Why don't they allow contact visits in most jails?

Question

When I went to jail I thought you would be able to sit in the same room as your visitors and talk to them normally but we were stuck in behind glass for all visits.

I know if you do something wrong or somebody tries to bring in stuff you aren't allowed it makes sense but apart from that.

It's not a nice feeling having to see your visitors through a glass divide and not being able to talk to them properly.

Answer 1

The same reason why we have airport security -- to keep stuff from being brought in, I imagine. There's also the opportunity to listen in on all communications, probably.

Answer 2

You pretty much answered the question with your statement about people bring in stuff.
When I worked for Sheriff's Dept. before I was a Police Officer, we had very open rules about persons and property being subject to search when visiting inmates. The rules were posted and everyone knew we would look thru purses, etc.
There was no actual contact, it was all done thru a window and we still got people bringing stuff into the jail.
We would find drugs, guns, etc. on these people who KNEW they would be searched. There was also little possibility that the person inside would ever get the stuff they brought.
THEY STILL BROUGHT STUFF IN!
I am telling you this not to be mean, but a lot of the criminals we deal with and their families are not here by a mistake and they actually are great people who are rocket scientists for NASA.
If you give a sucker a break, they will do something to deserve the label sucker.
You pay for the sins of the many, many people who do things without thinking of the long-term consequences. Even if they were able to smuggle something thru, now they have introduced their loved one to the possiblity of trafficking or possession of drugs in a penal institution, another felony charge!
Take my advice, support them while they are locked up and more importantly help them and build them up when they get out, but hold them accountalble, we do!

Answer 3

The majority of contraband brought into a correctional facility is through contact visits. I have worked in Corrections for 12 years, and have seen all sorts of problems arise from contact visits.

Keep in mind that a very large percentage of the incarcerated population are there because of drug problems. A smaller percentage of the visitors are also involved in these kind of illicit activities. Visitors who already routinely have access to the product have no qualms about packaging it in a balloon and passing it in a kiss or handshake. This is practically undetectable and is a routine occurrence in facilities that do have contact visits. The manpower needed to properly monitor visits and properly search inmates after visits could be used elsewhere.

Additionally, the potential for chaos and injury to other inmates and staff members is very high when something does get smuggled "inside". Correctional staff are entrusted with ensuring that offenders do their time in a safe environment. The very liberal courts we presently have allow inmates to sue for just about anything, and the reins keep getting pulled tighter and tighter. The "bad apples" who try to get stuff in, combined with the "legal eagles" who press lawsuits on a regular basis, cause the rest who are just trying to do their time to suffer by forcing these sort of stringent policies.

The bottom line is...It's jail, you commited a crime and got caught. Next time you want a visit, stay out of jail and have your friends over your house instead of looking at them through the glass.

Answer 4

The visiting room in jail/prison is the place where most contraband makes it entry and even some items are passed to exit the institution. Thus, not having contact removes this "very difficult to police" phenomenon.

If you don't like the "not nice feeling" of having to see visitors through glass, I suggest you stop breaking the law.

Answer 5

I think that closed visets are a disgusting and degrading infringement of your human rights.
The police and the screws would be the first to squeal like pigs if their human rights were infringed.
Prison is a stone age form of punishment run by prehistoric mentality.
There will always be reasonable grounds for detaining people who are genuinely dangerous and violent, but most prisoners subjected to this form of mental torture are normal humans.
Take no notice of some of the comments on this thread made by spineless submissive people who are brainwashed and OWNED by the state, most have never endured mental torment in jail and don't know what they are talking about, they just pass fart gass.
I especially mean cops and screws who work in the system and think they know BUT THEY DON'T.
No one knows unless you have been there and been a victim.
I have read some of the other comments here and I suggest where they can shove their comments.

Answer 6

Its for safety and for the problem of someone trying to pass on some drugs or some kind of weapon. Plus, if you did not do whatever you did, this person would not have see you thru glass. One question for you,, if you were given the chance of seeing this person, up front andpersonal, "but" this person would have to undergo a complete strip search, and a body cavity search and then once this person passes, would be allowed to see you physically?? I know, what your thinking, "what about an x-ray", well my little inmate friend, the x-ray only detects metal, and not everything smuggled into jails is metal.

Answer 7

They might have done something unintentionally wrong. They listen into phone calls and conversations and watch who they talk to inside. If they think anything is going on, even without proof, they will put them on a closed visit no matter how squeaky clean the visitor is.

Answer 8

Mostly because of the introduction of contraband into the jail. With a cigarette going for 5 bucks you can see a few packs of smokes rapidly create problems. Stay out of jail and you don't have to worry about it. Peace.

Answer 9

because short of a strip search, there is no way to make sure you have not brought in contraband. plus they want to make it as miserable for the inmates as the can (no physical contact) your lucky. in the jail i have worked at, you talked to the inmate using a camera, phone, and video display so you could see each other (like a web cam). they do no even bring them in the same room as you.

Answer 10

Unfortunately, the ones that try to bring in contraband, such as drugs, have ruined it for everyone else. Most jails no longer have contact visits because it prevents that from happening.