Video Visits and 'Special Visits' Under Louisiana DOC — What Families Should Know (Verify Bossier Parish Jail)

Louisiana DOC defines

LA DOC's visitation policy starts from a simple premise: visitation is an authorized activity that facilities must permit. But each institution also has to balance security needs, staffing, and physical space - visits can't overwhelm the system. This is where the

Under LA DOC policy, offenders housed in departmental facilities can generally apply for visitation. The big exception? Intake status. If someone is still in intake, they're not eligible for visits during that period.

There's one important exception to the intake rule. If intake stretches beyond 30 days, the offender can request a special visit with immediate family members, following the reception center's visiting procedures. If your loved one has been stuck in intake limbo, this rule might open a door to seeing them sooner.

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• ✓ Do you offer video visitation for people housed at Bossier Parish Jail?
• ✓ If video visits are available, are they scheduled/approved as “special visits” (separate from routine in-person visitation)?
• ✓ What vendor or system is used for video visitation?
• ✓ Are there fees for video visits? If so, what are the costs and how do you pay?
• ✓ What are the sign-up steps for families (account creation, approval, scheduling)?
• ✓ What technology do I need (phone/computer, camera, app, internet requirements)?
• ✓ Are there specific time slots or limits on length/frequency for video visits?
• ✓ Who is eligible to receive visits right now - does intake status affect visitation at your facility?
• ✓ If someone is considered “in intake,” is there a special-visit exception process, and who starts it?
• ✓ What identification or verification do visitors need to complete before a video visit is approved?

1. Check Bossier’s current visitation options - confirm whether video visitation is offered and whether it’s treated as a “special visit” process.
2. Confirm eligibility and status - ask whether your loved one is eligible to apply for visitation now, or whether intake status limits visits.
3. Ask how approval and scheduling work - since LA DOC classifies video visits as “special visits,” find out what steps (if any) must happen before you can book a time.
4. Register and test ahead of time - once you have the vendor/system details, set up your account early and test your device so you’re not troubleshooting when your visit starts.

Running into roadblocks - no appointments available, unclear rules, delays? Time to problem-solve. DOC policy requires facilities to permit authorized visitation, but they also have to balance security and space constraints. That can slow things down. Ask what other options exist in the meantime. If your loved one is in intake and it's been more than 30 days, the policy allows them to request a special visit with immediate family under the reception center's procedures. That's a specific, time-based exception worth bringing up when intake delays are blocking your visit.

1. Write down what happened - note who you spoke with, when you called, and what you were told (and keep any messages you receive).
2. Ask what review process exists - request the facility’s next step for reconsideration or administrative review when a visit can’t be scheduled or is denied.
3. Bring up the 30-day intake exception if it fits - if intake has exceeded 30 days, ask how the offender can request a special visit with immediate family under the reception center’s visiting procedures.