Before Your First Visit: What to Bring, What to Wear, and What to Expect in Missouri DOC Visits

If you need life-maintaining medication or medical equipment during a visit, you can bring it. Missouri DOC limits you to what's necessary for the visiting period. Items like nitroglycerin, insulin and insulin supplies, oxygen, and asthma inhalers must be in their original containers. Give the case manager advance notice so staff know about your needs, then let staff know when you arrive that you'll need to access the medication or equipment during visitation.

Infant Supplies

• ✓ One clear carry-all
• ✓ Up to 6 diapers
• ✓ 1 blanket
• ✓ 3 clear plastic bottles of prepared infant beverage
• ✓ 1 clear plastic no-spill toddler cup
• ✓ 3 unopened vendor containers of baby food
• ✓ 1 plastic pacifier, teether and/or rattle
• ✓ 1 small plastic spoon
• ✓ 1 unopened package of baby wipes

Pack infant items exactly within the limits above, and stick to clear, unopened items when the rules call for it. Bottles need to be clear plastic. Baby food must be in unopened vendor containers. It helps to set those aside before you leave the house. If your child needs life-maintaining medication or equipment during the visit, bring only the necessary dosage for the visiting period, keep it in the original container, give advance notice to the case manager, and tell staff when you arrive.

Missouri DOC dress code enforcement can feel strict, so your safest bet is to dress simply and modestly. Avoid tight or excessively baggy clothing, and skip anything transparent or revealing. Tops need to fully cover your chest, cleavage, back, and stomach, with sleeves that cover your shoulders.

Graphics and messages on clothing can also get you turned away. Don't wear anything with gang, racial, inappropriate, or inflammatory language or symbols. Camouflage designs aren't allowed either, even if the rest of your outfit seems fine.

Skirts, dresses, and shorts must reach at least the top of the kneecap when you're standing. Wrap-around or slit skirts and dresses are prohibited, and pants with holes or slits aren't allowed.

Physical contact during Missouri DOC visits is limited. You're allowed one greeting embrace and brief kiss at the start, and one departing embrace and brief kiss at the end. During the visit itself, you can hold hands.

Visiting with children? There are specific rules. Children age 6 and under may sit on the offender's lap, unless the offender is a sex offender. Regardless of age, children must be attended by an adult visitor at all times, so plan your seating and supervision accordingly.

This rule is broader than many people realize. Under Missouri statute 217.360, it's illegal to bring in drugs, alcoholic beverages, firearms, or any other article an offender isn't permitted to possess. If you're unsure about an item, leave it at home or in your vehicle. The consequences are serious: felony charges and up to 15 years in prison.

Before you make the trip, make sure you're actually cleared to visit. Missouri DOC requires visitors to be pre-approved, which means submitting a visiting application and completing a criminal history check before any visits are allowed. You're also expected to know the visiting rules, regulations, and procedures in advance. Those rules are posted in the visiting room and available on request from the facility.