Visiting someone in special management at North Fork: what family members need to know

Visitation at North Fork follows Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) rules, and those rules give each facility flexibility to set schedules based on security needs. Visiting days and hours aren't one-size-fits-all. They can vary by facility and by the inmate's security level. That matters even more in special management, where additional restrictions can limit how visits are scheduled and conducted.

"Special management" or "administrative status" refers to a housing status where the prison places someone under tighter controls than general population. It affects day-to-day movement, programs, and visits. For families, the practical takeaway: plan for stricter rules, fewer options, and a visit format that may feel more structured than what you expected.

2

• ✓ Mother
• ✓ Father
• ✓ Spouse
• ✓ Legal (attorney)
• ✓ Clergy

For inmates housed in administrative special management, ODOC policy allows one hour of non-contact visitation per week. "Non-contact" means there will be a physical barrier between you and your loved one. No physical contact during the visit, even if you're on the approved list.

Even though the weekly allowance is clear, actual visiting days and hours can still differ depending on the facility and the inmate's security level. Each facility head sets the visiting schedule for their inmate population, so confirm the current North Fork schedule before you make the trip.

If you're trying to visit as clergy, designation matters. ODOC requires clergy or ministers to be designated by a local religious community or a larger religious organization. Documentation of that designation has to be provided to the facility before you can conduct religious services or a clergy visit.

Clergy are also one of the limited visitor categories allowed for someone in administrative special management. If you're not immediate family or legal counsel, clergy status is one of the few ways a visit may still be permitted under this housing status.

Administrative special management is different from disciplinary status (often called "DU time"). If your loved one is serving disciplinary time, ODOC policy says they are not allowed visitation while on that status, with only two exceptions: attorney visits and clergy visits. If you're being told "no visits," ask whether the person is on disciplinary status or administrative status. The rules are not the same.

How these statuses play out can also depend on local scheduling and security needs. Visiting days and hours vary by facility and by an inmate's security level, and the facility head sets the schedule to accommodate the population. That's why it helps to verify the current schedule and any unit-specific procedures before you go.

1. Submit a Visitor Application Form. All visitors have to send in a Visitor Application Form to the ODOC Visitation Unit before they can be approved.
2. Plan for a background check if you are 18 or older. Background checks are required for adult visitors.
3. Build in processing time. Visitor approval can take up to eight weeks, and the inmate will notify you when the process is complete.

• ✓ A birth certificate (for example, to show the relationship)
• ✓ Court papers (if applicable)
• ✓ Adoption papers (if applicable)

One more thing to know while you're getting approved: an inmate can have up to 20 people on their approved visitors list. Children under 18 don't count toward that total, which helps if you're trying to keep space for adult family members and support people.