Why Your Visitor Application Might Be Denied: Common Reasons and How to Avoid Them
A denied visitor application is usually fixable — but it can cost you weeks of waiting. Here are the most common CR-2152 problems and eligibility issues that stop visits at Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center (DJRC), plus what to check before you send it in.
A lot of denials start with basic form errors. For DJRC, the CR-2152 has to be fully completed - leaving sections blank can trigger rejection. Another automatic problem: using a P.O. Box for your address. You’ll need to list a physical street address on the application.
The photo requirement trips people up constantly. Your CR-2152 needs a recent photograph attached in the lower left-hand corner - an actual photo, not a photocopy. Miss this detail or put it in the wrong spot, and the application won't be processed. You're back at square one.
Note: At DJRC, you won’t be admitted for visitation until your CR-2152 is approved. The only exception is immediate family of newly committed inmates, and that temporary allowance is limited to up to 60 days.
Some denials aren't about paperwork - they're about eligibility. If you're an immediate family member with an active felony conviction record, DJRC requires you to wait six months after release from incarceration (or after being placed on probation, community corrections, or parole supervision) before submitting a visitor application. You'll also need written consent from your supervising officer or counselor. Apply too early or leave out that consent, and you're headed for a denial.
Employment history matters too. Former TDOC or TRICOR employees (including contract agency staff) who left voluntarily - not due to policy violations - can only submit a visitor application after 48 months from their TDOC separation date. Apply before that window closes, and your application will likely be disapproved.
Remember: Even if you'll eventually be eligible, you can't visit until the application is approved (except for the limited immediate-family/newly-committed exception). Get your approval sorted before making travel plans.
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- ✓ Fill out every section of CR-2152 (don’t leave blanks) and use a physical street address (no P.O. Boxes).
- ✓ Attach a recent, current photo in the lower left-hand corner of the form (a real photograph, not a photocopy).
- ✓ Double-check that your relationship and any prior conviction information is complete and accurate.
- ✓ If a minor will visit without their custodial parent/legal guardian, complete the parental consent section on page 2 and have it properly notarized.
When you’re ready to mail it, address the envelope to the Associate Warden of Security (or the Deputy Superintendent at MLTC). Include the prison name and the prison address so it routes correctly.
- Re-check the CR-2152 for blanks and address issues - make sure every section is completed and that you didn’t list a P.O. Box as your address.
- Confirm the photo is correct and placed correctly - attach a recent, current photo (not a photocopy) in the lower left-hand corner so the application can be processed.
- Review what you wrote about convictions and relationship - omissions or incorrect details can lead to a denial, even if everything else looks fine.
If everything looks right and the denial still doesn't make sense, reach back out through the same channel. The application goes to the Associate Warden of Security (or Deputy Superintendent at MLTC), with the prison name and address on the envelope - that's the office to contact about resubmitting and what they need corrected.
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