Your First 30 Days: Why Newly Arrived People in DOC Intake Can't Receive Visits (Louisiana State Penitentiary)

In Louisiana DOC,

That first month isn't just waiting around. Staff are actively processing the person - running medical and mental health assessments, making custody classification decisions, and identifying programming needs. In plain terms: they're figuring out health needs, safety level, where the person should be housed, and what programs they'll be enrolled in.

While someone is in intake status, visitation isn't allowed. The restriction exists because staff are still completing assessments and classification work, and the person may not have a long-term placement yet. For families, this timing is brutal - a wall goes up right when you most want face-to-face contact. But during intake status, visits aren't an option.

Intake status covers that first 30-day period after DOC custody begins. Once someone moves out of intake (and barring other specific restrictions), they become eligible to apply for visitation. The key word is apply - eligibility doesn't mean visits happen immediately. There's still an application process to complete.

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• ✓ Confirm whether your loved one is still in “intake status” (that status alone can explain the no-visits answer).
• ✓ Ask what changes once intake status ends, including what the visitation application process looks like.
• ✓ If intake seems to be stretching out, ask whether any “special visit” options exist for immediate family and what the facility’s procedure is.
• ✓ Start gathering basics you’ll typically need for visitation approval (for example, identification and any required paperwork) so you’re ready when applications open.
• ✓ Write down dates, names, and what you were told each time you call - intake timelines and next steps can be easier to track that way.