What Happens During a Pat Search (and what you consent to) at an Oklahoma Prison

ODOC visitation security includes pat searches. Facility staff pat-search every inmate and every visitor before visitation. This doesn't only happen "if you look suspicious" or to certain people. It's standard for everyone entering the visiting area.

Searches are part of the visitation process, not a separate step you can opt out of. Before you can visit, you need to be an approved visitor, which starts with submitting a Visitor Application Form. Paper forms are still accepted at ODOC headquarters, and the form must be addressed to the Visitation Unit. If you're using an online visit request, don't consider it confirmed until a team member calls you back with a confirmation.

The consent language on the visitor form is blunt. It states that entering prison grounds counts as presumed consent to a pat-down search and a search of your vehicle. It also says more intrusive searches may occur, depending on the facts and suspicions known to prison staff. The form isn't just about a basic pat search. It also acknowledges that staff can escalate the search if they believe the situation calls for it.

That same form covers background checks, too. By signing, you authorize ODOC to conduct a criminal background check as a condition of entering prison grounds. If you're 18 or older, a background check is required for visitation approval. The approval process can take up to eight weeks, so build that wait into your timeline.

Some ODOC facilities use a detection canine to assist in searches. The policy spells out what happens if the canine alerts on a visitor or their vehicle. A first alert means your visit is denied for that day only. If the same person or vehicle triggers a second alert, the visitor can receive a 90 to 180 day temporary restriction. A third alert on the same person or vehicle can lead to a one-year temporary restriction.

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• ✓ Expect a pat search before visitation, staff conduct pat searches on all inmates and visitors.
• ✓ Make sure you have already submitted a Visitor Application Form (paper forms must be addressed to the Visitation Unit).
• ✓ Do not bring tobacco or tobacco-like products onto ODOC property, their use and possession is prohibited.
• ✓ If you have tobacco or tobacco-like products with you, secure them in your vehicle for the duration of the visit (at minimum, medium, and maximum security facilities).

1. Request the visit and wait for confirmation - an online visit request is not confirmed until a team member calls you back with a confirmation.
2. Arrive expecting screening - if a detection canine alerts on you or your vehicle, the first alert results in your visit being denied for that day only.

If you're uncomfortable with searches, read the form language closely before you go. ODOC's visitor consent language says that entering prison grounds counts as presumed consent to a pat-down search. It also allows for more intrusive searches depending on the facts and suspicions known to prison staff. Practically speaking, showing up and proceeding onto the grounds is treated as agreement to be searched under those terms.

Privacy concerns can come up with the background check, too. The visitor form states that by signing you authorize ODOC to conduct a criminal background check. If you believe you've been wrongly denied, or you have questions about what you're consenting to, start by addressing it with the facility through normal channels. If the issue is serious or time-sensitive, it may be worth getting legal advice about your specific situation.