Everything to Prepare Before Visiting Someone at Bare Hill Correctional Facility

DOCCS encourages visits from family and friends because staying connected makes a real difference - both during incarceration and after release. People who receive regular visits tend to adjust better when they return home, especially when those visits help maintain supportive relationships. Feeling nervous about the process? Remember that the system is set up to allow visits. Your job is to show up prepared and follow the rules.

Before heading into Bare Hill, you'll find a DOCCS Visitor Hospitality Center where you can wait indoors and catch your breath. Think of it as a buffer space - somewhere to regroup, sort your belongings, and make sure you're ready before entering the facility.

• ✓ Restrooms (plan for a last stop before you enter)
• ✓ A baby changing station (helpful if you’re visiting with an infant)
• ✓ Lockers for storing personal belongings you can’t take inside

Visits at Bare Hill follow DOCCS rules designed to keep everyone safe - visitors, staff, and incarcerated people alike. Treat "what you can bring," "how you check in," and "what's allowed in the visiting room" as safety requirements, not suggestions. Before you leave home, confirm Bare Hill's current visiting procedures so you don't get turned away for something avoidable.

Practical Checklist

• ✓ Confirm Bare Hill’s current visiting rules and hours before you go (DOCCS rules apply, and details can affect your day)
• ✓ Verify what identification and visitor requirements you need to meet for entry
• ✓ Double-check what items are prohibited during visits so you can leave them at home or secure them
• ✓ Plan to use the Visitor Hospitality Center lockers for personal belongings you can’t take inside
• ✓ If you’re trying to get items to your loved one, confirm the package rules: packages and articles must come from approved vendors via mail/courier, not brought during a visit

Here's something that surprises first-time visitors: you can't bring packages yourself. At Bare Hill, packages are only accepted when sent directly from vendors through delivery services like USPS, FedEx, or UPS. You can't hand-deliver items during visits, and you can't mail packages to the facility on your own. If you want to send approved items, plan ahead and use the vendor process.

1. Confirm the visit details - Check Bare Hill’s current visiting rules and schedule so you know what to expect when you arrive.
2. Plan around the Visitor Hospitality Center - Use it for shelter before entry, and expect basics like restrooms, a baby changing station, and lockers.
3. Pack for the rules, not convenience - Bring only what’s allowed and be ready to store personal items in a locker.
4. Handle packages the right way - Don’t bring them to a visit or mail them yourself; use approved vendors and have items shipped by mail/courier.