What Happens If You Break the Rules During a Visit at South Central
Breaking a visiting rule at South Central can end your visit immediately—and put your future visiting privileges at risk. Here's what rule violations typically look like and what happens if the facility imposes sanctions.
At South Central, physical contact is limited. You can have one greeting embrace and one departing embrace, and a brief kiss is allowed. During the visit itself, holding hands is permitted, but anything beyond that can be treated as a rule violation and may lead staff to step in or end the visit.
Visiting with kids? A few rules come up often. Children age 6 and under may sit on the offender's lap during the visit, unless the offender is a sex offender. Regardless of age, children must be supervised at all times. If a child is wandering, disruptive, or unattended, staff can treat that as a behavior problem - and it can affect the visit.
Reminder: Video visits are recorded and monitored. Staff can terminate a call mid-visit for violations or misconduct, and prohibited conduct can lead to suspension or termination of both video and in-person visiting privileges.
Many people assume video visits are more relaxed than in-person visits. They're not. All video visits are recorded and monitored, and staff can terminate the call mid-session if they see violations or misconduct. Serious behavior doesn't just end that one call - video visiting privileges can be suspended or terminated, and in-person visiting privileges may be affected too.
Contraband is another common way visits go wrong. When you enter South Central, you, your vehicle, your children, and any packages are subject to search - metal detectors included. If staff find or suspect you're trying to bring drugs, alcoholic beverages, firearms, or any other prohibited item onto the grounds, that's more than a visiting issue. Under Missouri Statute 217.360, bringing those items into a correctional facility is a criminal offense.
Dress code tripwire: Tight or excessively baggy, transparent, or revealing clothing is prohibited. If your outfit falls into those categories, you can be denied entry or have the visit stopped.
If the facility imposes visiting sanctions, you won't be left guessing. The institution will send written notice outlining the infraction and the sanctions imposed. Keep that notice - you'll need it if you want to challenge the restriction.
If your visiting application is denied, you can appeal in writing within 30 days to: Missouri Department of Corrections, Attn: Deputy Division Director of Adult Institutions, 2729 Plaza Drive, PO Box 236, Jefferson City, MO 65102. After a denial, you may reapply after one year. Verify the mailing address on the most current DOC instructions before sending your appeal - published formats can vary.
Tips Avoid Loss
- ✓ Wear clothing that isn’t tight, excessively baggy, transparent, or revealing.
- ✓ Don’t bring drugs, alcohol, firearms, or anything an offender isn’t allowed to possess.
- ✓ Expect searches: you, your vehicle, your children, and packages can be searched, and you’ll go through a metal detector.
- ✓ Keep children attended at all times; only children 6 and under may sit on the offender’s lap (unless the offender is a sex offender).
- ✓ Stick to the contact limits: one greeting and one departing embrace, a brief kiss, and holding hands during the visit.
Legal risk: Under Missouri Statute 217.360, bringing drugs, alcoholic beverages, firearms, or other prohibited items into a correctional facility is a criminal offense.
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