Visits are a privilege, not a right and this privilege may be approved, denied, suspended or revoked by RIDOC administration.  Any visitor who violates any state law, DOC policy or facility-specific rule/procedure or poses a threat to a facility’s security may have his/her visiting privilege suspended or revoked.

Each facility warden determines the facility’s visiting schedule including the day and time for visits, the location and length of visits, the number of weekly visits per inmate and the number of visitors an inmate may have at any one visit.  Each facility’s schedule is different.

To view the entire visits policy, click here. To view the Visitor Dress Code please turn to page 28, Attachment #1.

To view the Visiting Schedule for a particular facility, click below:

Anthony P. Travisono Intake Service Center Visitation Request Form

Anthony P. Travisono Intake Service Center (Nov 16 to Feb, 17)

Anthony P. Travisono Intake Service Center (July - Oct, 2016)

High Security Center (September,2016)

High Security Center (October,2016)

High Security Center(November,2016)

High Security Center(December,2016)

John J. Moran Medium Security Facility

Maximum Security(2016)

Minimum Security (Oct,16)

Minimum Security (Nov,16)

Women's Facilities (2015) (GM and Bernadette)

May I visit an inmate if I have a criminal record?

If you have a felony criminal record, pending charge, misdemeanor drug-related record, if you pled nolo contendere, or are on probation and you are NOT an IMMEDIATE family member, you cannot visit.

If you don’t pass both the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and National Criminal Investigation Center (NCIC) background checks and are NOT an IMMEDIATE family member, you cannot visit without written approval from the Assistant Director of Institutions & Operations (ADIO) or the warden of the facility at which you want to visit.

If you ARE an IMMEDIATE family member with a felony conviction, pending charge, entered a plea of nolo contendere to a felony offense, or are on probation for a felony offense, you MAY be allowed to visit IF you receive approval from the assistant Director of Institutions and Operations (ADIO) or the warden of the facility at which you want to visit.

Who is considered “immediate” family?

An inmate’s parent, grandparent, brother, sister, spouse (including common law), child and grandchild is an “immediate” family member.

Who is considered a “common-law” spouse?

Please see policy # 24.03-3 DOC; Visits (or successive policy) for the definition of a “common law” spouse. 

Are minors (a person under age 18) allowed to visit?

Yes.  Minors who are NOT accompanied by a parent or guardian may visit with written permission from a parent or guardian and must be accompanied by an adult at all times.  Please bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate with you to the visit.  (In situations where the minor child accompanies an adult other than parent or legal guardian, the parent or guardian for the first visit only must present themselves to the reception desk officer and sign paperwork authorizing the non-parent adult to bring the minor for any future visit).

The inmate and adult visitor are responsible for the child’s behavior; running and playing loudly is not allowed. 

What if I live a distance from the ACI and want to visit?

Any distance of more than seventy-five (75) miles from Cranston is considered a “long distance” visit.  An inmate may receive four (4) long distance visits in one (1) calendar year.

The Warden/designee determines the time when the visit begins and when it ends based on the facility’s security level and daily schedule (feedings, counts, etc.)

Will I be asked for identification?

Yes.  ALL visitors must show proper identification to facility staff before being allowed to enter.  A valid driver’s license, military ID card or an ID card issued by the Departments of Transportation, Elderly Affairs or the Division of Motor Vehicles are valid forms of identification; Social Security cards and Welfare ID cards are NOT.  A birth certificate is valid identification ONLY for a minor.

Are visitors subject to search?

Yes.  ALL visitors are required to pass through a metal detector before entering any ACI facility.  Visitors may be asked to submit to a “pat down”, “hand frisk”, or hand-held metal detection wand search conducted by a correctional officer of the same sex.  ALL visitors are subject to screening by drug detection equipment.  (Please see policy #9.46-2 DOC; Narcotics Detection Program or successive policy.)  Visitors who fail to comply with a request to be searched may be denied a visit.

Is there a visitor dress code?

Yes.  Visitors must comply with the Visitor Dress Code which is attached to the end of policy # 24.03-3 DOC; Visits (or successive policy) and is posted in English and Spanish in every facility visiting area.

