What You Can't Bring to a Visit at Santa Barbara County Jails (and the Consequences)
Want your visit to go smoothly? Pack light and leave anything on the prohibited list in your car or at home. One item in particular (your cell phone) can cost you visitation privileges for a full year.
Most problems at Santa Barbara County Jail visits come down to three categories: recording devices, weapons, and substances. Cell phones, computers, laptops, and other electronics capable of recording are not allowed in the visiting area. Firearms, knives, and other weapons are prohibited. So are alcohol and illegal drugs. Leave all of these off jail property entirely.
Cell phone consequence: If you have a cell phone during a visit, a citation will be issued and you will be rejected from visitation for one year.
Two items trip people up constantly because they seem harmless: cameras and bags. Cameras and photography are not permitted in the visiting area. Neither are purses, bags, or backpacks. Plan to arrive with only what fits in your pockets.
2
- ✓ Cell phones, computers, laptops, or other electronic devices capable of recording
- ✓ Cameras and anything used for photography
- ✓ Purses, bags, and backpacks
- ✓ Firearms
- ✓ Knives
- ✓ Other weapons
- ✓ Alcohol
- ✓ Illegal drugs
- ✓ Food
- ✓ Drinks
- ✓ Cigarettes
- ✓ E-cigarettes
- ✓ Vaping devices
- ✓ Pets
Santa Barbara County Jail takes cell phones seriously. If you have one during a visit, you'll receive a citation and lose visitation privileges for one year. That's a steep price for one oversight. Leave your phone secured in your vehicle before you walk in.
Beyond phones, the jail prohibits several common items in the visiting area: firearms, knives, and other weapons; alcohol and drugs; electronic devices capable of recording; and purses, bags, and backpacks. The simplest approach? Treat the prohibited list as a hard no. If you bring something that's not allowed, you'll have to remove it before entering the visiting area.
- Do a pocket check before you leave your car - Make sure you are not carrying a cell phone or any other electronic device capable of recording.
- Leave bags behind - Purses, bags, and backpacks are not permitted in the visiting area.
- Skip cameras completely - Cameras and photography are not permitted in the visiting area.
- Do not bring snacks or drinks - Food and drinks are not permitted in the visiting area.
- ✓ Double-check you do not have a cell phone on you (the consequence is a citation and a one-year visitation rejection)
- ✓ Make sure you are not carrying cigarettes, an e-cigarette, or a vaping device
- ✓ If you own a firearm, knife, or any other weapon, confirm it is not with you for the visit
If you received a citation for having a cell phone during a visit, the consequence is significant: you'll be rejected from visitation for one year. Ask for any paperwork they give you and keep it somewhere safe. You may need to reference the date later.
Plan for the long-term impact: A cell phone citation means losing visitation for one year. If you have questions about what was issued or what it means for future visits, get clarity right away.
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