Before Your First Visit to Ferguson Unit: A Practical Checklist

Before you travel, confirm two things: that your loved one is currently assigned to the Ferguson Unit, and that they currently have visitation privileges. The online visitation information is updated once daily on weekdays and multiple times per day on visitation days, but the unit is the final word - call the Ferguson Unit before you leave to confirm you’re good to come in. Also check the unit visitation schedule and verify visitation hasn’t been canceled; unit-wide cancellations are posted on the TDCJ homepage, and even an eligible inmate can’t receive visitors if visitation is canceled.

Bring a valid, acceptable photo ID for check-in. TDCJ requires photo identification, and staff will use it to verify you before you’re allowed into the visiting area - so don’t leave it in the car or assume a non-photo document will be enough.

If you’re bringing children, be ready in case staff asks for identification for them, too. Children 17 and under may be required to provide ID such as a birth certificate, a state ID, or a student ID, so it’s smart to bring those documents with you rather than risk being turned away at check-in.

Plan your outfit and what you carry like it matters - because it does. Since visitation is treated as a privilege, the unit can enforce clothing rules strictly and can temporarily restrict visits when there are rule violations or security concerns. If you’re unsure whether something will pass (clothing, accessories, or anything you planned to bring inside), keep it simple and leave questionable items at home.

If your visit is a contact visit, expect physical contact to be limited and closely supervised. You’re allowed one embrace and kiss at the beginning and one at the end of the visit. Holding hands is allowed only if your hands stay on top of the table, in full view of staff.

Sometimes you do everything right and visitation still doesn’t happen. Visits can be temporarily restricted or discontinued for security concerns, lockdowns, escapes, disturbances, or health and safety emergencies; that’s why it’s worth checking for cancellations before you drive out, especially since unit-wide cancellations are posted on the TDCJ homepage. Also know that visits may be terminated if there’s improper conduct, and a visitor can be removed from the inmate’s Visitors List. If you’re removed, you won’t be able to visit that inmate unless your appeal is approved.

1. Read the written notice carefully - the 14-day deadline is based on the date on that notice.
2. Write your appeal - if you’ve been removed from an inmate’s Visitors List, you can submit a written appeal to the Director’s Review Committee (DRC).
3. Mail it within 14 days - send your appeal to: Director’s Review Committee (DRC), PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX 77342.
4. Use central TDCJ contact info if you need it - Texas Department of Criminal Justice, PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX 77342-0099, (936) 295-6371.