How to Visit MCC Chicago, IL (IL)
Visiting someone at MCC Chicago takes a little planning. You'll need to be approved before you can show up, so here are the rules to know first and what to double-check so you don't waste a trip.
You can only visit if the inmate has placed you on their approved visiting list and you've been cleared by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). If you're not on that list, staff will turn you away, no matter how far you traveled. Keep this in mind after transfers, too. A visiting list may not be in place right away when someone first arrives at a new facility.
By law, every inmate is entitled to at least four hours of visiting time per month. That's the minimum baseline you can plan around. How those hours actually get scheduled depends on the facility, so confirm directly with MCC Chicago how they apply that monthly time.
Note: The Warden can restrict visit length or the number of visitors allowed at once to prevent overcrowding. This means your visit could look different on a given day, even if you're fully approved.
Steps to Follow
- ✓ Confirm the inmate has added you to their approved visiting list.
- ✓ Make sure your BOP visitor clearance is completed before you travel.
- ✓ Plan with the legal minimum in mind: at least four hours of visiting time per month.
- ✓ Verify how MCC Chicago schedules that monthly visiting time so you know what to expect.
- ✓ Expect possible limits on visit length or how many visitors can come in at once.
- ✓ Be ready to adjust (for example, fewer people visiting at one time) if staff are managing crowding.
- Confirm you are on the approved list: Have the inmate verify they placed you on their visiting list.
- Verify BOP clearance is complete: Do not assume you are cleared until it is confirmed through the proper BOP process.
- Ask how the monthly minimum is scheduled: Confirm how MCC Chicago provides the at-least-four-hours-per-month visiting time.
- Check for current limits: Ask whether the Warden has restricted visit length or the number of visitors at once due to visiting room crowding.
Tip: Bringing a large group? Plan for the possibility that only a limited number of visitors can come in at one time. Splitting into smaller groups keeps you flexible if crowding rules are in effect.
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