Navigating The Visitation Process In NC Prisons: Non-Contact Visitation
What IS Non-Contact Visitation?
Non-Contact visitation prohibits physical contact between an offender and their visitor. Non-contact visitation separates the offender and their visitor by a glass partition and allows them to communicate via a telephone. It is often used as a security measure to protect the visitor and deter the entry of contraband into the facility.
Who Is Required To Have Non-Contact Visits?
Non-contact visitation is designated for special management populations. In the State of North Carolina, special management populations include:
Offenders on administrative segregation
Offenders on disciplinary segregation
Offenders in control status, such as maximum control or intensive control (excluding protective control)
Offenders assigned Security Threat Level 3
Regular population offenders may also be restricted to non-contact visits due to behavior deemed detrimental to the security of the facility. Behavior such as:
Drug/Alcohol disciplinary convictions
Refusal to submit drug/alcohol test
Disciplinary convictions
Misconduct during visitation (i.e., sex acts during visitation or assaults on a visitor)
what happens when an offender in regular population is designated as non-contact?
Initial designation of non-contact visitation carries no right of appeal and can last up to six months. The offender is notified of the restriction in writing.
At the end of the initial period of restriction, the Facility Head will review the case and determine whether the restriction can be lifted or whether it needs to continue. The offender is notified of the decision in writing. Continuance of the restriction can last for up to six months and the Facility Head will review the case at those intervals until the restriction is lifted.
How Can I Appeal A Non-Contact Designation for an offender in regular population?
Once the initial six-month period of restriction has passed, offenders have a right to appeal the Facility Head's decision. The offender may appeal the decision in writing to the Commissioner of Prisons or their designated representative.
The current Commissioner of Prisons for the State of North Carolina is Todd Ishee. His mailing address is
831 W. Morgan St. Raleigh, NC 27603