Visiting Someone at Concordia Parish If You Have a Criminal Record — And Rules for DOC Employees

You can apply to visit someone housed in a departmental facility - but only after the incarcerated person requests you as a visitor. They have to start the process on their end. From there, your visit still needs approval through the Department's visitation application rules (OP-C-9).

A prior criminal conviction doesn't automatically disqualify you. However, the facility can still deem you ineligible if the nature of your crime suggests your presence could threaten security or stability. If that happens, the decision must come from the Warden or a designee (Assistant Warden or higher) - and they're required to provide written justification. A verbal "no" isn't enough.

Being an ex-offender, parolee, or probationer doesn't automatically bar you either. One thing that helps: an approval letter from your supervising officer (Form OP-C-9-e). That letter creates a presumption you should be eligible, which can smooth the approval process. That said, recent felony history still matters. If you have a felony conviction and haven't been fully discharged from incarceration or supervision for more than two years - without any new criminal record - the facility can deny visitation based on that recent history.

Current Department employees face extra restrictions. The same applies if you left the Department within the past 10 years. In both cases, visitation may be limited to immediate family members only - even if you'd otherwise qualify under the general rules.

1. Confirm you fall under the employee/former employee rule - This applies to current employees and former employees separated within the past 10 years.
2. Make sure the visit is for an immediate family member - Under the policy, that’s the category that may be permitted.
3. Submit your request to the Warden (or the Warden’s designee) - If you separated within the 10-year window and worked primarily in the prison setting, you must submit a request to the Warden or a designated official (Assistant Warden or higher) identified by facility policy.

Even when you're allowed to apply - and even when a conviction doesn't automatically disqualify you - the facility can still deny visitation if your background raises security concerns. The standard: whether the nature of your crime reasonably suggests your presence could impair or threaten facility security or stability. For ex-offenders, parolees, or probationers, how recent your felony is matters too. And these decisions aren't supposed to be informal. The Warden or designee (Assistant Warden or higher) must provide written justification when deeming someone ineligible.

Quick Takeaways

• ✓ You can apply to visit if the offender requests you as a visitor.
• ✓ A prior conviction alone doesn’t disqualify you, but the facility can deny visits for security reasons with written justification.
• ✓ If you’re on probation or parole (or an ex-offender), a supervising officer approval letter (Form OP-C-9-e) helps by creating a presumption you should be eligible.
• ✓ Current DOC employees and former employees separated within the past 10 years may be limited to visiting immediate family and should submit the required request to the Warden or designee.