How Many Visitors Can You Bring to WERDCC? Understanding Visitor Count Rules and the Age Cutoff Conflict
WERDCC caps visitors at a set number, but there's a real conflict in the published rules about how old a child can be and still count as an
On WERDCC’s facility information page, visits are “limited to 3 visitors per offender.” That same page also says the visit “may include up to 3 additional visitors who are age 10 and under,” which would allow a total of up to 6 people when those extra visitors are younger children.
Even if your group size fits the count rules, visitation still isn’t a walk-in situation. WERDCC’s visiting sessions are generally Friday through Sunday, with a morning session (9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.) and an afternoon session (2:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.), and the schedule can differ by offender group. You also need to be pre-approved through the Missouri Department of Corrections online visiting application, and you should not attempt a visit until you’ve received final approval.
Here’s where the confusion comes in: Missouri DOC’s statewide visiting guidance uses the same basic visitor limit (3 visitors per offender), but the “extra children” exception is written differently. The statewide guidance says a visit “may include up to 3 additional visitors who are age 5 and under” (still totaling up to 6). That directly conflicts with WERDCC’s facility page language that uses “age 10 and under.”
Conflict to watch: WERDCC’s facility page allows up to 3 extra visitors who are age 10 and under, while statewide DOC guidance limits that exception to age 5 and under. If staff enforce the stricter cutoff, a group that “looks allowed” online could still be turned away at the door.
If you’re planning around the WERDCC facility wording, the biggest risk is families bringing children ages 6–10 as the “extra” visitors. Under the facility page language, those kids could be counted in the additional three and your group could still fit within the total of six. Under the statewide guidance, those same children would not qualify for the “extra” exception, which could push your group over the limit even if you thought you were following the rules. Because both versions are published, you’re dealing with an enforcement question, not just a math question. The safest approach is to treat the age cutoff as something you must verify for WERDCC specifically before you make the trip - especially if you’re right at the maximum headcount.
This conflict matters even more because the day-of logistics don’t leave much room to improvise. Visitors may arrive in the parking lot no earlier than 30 minutes before visiting starts, and entry is first-come, first-served. Also, no person or pet may remain in the vehicle on institutional grounds. So if your group gets told at check-in that you have too many visitors, you can’t simply have someone wait in the car with a child or a pet while the rest of you go in. That’s why it helps to plan for the “what if we’re over the limit?” scenario ahead of time - who can stay off grounds with the kids, whether you have an alternate caregiver, and how you’ll handle it if only part of your group can be admitted.
- ✓ Bring a valid photo ID if you’re an adult (for example, a current driver’s license or Department of Revenue ID card).
- ✓ If you’re bringing a teen visitor age 13–18, have a current school photo ID with their name, or a valid federal/state government-issued ID.
- ✓ Make sure anyone under 18 (unless married to the offender) is accompanied by an authorized adult visitor.
- ✓ Plan for the “one offender” rule: visitors may visit only one offender unless the visitor is an immediate family member of more than one offender.
- Read the WERDCC facility visiting language carefully - WERDCC’s facility page states the visit is limited to 3 visitors per offender and may include up to 3 additional visitors age 10 and under (total up to 6).
- Call before you travel - use the contact information listed on the WERDCC facility page and ask which child-age cutoff is being enforced for the “additional visitors” exception.
- Confirm through the offender’s side, too - ask the offender (or their case manager, if that’s your normal channel) what they’ve been told about visitor limits and child ages for WERDCC.
- Verify your approval status - make sure every visitor who needs to be approved is fully approved through the online visiting application process, and don’t attempt the visit until final approval is received.
As an example of the kind of contacts listed on the WERDCC facility page, WERDCC lists a chaplain contact: Tommy G. Barnhart (extension 2752) and an email address (Tommy.Barnhart@doc.mo.gov). That’s not a guarantee that the chaplain is the person who sets or enforces visitation policy, but it shows the type of facility-specific directory information you can use to reach the right office and get a clear answer before you show up.
If you’re planning to bring multiple children, build your headcount around the possibility that the stricter statewide cutoff (age 5 and under) could be the one enforced, even though the WERDCC facility page mentions age 10 and under. Practically, that means having an alternate plan for children ages 6–10 - like arranging a caregiver who can keep them off institutional grounds during the visit - so you’re not forced into a last-minute decision at the entrance.
- ✓ Adults: bring a valid photo ID (such as a current driver’s license or Department of Revenue ID card).
- ✓ Ages 13–18: bring a current school photo ID with their name, or a valid federal/state government-issued ID.
- ✓ Under 18: make sure they’re accompanied by an authorized adult visitor (unless married to the offender).
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