Your First 'Courtesy Visit' at CRC: Who Qualifies and What to Bring
If your loved one is in reception at the Correctional Reception Center (CRC), the
At CRC, your first visit during reception is called a
Note: CRC also prohibits visits during an incarcerated person's first eight (8) days at the facility. Since this can overlap with the courtesy visit window, call CRC to confirm timing before you go - otherwise you might make a wasted trip.
Courtesy visits aren't open-ended. CRC allows one courtesy visit for immediate family and one for a support person - that's it. If multiple relatives want to visit right away, decide who will use the immediate-family slot so there are no surprises at the door. Visiting as the support person? That role is specific: CRC recognizes a single support-person courtesy visit, not a rotating list of friends or helpers.
Heads up: If the support person is also the person putting money on the incarcerated person’s account, CRC says that support person needs to be fully approved before visiting.
Documents Must Have
- ✓ Completed Visitor Application (DRC2096) (adults visiting during reception)
- ✓ Signed Declaration of Understanding (DRC2554)
- ✓ Signed General Visiting Instructions (DRC2274)
- ✓ Copy of your bona fide/valid photo identification
- ✓ Proof of address
- ✓ Bring every required item printed and ready; without all documentation, the visit will be denied
CRC runs two visiting sessions: AM from 8:30am to 11:30am, and PM from 12:00pm to 3:15pm. The critical detail is the processing cutoff - you must be processed by 9:15am for the morning session or by 1:00pm for the afternoon. Arriving "during" the session isn't enough. Get there early so you have time to clear processing before the cutoff, especially on your first visit when you're juggling forms, ID, and proof of address.
If you're the support person and you also put money on the incarcerated person's account, CRC treats you differently: you must be fully approved before you can visit. That may affect whether the support-person courtesy visit is actually available to you right away. Before making the drive, clarify who's handling funds and whether that person has already completed and cleared the approval process.
The courtesy visit is just the beginning. CRC treats that first reception visit as a one-time exception - ongoing visits still require full approval. Each visitor must complete the Visiting Application (DRC2096) and all required forms. You won't be allowed back until your application is processed and you're officially approved. That's why bringing complete paperwork to the courtesy visit matters. Your visit and your future approval are closely tied to whether your documentation is in order.
Once visits are underway, CRC still has limits that affect planning. Only five (5) visitors can see an incarcerated person at one time - and that count includes walking children. A group that feels like "four adults and a toddler" still counts as five. For reception incarcerated persons, visit frequency is also capped: two (2) sessions per calendar month from each person on the approved list. If you're coordinating with extended family, keep that monthly limit in mind so no one gets turned away.
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