regarding what I discuss and to what depth I discuss it. No offense intended, but that is the “nature of the beast”.

Hopefully this forum is for both, I think it could be helpful to both situations, don’t you ?

So, is this forum for Corrections folks or for inmate family? I would have thought that a website for Corrections would edit out those who obviously are not “in” Corrections. Hey, Corrections.com, listen up!

Shakey, you are correct, but from what I’ve heard from the other visitors it’s about which guards are working and which set of rules will be enforced. Beleive you me, next time I will only have on the bare neccessities and no jewelry or other such items.

Mudflap, no there is no more to the story, than what I stated. In the SC prison systems, if you are in violation
of the visitation rules you are turned away right on the sopt, you can’t throw the item away, you can’t return it
to your car and you can’t come back for the afternoon visitation time. Once in violation you are ordered to leave the property immediately.
There are no lockers available, you can arrive in the parking lot 30 minutes before visit time, not allowed to get out of your vehicle until 15 minutes before visit time, then you stand outside the guard house in line for about an hour depending on how many people show up and they take you in thru the security check per inmate visit group, once inside the guard house there is no removing of anything that can violate you, you better get it removed before you get called in there. And this is only a level 2 correctional facility, I’d hate to see teh Max level !

Your situation was handled, at best, poorly. I have no answers for you. All institutions are different, but when visitors arrive at my institution they are allowed to take prohibited items back to their cars. They also have access to small lockers (like they used to have in bus stations) where they put a quarter in it to release the key and get their quarter back when they leave. The locker is plenty big enough to store wallets, purses, and other small items. Please forgive my cynical nature, but I can’t help but think there is more to the story……

Call the Institution and ask about the visit rules. At our institution, during your first visit you are given a copy of the rules. Then if it don’t state any rerstrictions on the topic your looking for, then contact a supervisor to see that it is addressed and hopefuly won’t happen again. I used to be the visit officer who processed the visitors in and we had no problem with the visitors going out to their vehicals to put items back or get some other sort of clothing to become in compliance with policy, as long as you have not gone through the searching part. But then again, we don’t always hire the professionals that we need so vindictive and a just because I can mentality comes out. sorry for any arrors in spelling and grammer.

I was denied visitation beacuse I was wearing a simple ring on my left ring finger, on the previous visitation I was allowed to wear it, but on this one they stated it could be a wedding band only. I offered to throw it in the trash on the spot, but was told that wasn’t allowed anymore, so I was denied visitation at the correctional institute to see my son. I was also told I could not return that same day at the 2nd visitation time, the only reason I have such a headache about this is I had driven 3 hours one way to go visit my son, and if I would’ve known ONLY wedding rings were allowed I would’ve removed it & thrown it away, and I do not see why I could not throw it away, especially since there was a woman 2 groups ahead of me that they halted vistitation check in so the guard could ESCOURT the woman to her car so she could get her jacket! Why is there not posted at the facility or online the RULES & REGULATIONS of what is allowed and what is not allowed?