Visitor Limits at Moberly Correctional Center and the Serious Risks of Bringing Contraband

Moberly Correctional Center (like all Missouri Department of Corrections facilities) limits visits to 3 visitors per offender. Show up with more than that, and staff will ask you to reduce your group before anyone gets in.

You're also limited to visiting one offender per trip. The exception: if you're an immediate family member of more than one offender, you may be allowed to visit both.

Missouri DOC's "Plan Your Visit" guidance says the 3-visitor limit may include up to 3 additional visitors who are age 5 and under. This is worth knowing if you're planning to bring small children along with the adults in your group.

Here's where it gets confusing: a separate Missouri DOC visiting-hours page uses different wording for some institutions, stating visits may include up to 3 additional visitors who are age 10 and under, for a total of 6 visitors. Because these age cutoffs don't match, treat the "extra young visitors" rule as something to confirm before you make the drive.

Visitor limits come down to space and safety. Missouri DOC can also impose additional restrictions (fewer people in the room, shorter visits) due to inclement weather, staffing limits, visiting room capacity, or other security concerns.

Contraband isn't just a visitation rule you might break. It can be a felony. Under Missouri State Statute 217.360, bringing drugs, alcoholic beverages, firearms, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, or any other prohibited article into a correctional facility is a criminal offense. The penalty? Up to 15 years in prison. Even items that are perfectly legal outside can be treated as contraband once you try to carry them through the door.

There are a few narrow exceptions for necessities, but they have to be handled correctly. Missouri DOC allows coins in a clear bag for vending machines. It also allows specific medical supplies needed to maintain life (certain medications or medical equipment, for example) as long as they're in the original container and only in the dosage needed for the visiting period. Let the case manager know in advance so staff are prepared, and tell staff when you arrive if you'll need medication during the visit. If you use a walker, wheelchair, or have surgically implanted metal hardware, bring a physician's statement and notify the case manager ahead of time.

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• ✓ Keep your visit simple: bring only what you’re allowed to bring
• ✓ Bring coins in a clear sandwich bag or transparent plastic pouch for vending machines
• ✓ If you must bring medication or other life-sustaining medical supplies, keep them in the original container and bring only the dosage needed for the visiting period
• ✓ Notify the case manager in advance about medical needs, and notify staff upon arrival if you’ll need medication during visitation
• ✓ If you have a walker, wheelchair, or surgically implanted metal hardware, bring a physician’s statement and notify the case manager in advance

Break visiting rules, and the institution can impose sanctions. You'll receive a written notice outlining the infraction and the penalties. If you want to appeal, send a written request to: Missouri Department of Corrections, 2729 Plaza Drive, PO Box 236, Jefferson City, MO 65109. If your visiting status was denied, Missouri DOC says you may reapply after one year.

Before you can visit, you need to be pre-approved through the Missouri DOC visiting application. Fill it out thoroughly and honestly. A criminal history check is part of the process. Once you're approved, the offender gets notified, and it's their responsibility to let you know you've been cleared.

Moberly Correctional Center is open for visiting Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with sessions from 9:30am to 1:30pm and 2:30pm to 6:30pm. Think ahead about what you'll do with personal items you can't bring into the visiting room. Small lockers are available at most institutions to store things like a purse, wallet, or keys.