Before You Book That Flight: What to Confirm Before Traveling to Visit Someone at SMCI
Traveling from out of town to visit someone at South Mississippi Correctional Institution (SMCI)? A little advance verification can save you a wasted trip. Run through the checks below before you buy nonrefundable tickets or commit to a long drive.
Start with the application itself. At SMCI, the visitation application process begins with the inmate, not the visitor. Your loved one is responsible for sending you the Application for Visiting Privileges. If you haven't received that application package yet, don't assume you can show up and get in. Wait until you have the paperwork in hand, complete it fully, and mail it to the MDOC address listed in the packet so it can be processed.
Travel tip: MDOC strongly encourages you to confirm your visitation application was approved before you purchase plane tickets or plan a long drive to SMCI.
Reminder: Visitation at SMCI is a privilege, not a right. Visitation privileges can be revoked for the inmate or the visitor if rules are violated.
Written approval matters, but it's not the only thing that can affect your trip. Before you lock in travel, contact the facility to make sure there are no interruptions to the visitation schedule. Also confirm your loved one isn't on a restriction that temporarily removes visitation privileges. Calling right before you leave is the best way to avoid arriving only to find out visits aren't happening that day.
Even after you're approved, visitation can be paused or restarted based on changing conditions, including COVID-related changes. Before you travel, check MDOC updates and press releases so you don't get caught off guard by a temporary visitation freeze or a reopening that hasn't fully stabilized.
Practical Pretrip Checklist
- ✓ Confirm the inmate sent you the Application for Visiting Privileges, since the inmate must initiate the process.
- ✓ Do not book flights or commit to a long drive until you have confirmed your visitation application was approved.
- ✓ Verify you are on the offender’s approved visitor list for the visit.
- ✓ Bring an acceptable photo ID if you are 16 or older. Your ID must show your date of birth.
- ✓ Expect to register and identify yourself at check-in using a Visitor ID card, driver’s license, military ID, or state ID.
- ✓ Leave cell phones, wallets, purses, handbags, change purses, and similar items locked in your vehicle.
- ✓ Do not bring valuables you cannot afford to lose. MDOC is not responsible for personal property lost, stolen, or damaged on prison grounds.
If you're mapping out your travel, SMCI is located at 22689 MS Hwy 63 North, Leakesville, MS 39451. The facility's maximum capacity is 2,886 beds.
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