What You Can't Bring to a Visit at Orleans Parish Prison (electronics, meds, cash and more)
Show up with the wrong items and you could lose your visit—or find yourself scrambling to stash things at the last minute. Here's what to leave behind when visiting Orleans Parish Prison, from electronics to medication to cash.
Louisiana Department of Corrections treats certain items as contraband in visiting areas. The rules cover broad categories - drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and any telecommunications or recording equipment. The Warden can authorize limited exceptions, but don't count on it. Your safest bet: if it's not clearly allowed, leave it in your car or at home.
S2
- ✓ Cellular phones
- ✓ Pagers
- ✓ Beepers
- ✓ SIM cards
- ✓ Portable memory chips
- ✓ Batteries
- ✓ Chargers
- ✓ Cameras
- ✓ Recording devices
Warning: Anything that can take pictures, record audio/video, or functions like telecom equipment (including loose SIM cards or memory chips) is prohibited in the visiting area - leave it behind.
Medication is one of the few areas with a narrow exception. You can bring prescribed medication that's life-saving or life-sustaining - but only enough for the length of your visit. If you don't absolutely need it to stay safe during the visit, leave it behind.
- Bring only what you need for the visit - medication must be prescribed, life‑saving or life‑sustaining, and limited to the amount required for the duration of the visit.
- Tell staff before you enter - advise institutional staff at the visiting desk that you’re in possession of medication.
- Follow staff instructions - once you’ve declared it, staff will direct you on what happens next during screening.
Don't hand money to the incarcerated person during your visit. Louisiana DOC prohibits direct cash exchanges. Instead, deposits go through approved channels: JPAY (by mail, internet, phone, or kiosk) or MoneyGram.
If you're 18 or older, bring a photo ID every time. Louisiana DOC accepts a valid driver's license, state photo ID, active-duty military photo ID, or passport.
S6
- ✓ Leave all electronics and telecom-related items behind, especially phones, pagers/beepers, cameras, and recording devices.
- ✓ Don’t carry “parts” thinking they don’t count - SIM cards, portable memory chips, batteries, and chargers are also prohibited.
- ✓ Do not bring controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, marijuana, tobacco, or tobacco-related items into the visiting area.
- ✓ If you must bring medication, keep it to prescribed life‑saving or life‑sustaining meds only, and only the amount needed for the visit.
- ✓ Declare any medication at the visiting desk before you go in.
- ✓ If you’re 18+, confirm you have an accepted photo ID (driver’s license, state photo ID, active-duty military photo ID, or passport).
- ✓ Don’t bring money to hand to the incarcerated person - use JPAY (mail, internet, telephone, kiosks) or MoneyGram for deposits.
- ✓ When in doubt, assume the item isn’t allowed unless the facility has clearly approved it or an exception has been authorized.
Reminder: If you’re carrying life‑saving medication, tell staff at the visiting desk. And don’t try to pass cash during the visit - use JPAY or MoneyGram for deposits.
Think you need an exception to these rules? Handle it before your visit. The Warden can authorize exceptions in limited circumstances, so contact facility staff ahead of time to ask what documentation or approval you'll need.
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