How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
SCI Forest offers both in-person and video visits through Pennsylvania DOC's PA Inmate Visitation System (IVS), which requires a Keystone login for scheduling and identity verification. Visitation is a privilege. Availability, rules, and visitor list eligibility can differ by housing unit and custody status. To get started, the incarcerated person needs to authorize you as a visitor first. Then you create an IVS account and complete Keystone authentication. Adults need their own accounts, while minors are added under a parent or guardian. For video visits, use the IVS link and join shortly before your scheduled time. Sessions run back-to-back, so late arrivals risk missing their slot entirely. Bring a current government photo ID showing your date of birth, and make sure the address you provide matches what's on your ID.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
First, ask the incarcerated person to add you to their authorized visitors list. Then create an IVS account and authenticate with Keystone; adults need their own accounts, and minors are added under a parent or guardian.
Yes. Pennsylvania DOC supports video visits scheduled through IVS. Join using the IVS link shortly before your start time. Sessions run back-to-back, so arriving late can cost you your slot.
Bring a current government-issued photo ID that shows your date of birth. When scheduling, make sure the address you provide matches the address on your ID.
Reaching someone at SCI Forest is usually straightforward once you confirm where they are and what communication options are available. Start by verifying the person's status, then check the facility's current rules for phone, mail, and visits.
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections monthly population report uses a few different counts that can look contradictory at first glance. Here's how to read SCI Forest's numbers from the December 31, 2025 report, and what each line actually measures.
Looking at the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections monthly population report and confused by the numbers? You're not alone. SCI Forest often shows fewer people "physically present" than the "total institution population" — that's because the total includes people who were temporarily away on the report date.
