What Happens During Security Screening at Algoa: Body Scanners, Itemizers, and Your Rights

Missouri Department of Corrections uses full-body (Intercept) scanners for everyone entering adult institutions - visitors at Algoa Correctional Center included. The scanner is part of front-end security designed to stop dangerous contraband before it gets inside. This isn't reserved for "suspicious" situations. It's standard. Plan for screening as a normal part of entry.

Anyone 18 or older goes through the full-body scan. The main exceptions are verified medical conditions or pregnancy - but you'll need approval from the facility ahead of time. Don't wait until you're standing at the scanner to bring it up.

1. Gather documentation - bring paperwork that supports the reason for your exception request (for example, medical verification or pregnancy-related documentation).
2. Request the exception through the facility - non-staff visitors can submit a request to the warden or superintendent for an approved exception.
3. Tell staff when you arrive - let staff know right away that you have an approved exception or that you’re there to follow the approved process.
4. Ask what the alternative screening will be - the goal is still to clear security; an exception to the body scanner doesn’t mean “no screening.”

You may also encounter "itemizer" screening. Staff hand you a towelette, and you wipe the front of your shirt, your pockets, and your palms. The towelette goes into a machine that checks for trace amounts of narcotics or explosives. It can catch you off guard if you've never seen it, but the process is quick. It's detecting residue, not interrogating you.

Missouri treats contraband in correctional facilities as a serious crime - not a minor rule violation. Under Missouri statute 217.360, bringing drugs, alcohol, firearms, or any prohibited article into a facility is a criminal offense. This applies even if you intended it "just for your loved one" or didn't think the item was a big deal. Violations can be referred for prosecution. If you're carrying anything questionable - whether clearly illegal like drugs, or legal outside but banned inside like alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis - leave it out of the facility entirely.

• ✓ Do not bring drugs, alcoholic beverages, or firearms onto facility grounds.
• ✓ Don’t try to “sneak in” anything an offender is not permitted to possess.
• ✓ Treat substances that may be legal outside prison (like tobacco, alcohol, or cannabis) as prohibited for entry.
• ✓ Keep your pockets and bags simple so you can account for everything you’re carrying.
• ✓ If you’re unsure about an item, leave it behind rather than risking a criminal charge.
• ✓ If staff ask about something you have, answer directly - trying to conceal it is where people get into serious trouble fast.