Penmate Inmate Support Guides
Visitation

Before Your First Visit to Hamilton Unit: What to Bring and What to Leave Behind

Your first visit to Hamilton Unit goes a lot smoother when you show up with the right ID and only the items they allow past the secured perimeter. Use this guide to pack light, avoid getting turned away at check-in, and keep your focus on the visit itself.

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

If you're 18 or older, bring a current, government-issued photo ID to check-in. Staff specifically check for expiration dates, so make sure yours hasn't lapsed.

At least one of your ID documents needs to show your current physical address. The one exception: victims of family violence who have been certified by the attorney general for address protection are not required to show an address on their ID.

Keep it simple past the secured perimeter. You can bring a small wallet, a clear plastic (Ziploc-type) bag, or a change purse.

Cash rule: You can bring up to $35 in coins inside the secured perimeter. Paper money is not allowed.

Vending machines are available in the visitation areas, so coins come in handy if you want snacks or drinks during a long visit.

Infant Items

  • ✓ No more than three diapers
  • ✓ A supply of baby wipes
  • ✓ Two baby bottles (or one sippy cup for toddlers)

Bag requirement: Those infant and child items must be stored in a clear plastic bag while you are inside the unit.

Leave paper cash behind when you enter the secured perimeter. Purses, diaper bags, and briefcases aren't allowed either. The same goes for all electronics: cell phones, pagers, laptop computers, digital recorders, and any other electronic or wireless devices. Cameras are also prohibited.

If you're licensed to carry a handgun, you may only possess an unloaded handgun on TDCJ property if it's stored securely in one of these ways: a locked weapons box in a locked vehicle, a locked compartment of a locked vehicle, the trunk of a locked vehicle with a locking device attached to the firearm, or a locked vehicle with the firearm concealed from view and a locking device attached to it.

Before you make the drive, call the unit for final confirmation. Visitation schedules can change, and units sometimes cancel visitation altogether. Finding that out after you arrive is the last thing you need.

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