Before Your First Onsite Visit at Beaufort County Detention: A Practical Checklist

Assume you can't bring anything into visitation unless it's an authorized infant item or a pre-cleared healthcare item. Phones, bags, extra keys, paperwork, food, drinks - all of it stays behind. The facility has lockers, or you can leave things secured in your car. Keep it simple: bring only what you truly need and plan to store everything else before you go in.

Every visitor clears a security checkpoint before visitation. No exceptions - even if you're running late or have kids with you. Build that time into your schedule.

If something triggers an alert that can't be resolved through normal screening, staff may conduct a more thorough search. Empty your pockets beforehand, leave extra items behind, and skip anything you don't need. A little planning goes a long way toward avoiding delays.

If a hand-held wand flags something that can't be cleared, the Shift Commander may authorize a frisk search. This only happens when screening detects an issue that staff can't identify or resolve otherwise.

On-the-ground-tips

• ✓ Bring as little as possible - only authorized, cleared infant items and authorized healthcare items are allowed in the visitation area.
• ✓ Plan to store everything else in a provided locker or lock it in your vehicle before you head toward visitation.
• ✓ If you do need to bring infant or healthcare items, keep them easy to inspect so screening goes faster.
• ✓ Give yourself extra time for the security checkpoint, especially if you’re visiting for the first time.
• ✓ Before you go, call the detention center to confirm what ID you’ll need and what clothing is allowed - those details can trip people up, and it’s better to know ahead of time.