What to Wear and What to Expect During Searches at Curran-Fromhold

Curran-Fromhold follows the Philadelphia Department of Prisons dress code. Show up wearing the wrong thing, and your visit gets canceled. Plan your outfit ahead of time - even if you're only questioning one item.

• ✓ Hoodies or jackets with hoods
• ✓ Plain white T-shirts
• ✓ Clothing that closely resembles an incarcerated person’s uniform (for example, orange jumpsuits or blue scrub tops)
• ✓ Hot pants or short-shorts that are two or more inches above the knee
• ✓ Mini-skirts or dresses that are two or more inches above the knee
• ✓ Low-rise pants or skirts that reveal undergarments
• ✓ Torn jeans
• ✓ Revealing clothing or see-through fabric anywhere on the torso
• ✓ Halter tops, tank tops, sleeveless tops, or crop tops
• ✓ Clothing with offensive or provocative language
• ✓ Clothing with writing across the seat of pants or skirt

Leggings and stretch pants are allowed, but there's a catch: your top must cover your hips when you raise your arms above your head. Not sure your shirt is long enough? Swap it for something longer before you leave. This rule trips people up more than you'd expect.

• ✓ Open-toed shoes
• ✓ Slip-on shoes
• ✓ Flip-flops
• ✓ Sandals
• ✓ Crocs

Don’t wear jewelry to visit. That includes face piercings, smart watches, and rings. Keeping it simple helps you get through screening faster and avoids having to decide what to remove at the last minute.

Before you enter, you’ll need to go through a metal detector. If you can, arrive dressed in a way that won’t set it off - especially since items like jewelry and smart watches aren’t allowed in the first place.

After screening, an officer will search each visitor in a private room. They may ask you to loosen undergarments during the search. Knowing this ahead of time helps it feel less jarring. Take a breath, follow instructions, and speak up calmly if something isn't clear.

1. Ask to speak to a supervisor - If you feel a search was improper, request a supervisor while you’re still on-site.
2. Contact the Office of Community Justice Outreach (CJO) - You can reach CJO at (215) 685-8909 or (215) 685-7288.

Practical Packing Checklist

• ✓ Wear a top long enough to cover your hips if you’re wearing leggings or stretch pants
• ✓ Choose closed-toe, non-slip-on shoes (no flip-flops, sandals, Crocs, or other open-toed/slip-on styles)
• ✓ Leave all jewelry at home (including face piercings, smart watches, and rings)
• ✓ Skip hoodies and jackets with hoods
• ✓ Avoid plain white T-shirts
• ✓ Avoid anything that resembles an incarcerated person’s uniform (like orange jumpsuits or blue scrub tops)
• ✓ Avoid short-shorts, hot pants, mini-skirts, or dresses that sit two or more inches above the knee