Posted on November 1, 2019 in Criminal Defense
Incarceration can have a tremendous impact on personal relationships. If someone you know is serving a jail sentence, you may be wondering how this affects your ability to contact them. If you wish to visit an inmate in person, you must follow the specific rules of the particular jail, which can vary.
The Durango Jail, an all-male minimum-security facility with 1,500 inmates located in Phoenix, Arizona, does allow you to visit inmates at its facility. However, it’s important to be aware of the protocol before you arrive.
If you wish to visit an inmate, the Sheriff’s office recommends that you call before coming. This is to ensure that the person you wish to see is still an inmate at the Durango Jail and has not been transferred to another facility.
You may call the Sheriff’s Information Management Service (SIMS) at 602-867-0322. The operator will also let you know if the visitation schedule has changed or if there are any visitation restrictions in place.
Now, the Durango Jail is located on 3225 W. Gibson Lane in Phoenix. Visitation hours are generally between 8:00 am and 1:30 pm. Note that inmates are allowed a maximum of 3 thirty-minute visits per week.
Once you arrive at the facility, you will need to fill out a Visitation Form. You can obtain this form from the lobby in the jail. You must provide the inmate’s first and last name.
It’s important to note that there are specific rules that apply to both inmates and visitors to the facility. Inmates are only allowed 2-3 visitors at one time, depending on the age of the visitors. Minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Further, all visitors must have a valid government-issued identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or immigration card.
Now, if a visitor is between the ages of 14 and 17, he or she must have a valid ID card, driver’s license or school ID. If the visitor is under the age of 14, he or she does not need any identification.
Bear in mind that there will be an Arizona Information Center and National Crime Information Center warrant check on all visitors. This means that if you have any outstanding warrants, you will likely be arrested immediately.
Note that there are many items that you are not allowed to bring into the visitation room. Examples include jewelry, sunglasses, cell phones, wallets, purses, books, etc. There are lockers available where you can secure your personal items. But, they are coin-operated, so you will need to bring quarters with you.
You are also subject to a search, prior to, during, and after your visit. If you refuse a search, you will not be allowed to visit the inmate and will be banned from ever visiting him or her in the future.
As an alternative, the Durango Jail offers video visitation. There is a video kiosk set up in the inmate housing unit which you can connect to from your home computer. One benefit to video visits is that you can have your entire family join in on the chat. In other words, there are no limits to the number of people that can visit at once as is the case with in-person visits. Note that there is a fee of $7.99 per visit to use this service.
Now, you many schedule video visits any day between the hours of 7:00 am and 9:30 pm. The sessions cannot exceed 20 minutes. Further, there are no limits on the number of visits you can have, provided the kiosk is available.
If you do not have a home computer with internet, you may instead check out a visitor kiosk. This is also an option if you want to avoid the service fee. The kiosk is located at the Lower Buckeye Jail and the 4th Avenue Jail. Inmates are allowed 1 free on-site video visit a week.
On-site visits can be scheduled any day between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:30 pm, excluding holidays. Sessions can last up to 20 minutes. Note that you must schedule your video visits at least 24 hours in advance through the video visitation website.
The Durango Jail has a dress code in place that applies to both in-person and video visits. Failure to follow the rules could result in you being asked to leave the facility or end the video chat.
Prohibited clothing includes (but is not limited to) the following:
Visiting your loved ones while they’re being detained at the Durango Jail can be important for you and them. Make sure that you follow protocol so that your visit can happen without interruption. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to your loved one’s criminal defense attorney for assistance.
For more information, contact the criminal defense attorney Craig Orent. Give us a call at (480) 656-7301 or visit our law office at 11811 N Tatum Blvd UNIT 3031, Phoenix, AZ 85028. We offer a free case evaluation, so get the help you deserve today.
