How to Visit Greenville County Detention Center, SC (SC)

Visiting rules at Greenville County Detention Center are specific, and a few key details vary based on where the inmate is housed. Focus on three things: the visitor list, ID requirements, and the schedule for the correct housing area. Get those right and you'll avoid most last-minute problems.

Bring a picture ID that matches the name on the inmate's visitor list. Staff compare your ID to the list at check-in, and a mismatch can stop your visit before it starts.

You're allowed two visits per week, each in a 30-minute time block. Each visit can include one adult and up to two minor children, so plan your group around that limit.

The inmate controls who can visit by maintaining a visitor list. They can have up to three adults on that list and can update it once every 30 days. Changes aren't instant, so plan ahead.

All visits are monitored and recorded. The visitation setup depends on the inmate's housing assignment. Your visit may happen on a video monitor, by telephone receiver while seeing each other through a glass barrier, or through a vented glass barrier.

If your loved one is housed in Building Four (units 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B), video visiting hours run 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. SHU visits follow a split schedule: 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM.

Steps

• ✓ Confirm the inmate has you on their visitor list, and that your name matches your picture ID
• ✓ Bring a picture identification that matches the name on the inmate’s visitor list for check-in
• ✓ Plan around the limit of two 30-minute visits per week
• ✓ Keep your group within the limit of one adult and up to two minor children per visit
• ✓ Be ready for the visit type used for that housing assignment (video monitor, telephone receiver with glass visibility, or vented glass barrier)
• ✓ If they are in Building Four (2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B), plan for 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM video visiting hours; if they are in SHU, plan for 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

1. Check your ID before you leave. Your picture identification must match the name on the inmate’s visitor list.
2. Present your identification at check-in. Staff will verify the match before allowing the visit.

During your visit, assume you're being monitored and recorded. Keep your conversation and behavior appropriate for that setting. Follow the rules for whichever visitation format is assigned to the housing unit, whether that's video, glass barrier with telephone receivers, or another setup.

What to Verify

• ✓ Which visiting hours apply to the inmate’s current housing assignment (the schedule can differ by unit)
• ✓ Whether your visit will be on a video monitor, through a glass barrier with telephone receivers, or through a vented glass barrier
• ✓ If the inmate is in Building Four or SHU, confirm the hours you plan to use (Building Four: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; SHU: 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM)

• ✓ How the inmate adds or updates you on the visitor list, and how long updates typically take to show up
• ✓ Whether the facility’s limit of up to three adults on the visitor list affects your situation
• ✓ The current interpretation of “one adult and up to two minor children” for your group
• ✓ How the two 30-minute visits per week are scheduled in practice (for example, how far in advance they can be set)

Since visits may be monitored and recorded, it's worth asking what that means in practice. You can confirm whether all visit types are recorded the same way and whether there are any limits on what can be discussed during monitored visitation.

If you need to raise a concern, confirm the current complaint path and who's on duty to receive it. The process starts with the Reception Control Clerk. If that doesn't resolve things, request the Watch Commander. You can also email detentioncenteradministrator@greenvillecounty.org. I'd recommend confirming that email address is still current before you rely on it.

Policies can change quickly based on staffing, operational needs, or temporary restrictions. Before you make the trip, check the facility's official information and contact the detention center directly for the most current visiting rules and hours for your loved one's housing assignment.