Can you visit someone at Beauregard Parish if you have a criminal record or are a current/former DOC employee?

If the person in custody requests to add you as a visitor, you can apply. Having a criminal conviction doesn't automatically disqualify you. The facility may deny visitors when a specific offense raises legitimate security concerns - but that's a case-by-case decision, not a blanket ban on everyone with a record.

Ex-offenders and people currently on parole or probation aren't automatically barred from visiting. The key is getting an approval letter from your supervising officer (Form OP-C-9-e). Submit that letter with your visitation paperwork, and it creates a presumption in your favor. The facility may still take a closer look in certain situations - for instance, if you have a felony conviction and haven't been fully discharged from an institution or supervision for more than two years without another offense. In those cases, approval or denial involves more discretion rather than a straightforward yes or no.

1. Tell your supervising officer you want to visit - ask them to complete the approval letter (Form OP-C-9-e).
2. Include Form OP-C-9-e with your visitation paperwork - that letter is what creates the presumption you should be eligible.
3. Be upfront about your status - if you’re on parole/probation or recently discharged, disclose it and submit the supporting letter instead of hoping it won’t come up.

Current DOC employees - and former employees who left within the past 10 years - can only visit immediate family members. Your DOC employment status limits who you're allowed to see, even if you'd otherwise qualify as a visitor.

Where you send your request depends on your DOC role. If you worked primarily in a prison setting, submit your request to the Warden (or the Warden's designee) at the facility. The designee must be an Assistant Warden or higher.

Didn't work in a prison setting - maybe you were based at headquarters? Your request goes to the Chief of Operations instead.

• ✓ Confirm whether you’re a current DOC employee or a former employee separated within the past 10 years
• ✓ Confirm the relationship - visits may be permitted for immediate family members only
• ✓ Identify whether your primary duty was in a prison setting or not
• ✓ If you worked primarily in a prison setting, submit the visitation request to the Warden or designee (Assistant Warden or higher) of the applicable facility
• ✓ If you did not work primarily in a prison setting (for example, headquarters), submit the visitation request to the Chief of Operations

Match your situation to the right approval path. On parole, probation, or an ex-offender? Get your supervising officer's approval letter (Form OP-C-9-e) and include it with your visitation paperwork. Current or recent DOC employee? This isn't a standard application - it's a written request. Prison-setting employees go through the Warden (or an Assistant Warden-or-higher designee). Non-prison employees go through the Chief of Operations. Getting your request to the right person from the start can save you weeks.

1. Pin down your status - are you an ex-offender/parolee/probationer, a current DOC employee, or a former employee separated within the last 10 years?
2. Get the right approval document - if you’re supervised, obtain the supervising officer’s approval letter (Form OP-C-9-e).
3. Route employee requests correctly - prison-setting employees submit to the Warden or designee (Assistant Warden or higher); non-prison-setting employees submit to the Chief of Operations.
4. Submit with your visitation paperwork and follow up - include the letter/request with your application materials so your eligibility can be reviewed under the correct pathway.