How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
SCI Mercer handles all visits through the Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Visitation System (IVS), covering both in-person and video visits. Your identity is verified through a Keystone login, and every adult visitor needs their own IVS account. You must also be on the inmate's authorized visitors list before any visit can be approved. Professional visitors should call the Superintendent's Assistant to schedule or cancel video visits. Cancellations are processed in IVS and generate an automated email. For video visits, use the IVS link close to your scheduled time since sessions run back-to-back. Bring a current government-issued photo ID that includes your date of birth, and make sure the address you provide matches what's on your ID.
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Visiting someone at SCI Mercer goes smoother when you plan ahead for security screening and the on-grounds rules. Use this checklist to avoid delays, denied entry, or problems that could affect future visits.
PA DOC has a separate scheduling process for attorneys and other professional visitors who need a video visit. Here's the exact path to get scheduled, receive your link, and join on time.
SCI Mercer offers both in-person and video visits through the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections visitation system. You'll use the Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Visitation System to schedule either type.
Pennsylvania DOC video visits run through the Inmate Visitation System (IVS) and connect through Zoom. Set up your Keystone Login ahead of time, know where to find your visit link, and joining is usually straightforward.
Visiting someone at SCI Mercer takes a little planning, but it's straightforward once you know the process. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections offers both in-person and video visitation. Getting set up means using the state's visitation system and following on-site screening rules.
Want to visit someone at SCI Mercer? Pennsylvania DOC allows both in-person and video visits. Video visiting runs through the DOC's Inmate Visitation System, which uses Keystone Login to verify your identity.
SCI Mercer sits on about 304 acres of open, campus-style property. That means more driving around the grounds and more walking than you'd expect at a single-building jail. As a level 2 facility, the arrival process is structured and staff take vehicle and entry screening seriously.
A first visit goes a lot smoother when you know what happens between the parking lot and the front door. Here's what Pennsylvania DOC expects on visit day, and what staff will check when you arrive.
Your first visit to SCI Mercer goes a lot smoother when you know what to expect. Here's a quick prep guide so you can focus on the visit itself—not last-minute surprises.
Yes. Pennsylvania DOC supports both in-person and video visits through the Inmate Visitation System (IVS).
Yes. IVS verifies your identity using a Keystone login, so you'll need a Keystone account to schedule and join visits.
Professional visitors must call the Superintendent’s Assistant to schedule or cancel video visits. Cancellations are processed in IVS and trigger an automated cancellation email.
SCI Mercer started out as a State Regional Correctional Facility (SRCF). It was established on June 23, 1978, and opened its doors on July 5, 1978, in Findley Township, Mercer County.
If this facility uses DOC's Inmate Visitation System (IVS) for video visits, you'll connect through Zoom using a link from IVS or your confirmation email.
All Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) facilities use JPay for inmate money transfers. If you want to help with commissary purchases or other approved spending, JPay is the only payment channel you'll need.
