No, I don’t need an answer fast.
If you’re visiting someone in prison, and smuggle in something for them that they’re not allowed to have, but isn’t illegal in general (drugs for example), can you be charged with a crime if you’re caught?
Inspired BTW by the scene in Goodfellas when Lorraine Bracco is visiting Ray Liotta in prison, and after they have an argument she pulls a bunch of stuff out of her coat (including a huge salami) and starts slamming it on the table.
Googling “prison contraband” nets this story, so apparently. It makes sense of course. There have always been restrictions on activities that are in some instances legal, such as selling liquor.
I know guards are not allowed to smuggle stuff in so I would assume the same would be true for a visitor. Recently there was a problem with guards giving cell phones to inmates. One mother called the prison to complain that her son’s cell phone did not work well! Bad move on her part.
Some states have laws against smuggling certain kinds of contraband (e.g., cell phones) into prisons. Drugs and weapons would be subject to other charges, of course. Not sure about salami.
The recipient, of course, could be subject to institutional discipline.
It might depend on where you were hiding the salami.
And the visitor would never be allowed visit again.
The charge is usally called trafficking
It’s “promotion of prison contraband” and yes it’s a crime.
We arrest people for this all the time.