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Visitation

What Happens During Your Loved One’s First 8 Days at Reception (C.R.C.): Why Visits Are Limited

When your loved one first arrives at reception (C.R.C.), the first week can feel like a black hole. Visiting rules are stricter at the start, and they're tied to a specific timeline—so understanding that timeline helps you plan.

• 2 min read • dam.assets.ohio.gov
What Happens During Your Loved One’s First 8 Days at Reception (C.R.C.): Why Visits Are Limited

At C.R.C., people in reception cannot receive visits during their first eight (8) days. If you've tried scheduling a visit and been told "not yet," this is why. Those first eight days are a mandatory no-visit period.

Note: Mark day 8 on your calendar. It helps you avoid wasted trips and sets realistic expectations while your loved one is still in reception.

Once visits are allowed during reception, visitation is limited to a small group. At the reception center, the people permitted to visit are immediate family members, the parent(s) of the incarcerated person’s children, and one designated support person.

Paperwork plays a role in whether you can visit. Immediate family members - and the mother or father of the incarcerated person's children - must be listed by your loved one when they arrive, using the Incarcerated Person Reception Visiting List (DRC2248). Reception staff then enter those names into the DOTS portal (VSL screen), which is how the facility officially records who's approved for reception visits.

What Happens During Your Loved One’s First 8 Days at Reception (C.R.C.): Why Visits Are Limited

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Reception visits work on a first-come, first-served basis unless you're told otherwise. Arrive early. Show up later and you may face longer waits or find that space has filled up.

Need to get money onto your loved one's account? Reception has a specific process. Your loved one can select one person to immediately send a visit application for the purpose of depositing funds - but that person still needs to submit the application and be approved under policy before they can actually make a deposit.

  1. Submit the visiting application - don’t wait for the first visit attempt; approval is part of what allows things to move forward.
  2. Give it time to process - applications take time to be reviewed and entered.
  3. Call after 10–14 business days to verify approval - this is the recommended window to check your status after submission.

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Bringing Children to Visit Ohio Reformatory: How to Complete Minor Visitor Applications

Before a child can visit at Ohio Reformatory, paperwork comes first. The key form is the Minor Visitor Application (DRC-2238) - it must be completed, signed by the child's custodial parent or legal guardian, submitted, and approved before the child's first visit. While you're preparing, know that Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction materials like the ODRC General Visiting Instructions (DRC-2274) and the Declaration of Understanding (DRC-2554) are available to staff, incarcerated people, and visitors. Ask to review them if you need clarity on the overall process.