What to Bring and Expect for Your First Visit to Avoyelles Parish Detention Center
Visiting someone at Avoyelles Parish Detention Center is straightforward if you come prepared. Follow the rules, listen to staff, and you'll have a much smoother first visit.
Visitation is a privilege here, not a right. Staff can end any visit if they feel it's necessary for safety or security. Expect screening, rules, and close supervision. The more closely you follow directions, the more likely you are to get the full time you came for.
Expect screening: Searches are routine, and refusing a required search can stop you from entering - or end a visit already in progress.
Before you make the drive, confirm you’re on the imprisoned person’s approved visiting list. The person in custody is the one who adds visitors, and if you’re not sure whether you’ve been approved, the best move is to check with them directly. The facility will not confirm visiting-list status over the phone, so don’t rely on a last-minute call to find out at the door.
Anyone 18 or older needs an acceptable photo ID - every single visit. Your options: a valid driver's license from your state of residence, a valid state photo ID card from your state of residence, a valid active-duty military photo ID, or a valid passport.
- Arrive and check in with staff - head to the visiting desk and follow directions for where to line up and what to do next.
- Complete registration - you must register with staff before you’re allowed into the visiting area.
- Wait for clearance to enter - once staff finishes the check-in process, they’ll direct you to the next step and into the visiting area when you’re approved to proceed.
Prohibited Items
- ✓ Controlled substances
- ✓ Alcoholic beverages
- ✓ Tobacco and tobacco-related items
- ✓ Cameras
- ✓ Video or audio recording equipment
- ✓ Electronic devices (including cell phones and pagers)
- ✓ Telecommunications equipment or components (including SIM cards, portable memory chips, batteries, and chargers)
- ✓ Food items
- ✓ Toiletries
- ✓ Clothing items
- ✓ Currency or coins over the amount allowed by the institution
Leave personal property locked in your car. Many everyday items count as contraband in a jail setting - including telecommunications equipment, certain food, toiletries, clothing, and cash beyond the institution's limits. Bring prohibited items and they may be confiscated.
Expect searches before you're allowed in. Everyone - including minors - can be searched, along with their property and vehicle. Screening may include metal detectors, ion scanning equipment, and K-9 searches. This can happen before entering the visiting area and sometimes during the visit itself.
No search, no entry: If you refuse a required search, you won’t be permitted to enter. The warden (or a staff designee) can also terminate a visit at any time for safety or security reasons.
Need a disability accommodation? Contact the facility before your visit to request one. Accessible facilities and reasonable accommodations are available, but you'll need to give advance notice so everything is ready when you arrive.
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