May I smoke during a visit?

No.  Smoking is prohibited in all ACI facilities.

What may I bring to a visit?

You may bring up to ten ($10) dollars in change in a clear plastic bag which you may use for the vending machines.

Only those inmates in Minimum Security/Work Release may receive food from a visitor; you may NOT give an inmate anything to drink.  Food is allowed to be brought to Minimum Security only during outside visits (weather permitting).  No drinks are allowed at outside visits unless bought from vending machines.  Regulations for types and quantities of food allowed are explained in the Minimum Security Inmate Rulebook.

Otherwise, you are NOT permitted to give anything to or accept anything from an inmate during a visit.  Correctional officers cannot accept any item from you to give to an inmate unless you have received written permission from the Warden/designee first.

You may store personal belongings (coats, snow boots, etc.) in lockers provided for that purpose.  You may take the locker key into the visiting room.

Nitroglycerin is the only life saving medication visitors will be approved to bring with them to a visiting session.  Staff will not be responsible for securing any visitor medication.  Visitors should tell the reception officer that they have medication which they need to take to the Visiting Room.  The reception officer will call the Visiting Room and advise an officer there that a visitor has medication.  The visitor must place the medication in its original container on the front right corner of the Visiting Room Officer’s desk.  The medication is not allowed in the Visiting Room. If you have an emergency during your visit, the medication will be brought to you immediately. The officer will record in a logbook that the visitor came in with medication and left with the same medication.

Which inmates may have visits?

Both awaiting trial and sentenced inmates may see visitors.

Anthony P. Travisono Intake Service Center (ISC) – Awaiting Trial Men
Inmate visits take place on specific days and at specific times of the day during the week. There are NO visits at the ISC on the 31st of the month.

Gloria DiSandro McDonald Building (GM) – Awaiting Trial Women
Please call the GM reception desk to find out the visiting schedule for the inmate you wish to see.  Immediate family who are NOT on an inmate’s visitors’ list may be allowed a ONE TIME courtesy visit with the inmate provided they pass the background checks.

To visit an inmate on a regular basis, your name must appear on his/her visitors’ list.  Ask the inmate to put your name on this list.  You must pass both the BCI and NCIC background checks to appear on any inmate’s visitors’ list.  Counselors can assist both awaiting trial and sentenced inmates in filling out the form to add a name to his/her visitors’ list.

Sentenced inmates are allowed nine (9) names on their visitors’ list.  These nine people may visit the inmate and deposit money into the inmate’s ACI account.  An additional two (2) names may be added to a sentenced inmate’s visitors’ list ONLY for the purpose of depositing money into his/her ACI account.  These additional two (2) people may NOT visit.

May I visit more than one (1) inmate at the ACI?

No.   Your name may appear on ONLY one (1) inmate’s visitors’ list at a time.  The only exception to this rule is if more than one of your IMMEDIATE family members is incarcerated at the ACI.

Are inmates on Administrative Restricted Status allowed visits?

Yes.  These inmates are allowed one (1) visit per week.

Are inmates in disciplinary confinement (segregation) allowed visits?

No.  Only the inmate’s attorney(s)-of-record and clergy-of-record are allowed to visit.

How can I remove my name from an inmate’s visitors’ list?

You may ask the inmate to take your name off his/her list.  Or, show proper identification at the facility reception desk and ask the correctional officer to remove your name from the inmate’s list.  Once your name has been removed from an inmate’s visitors’ list you must wait thirty (30) days before adding your name to another inmate’s visitors’ list.

How do I make a request for “reasonable accommodation” under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)?

You may request information or make a request for reasonable accommodation by contacting the RIDOC ADA Coordinator in the department’s Human Resources Office.  Your request may be verbal or in writing.

Are visits ever suspended?

Yes.  In certain situations is may be necessary to temporarily suspend visits at either a particular facility or at all ACI facilities.  Whenever visits must be temporarily suspended the department makes every effort to notify the visiting public through the major radio and television stations.

Likewise, the announcement that visits will resume is made through the same major media outlets.

How do I report a complaint about a visit?

Make all complaints concerning visits in writing to the warden of the facility where the visit took place.