I’m visiting a friend in prison in Ina, Illinois on Friday. For what it’s worth I’m convinced he did not commit the crime for which he is being held. I’m going with a male friend, I’m female. This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it is possible for me to venture. Any advice as to what to expect? Any info, cautions, etc to offer, Dopers? Thanks.
One thing I remember from a friend who made frequent visits to a friend of hers in prison is that women cannot wear underwire bras to visit someone.
Seriously? I think I came to the right place for info, that would never even have occurred to me. Thank you.
Yup. The wire could be given to the inmate and used as a weapon.
You may want to call or look online to see if your state has any information on other guidelines.
ETA: Illinois info here
I volunteer at a maximum security prison in southern Ohio and occasionally visit other prisons in Ohio. The rules for visitors vary from state to state and from prison to prison. You should definitely go to the web site for the corrections department in Illinois and find out what the guidelines are on what you can wear and what you can carry with you.
All prisons I have visited have dress codes for female visitors. They aren’t massively restrictive, but certainly go beyond the underwire bra thing. I am sure that it will be listed on the website.
If you can call the facility ahead of time, they’ll tell you (generally) what you can/can’t bring (or may have a recording telling you the rules). Things like how much money you can give at once, objects, that kind of thing.
Expect lines. Lots of waiting. It wasn’t intimidating at all visitor-wise (YMMV). They’ve done this enough times to have it down to a routine. No walking through the cell block, just standing in one waiting room, then another. Lots of women and little kids around.
The important thing to remember: NO TOUCHING!
My friend made the call and got info for us as far as what we can bring but he tends to be sketchy on details. I’ll call/google the place and see what I can find out.
This may be silly but is the visit in an open room? If so how is the NO TOUCHING enforced? Not that I’m planning to try to get around it, I’m just curious.
Thanks to responders, I’m really apprehensive and this is helping.
The openness of the visit will depend on the prison itself (including security level) and the prisoner’s status/crime.
Oh, and no bees!
A lot of the rules will depend on the particular institution he’s being held at, so I wouldn’t take answers here as necessarily being correct. Find out the rules for the place you’re going.
At many institutions, underwire bras just require you to remove them to pass thru the metal detector, then put them on again after they’ve been hand-searched and cleared. Many women just skip wearing them for the visit rather than put up with that hassle.
Otherwise, follow the rules closely. You don’t want to get your friend or yourself in trouble. Supplying contraband to inmates can often be prosecuted as a felony. And in some states, tobacco is contraband, as is cash.
Visitation rules for “big muddy” in Ina may be found here: http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/visitationrules/visitation.pdf
Yup yup. Dress conservatively. You don’t have to dress like a spinster librarian, but definitely nothing low-cut. And if anyone hoots, hollers, or cat-calls, don’t look or turn around.
Thanks, I have been on the website.
I meant to also add that it is a very kind thing you are doing, visiting someone who is incarcerated. I can’t imagine being in prison, especially if I hadn’t actually committed a crime.
Thanks, Lorene. The guy comes from a poor background, foster homes, etc, and is not well educated but would give me the shirt off his back if I needed it. I think he’s the type of person this kind of thing happens to, he didn’t have the resources to prove his innocence.
And conservative is my normal fashion, I sure wouldn’t go into a prison dressed any other way!
Other random thoughts, besides what’s been mentioned above:
Be as cheerful as you can. This visit from you is the bright spot in your friend’s day/week/month, so try to think ahead of a few jokes or some semi-funny current event, so you have something to talk about if the conversation stalls out.
You’re a good soul to do this. Hope your friend’s stay in prison is, um, uneventful.
Check out Prison Talk (dot) Com, they’ll be able to give you first hand info
Also, it’s a good idea to not bring a gun. Since most prisons have their own guidelines, you should call ahead to see if that is not allowed 
Are you allowed to bring him anything? Books, magazines or snacks?
A friend is a guest of Gwinett Co Jail in the fine state of Georgia, unlike other county jails there this one does not seem to have much info on their website. Books sent directly from the store are accepted, but “care packages” would probably not make it inside.
Anyone have suggestions for books to read in the lock up? I don’t think the Keith Richards autobio, or Fear and Loathing, or anything that may bring up uh certain cravings would be appreciated by the staff.
This is pure speculation, but besides reading material that is outright forbidden by the facility (porn) I can’t imagine that the staff would have anything to say about a book that talks about subjects (illegal drugs) that they may not like.
In other words, I would bring or send books that the inmate wants to read, not just ones that you think that the jailers would approve of…