How to Contact an Inmate at San Joaquin Jail (CA)
If you're planning to visit someone at San Joaquin Jail, the two things that trip people up most are what you can bring into the visiting area and what to expect about phone privacy in the visiting room.
Empty your pockets before entering the visiting area at San Joaquin Jail. Cameras, recording devices, and cellular phones are all prohibited. So are weapons, purses, briefcases, diaper bags, and strollers. Leave pagers and food behind too. Basically, walk in with nothing but your ID and the clothes on your back.
Phone monitoring notice: Visiting-room telephone conversations may be monitored and recorded. Under California Penal Code Section 636, using the inmate visiting telephones counts as your knowledge and consent. The only exceptions are properly assigned attorney, religious advisor, or physician visits.
Steps to Follow
- ✓ Leave cameras/recording devices, cell phones, weapons, purses/briefcases/diaper bags/strollers, pagers, and food out of the visiting area.
- ✓ Assume visiting-room telephone calls can be monitored and recorded. By using the inmate visiting telephones, you are consenting under California Penal Code Section 636 (except for properly assigned attorney, religious advisor, or physician visits).
Staff enforce these rules strictly. Confirm the current prohibited-items list with the facility before you show up, especially if you planned to bring any kind of bag (including items for children). If your visit is legal, religious, or medical (attorney, religious advisor, or physician), verify with staff ahead of time that it's properly assigned. That's what determines whether the visit falls under the exception to phone monitoring and recording.
- Check the jail’s official information or contact the facility directly - confirm the latest visiting-area rules before you travel.
- Ask about prohibited items for the visiting area - specifically confirm that cameras/recording devices, cell phones, weapons, purses/briefcases/diaper bags/strollers, pagers, and food are not allowed.
- Confirm the visiting-room phone recording policy - verify that conversations may be monitored/recorded and that using the inmate visiting telephones implies consent under California Penal Code Section 636.
- Verify whether your visit qualifies for an exception - if you are an attorney, religious advisor, or physician, confirm the visit is properly assigned so it is not monitored or recorded.
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