Bringing Your Children to Visit at Lea County Correctional Facility: Rules, Supervision, and Contact

At Lea County Correctional Facility, a "minor" is anyone under 18 who hasn't been legally emancipated. Children won't be allowed in unless they have proper identification and are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult relative. The one exception: if the minor can show documented proof of legal marriage to the inmate.

If the visit is a contact visit, physical contact is limited. The standard rule is a brief hug and/or kiss at the beginning of the visit and again at the end.

For parents visiting with kids, there’s one extra allowance that matters: during contact visits, the inmate may hold his or her own children.

If an in-person visit isn't possible - or isn't the right fit for your child - Lea County Correctional Facility offers "tele-visits." These are prearranged video visits coordinated through PB&J Family Services, Inc. and the facility, connecting inmates with their children at a community site.

Preparing Children

• ✓ Bring proper identification for your child (and be prepared to show that you’re the responsible adult relative, parent, or legal guardian accompanying them).
• ✓ Plan for the facility’s dress code - if you’re unsure what will be accepted, go conservative.
• ✓ Keep children under control during the visit; if a child can’t follow directions in a secure setting, consider a different option (like a tele-visit).
• ✓ Ask your loved one for the facility’s special rules for infants and children before you go, so you know what’s allowed in the visiting room.

Dealing with custody paperwork, travel constraints, or a family emergency? Start by checking the written visitation information your loved one received - it covers special rules for infants and children, plus information about special visits. For case-specific questions, contact the facility's inmate advocate: Moriama Valeriano at (575) 392-4055.