Visitations play a vital role in maintaining ties between inmates and their loved ones while they serve out their sentences. But visits are administered under strict supervision and limitations. For those hoping to see friends or family inside, how long can they expect to spend together on a typical prison visit in the UK? In this comprehensive guide, we will examine the standard visitation duration along with the various regulations governing these cloely monitored encounters.
Overview of Visitation Rights
Prisoners in the UK are permitted to have regular visitors throughout their sentence, with some exceptions:
- Inmates on remand awaiting trial may have restrictions placed on visitations.
- Those segregated for behavioral issues may have visits temporarily suspended.
- Individuals banned under restraining orders cannot visit the inmate.
Barring such special circumstances, most prisoners can receive regular visitors who are family members or existing friends. Prisoners submit a list of approved visitors they wish to see.
Visits take place in a dedicated room under observation by guards. Physical contact like hugs or hand-holding is typically now allowed for security reasons. Conversations can be monitored to prevent suspicious activity.
Typical Visitation Duration
The length of a standard social visit session for an adult inmate to receive friends/family is:
- 1 hour – This is the most common duration allocated. Sufficient time is given for meaningful conversation and connection. Some flexibility may be allowed such as combining two 1 hour slots consecutively.
- 30 minutes – For young offenders under 18 or in certain high-security conditions, visits may be set at just 30 minutes per session.
- 2 hours – Some facilities may permit sessions up to 2 hours for family events like a child’s birthday or graduation. Special occasions warrant more generous time.
So for adult prisoners in general population, one hour is the standard visit duration before parties must conclude their encounter and exist the secured visitation area.
Factors That May Limit Visitation Time
While one hour is the typical duration, certain factors can result in shortened visit times:
- Local staffing shortages that disrupt scheduling
- Security lockdowns or disciplinary issues with the inmate
- Visitor showing up late and missing available slots
- Non-family visitors such as friends or associates
- Newly incarcerated inmates still in intake processing phase
- History of contraband being passed during visits
Unless officially restricted for disciplinary reasons, most inmates eventually do work up to the standard one hour visitation allowance once settled into the routine at their assigned prison.
Number of Visits Allowed Per Week/Month
In addition to capping visit duration, prisons also limit the frequency, spread out to maintain security.
Typical allowance for number of visits per month:
- 2-3 – General population inmates are allowed 2-3 visits per month from their approved list.
- 1 – Higher risk category inmates may only receive 1 visit per month to discourage gang/criminal activity.
- 4 – Benchmark of good behavior can qualify prisoners for up to 4 visit sessions per month.
So for inmates exhibiting compliance and progress in rehabilitation, most UK prisons offer between 2 and 4 visits per month of 1 hour duration each.
Special Types of Visits
Beyond routine social visits from friends/family, some other unique visit types have their own duration rules:
- Legal visits – No limit on duration or frequency. Solicitors can access clients when needed.
- Family days – Special event annually or biannually with 5+ hour duration spent visiting.
- Overnight visits – Low risk inmates allowed 1-2 day visit per year from spouse/family.
- Official/social services visits – As needed for prisoner welfare and cooperation.
While regular visits operate under tight constraints, flexibility is offered for legal needs, rehabilitation, and maintaining family ties.
Visitor Qualifications and Approval Process
To maintain prison safety and prevent smuggling, visitors must pass screening:
- Existing relationship from prior to incarceration – family, spouse, close friends. No new acquaintances.
- Approval forms submitted and verified by staff. Criminal background checks conducted.
- No banned items carried in or worn by visitors per scanning and searches.
- Official ID cards or documentation required to confirm claimed identity and relationship.
- All visits pre-arranged by appointment following visitation request submission procedures.
- Children permitted only with guardian supervision.
The approval procedure often takes 4-6 weeks requiring patience. But this careful vetting of visitors is essential to preserving prison order.
Positive Impacts of Visitations
While highly regulated, visitations provide wide-ranging benefits:
- For inmates – Maintains family bonds. Boosts morale and motivation. Incentive for good behavior. Crucial mental health support. Grounds prisoners in reality.
- For visitors – Allows active role in inmate’s welfare. Eases reintegration later. Keeps relationship intact. Provides oversight and reduces worry.
- For prisons – Improved inmate compliance and cooperation. Decreased disciplinary incidents and violence. Encourages participation in rehabilitation programs.
Despite limitations required for safety, visitations deliver advantages that extend far beyond the individuals directly participating in these scenic encounters.
Video Visitation Options
Some UK facilities offer video visitation as an alternative to in-person visits:
- Remote video visits – Visitors at home can schedule and conduct monitored video calls with inmates. More convenient but less personal.
- On-site video terminals – Stations inside the prison allow virtual visits when in-person isn’t possible.
Video visits enable more frequent communication opportunities for families separated by distance. But most still prefer in-person visits when permitted for the human connection.
COVID-19 Impacts on Prison Visitation
The coronavirus pandemic resulted in an extended suspension of in-person visitation given the health risks:
- From March 2020 onward, UK prisons banned in-person visits and restricted all access from outsiders.
- Exceptions were made only for essential medical staff and legal advisors with PPE precautions.
- Virtual visits became the temporary norm using online portals and secure video calling systems.
While vital for infection control, the long-term denial of in-person visits placed strain on inmates and families alike. Virtual visits helped fill the void but were an imperfect substitute for face-to-face interaction.
Conclusion
For UK inmates and their loved ones, precious visits are administered under tight constraints but remain essential lifelines. One hour is the standard duration for general population prisoner visits to balance meaningful engagement with security. The frequency is also capped at 2-4 visits monthly for well-behaved inmates. While restrictive, these reasonable limitations allow inmates to maintain bonds that improve welfare and incentive for rehabilitation. The vetting process ensures visitors are known relations without risk factors. By working within the stringent ground rules, inmates and families can safely uphold lifeline connections in the brief moments they share physically together.
FAQ About Prison Visits in the UK
How are visitors and inmates supervised during visits?
Guards observe visits from a distance. Conversations may be monitored. Non-contact rules are enforced, except some touching between parents and young children.
Can prisoners have conjugal visits with a spouse or partner?
No, conjugal visits are not normally permitted in UK prisons. The exception is 1-2 overnight family visits may be allowed annually in low security facilities.
What reasons can lead to an approved visitor being banned?
Threats of violence, repeatedly violating policies, attempting to smuggle contraband, disruptive behavior, intoxication, inappropriate attire, etc.
Are phone calls also monitored along with in-person visits?
Yes, phone conversations are subject to the same restrictions and monitoring as in-person visits to prevent criminal activity.
How has COVID impacted prison visitation rules?
The pandemic resulted in an extended suspension of normal in-person visits to protect inmates and staff from infection. Video and virtual visits became the temporary alternative.
Are ex-prisoners allowed to visit current inmates as mentors?
Sometimes, former inmates who have undergone rehabilitation can be approved for mentorship visits. But extensive screening for contraband risks occurs in such instances.